The Portland Fire were perhaps the least distinguished of all Women’s National Basketball Association franchises. The Fire never had a winning season and folded after only three seasons. Only one other WNBA franchise, the Miami Sol, has had such a short lifespan. When billionaire Microsoft co-founder and Portland Trailblazers NBA owner Paul Allen bailed out on the WNBA after three seasons in 2002, no new buyer stepped forward and the Fire went out of business.
The Orlando Miracle were a short-lived franchise during the early years of the WNBA. At the time, all WNBA clubs shared ownership and operations with a NBA franchise, so the Miracle’s logo design, team colors and mystical name were all derivative of the NBA’s Orlando Magic. After four middling seasons on the court, the Miracle moved and became the Connecticut Sun in 2003.
The Cleveland Rockers were one of the eight original franchises of the Women’s National Basketball Association when the league began play in the summer of 1997. Gund Arena Company, the owners of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, operated the Rockers franchise. On the court, the Rockers see-sawed between winning seasons and truly terrible campaigns, but still managed to make the playoffs in five of their seven years of play. Gund withdrew its support of the WNBA in September 2003. The timing seemed particularly unfortunate, just one month before 18-year LeBron James made his NBA debut for the Gund-owned Cavaliers, generating enormous attention for Cleveland pro basketball. With no other buyers stepping forward, the Rockers disbanded in December 2003.
Women’s National Basketball Association (1997-2002) Born: October 30, 1996 – WNBA founding franchise. Moved: December 5, 2002 (San Antonio Silver Stars) First Game: June 21,
Women’s National Basketball Association (1997-2009) Born: 1996 – WNBA founding franchise Folded: November 20, 2009 First Game: June 21, 1997 (W 70-60 @ Utah Starzz) Last Game:
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