Toyota Extends Partnership Within RAJ Sports Portfolio; Doubling Down On Community Impact

Portland, OR – The Portland Fire today announced a new partnership with Toyota, who will become the exclusive auto partner and Community Game Changer of the franchise. Now as a partner of both women’s sports teams in the RAJ Sports portfolio in the Portland Fire and the Portland Thorns, Toyota continues to show its investment and belief in the Portland community and women’s sports.

As part of the partnership launch, Toyota and the Portland Fire filled a Toyota vehicle with WNBA basketballs, with Fire General Manager Vanja Černivec and Vice President of Basketball Operations, Strategy and Innovation, Ashley Battle, on hand to deliver the basketballs to local girls basketball players. For b-roll of the giveaway, please click HERE.

“This partnership is a testament to what’s possible when brands buy in to women’s sports,” said Portland Fire Interim President, Clare Hamill. “Connecting with the community of Portland is a key pillar for the Fire, and Toyota’s support will help us bring the best experiences to our fans as well as make an impact across the region.”

“We are thrilled to be the inaugural automotive partner of the Portland Fire and are looking forward to cheering them on next year,” said Russ Humberston Jr., President of the Pacific Northwest Toyota Dealers Association. “Connecting with the community through meaningful touchpoints that can empower young women to cultivate a career in sports makes working with the Portland Fire a slam dunk.”

Play Like a Pro: Building Confidence On and Off Court
Toyota and Portland Fire will host Play Like a Pro, a youth clinic focused on inspiring and empowering young girls interested in the game of basketball. The clinic will provide hands-on training led by players and coaches as well as a mental wellness session focused on confidence and a gameday mindset.

Fueling Fans: Bringing The Fire Energy
Toyota is bringing the excitement from the basketball court to the community through dynamic fan-focused activations. Toyota will serve as the Presenting Partner of the Portland Fire Street Team, engaging with fans on game day and taking the Fire on the road through pop-up events and activations across Portland and local dealerships.

United Impact: Empowerment that Inspires
At the heart of the partnership between the Portland Fire, Portland Thorns and Toyota is a shared commitment to empowering girls and women across the Rose City. This commitment will be shown through the extension of signature community initiatives to the Fire including Her Voice Council and Lead(HER)s of Tomorrow, designed to support women and girls in sports, career development and beyond.

For more information on the Portland Fire, please click HERE.

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About Portland Fire
Portland Fire is one of the Women’s National Basketball League’s newest franchises, making its official on court debut in 2026. Owned by RAJ Sports – led by Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage – the team is more than a franchise; it’s the revival of a movement, honoring the legacy of the original Portland Fire while blazing a bold new path forward. Based in Portland, Oregon, the global epicenter of women’s sports, Portland Fire is rooted in the Rose City’s enduring resilience, spirit, and passion for sport.

About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands, and directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America (nearly 48,000 in the U.S.). For almost 70 years, Toyota has assembled nearly 47 million cars and trucks in North America at the company’s 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, the company’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. Through our more than 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.), Toyota sold more than 2.7 million cars and trucks (more than 2.3 million in the U.S.) in 2024, of which more than 43 percent were electrified vehicles (full battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell).

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