"RAJ Sports, the Bhathals’ sports ownership firm, has also committed to building a new training facility for the Thorns, which is expected to be a low-to-mid eight-figure project. The Thorns are expected to continue to practice at Providence Park through 2025 at no additional charge. The sale also includes a one-year services agreement that will see the Timbers’ staff continue to support the Thorns’ business operations while they transition into a standalone club."
"Today, we announced that RAJ Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, has formally assumed controlling ownership of Portland Thorns FC from Peregrine Sports LLC.... At some point, business operations will transfer over to the new owners, but there is no firm date set for that transition. Soccer operations are under RAJ Sports effective today."
Wow. Can they not look up, like I just did, that Morgan had only 7 NWSL goals this year (tied for 6th in the league), scored 0 at the World Cup (tied for last!), and had only 2 other USWNT goals total? And this is a striker, for whom goals scored is by far the most important metric.
I know! Maybe they saw that Morgan Weaver ALSO scored 7 NWSL goals, confused her with Alex Morgan ("she must have married former Man City keeper Nicky Weaver halfway through the season and changed her name"), and added their numbers to get 14 goals scored in the league. Golden Boot material!
Sounds like Dunn's move to Gotham, in addition to being valued, was also about family and home:
"For me, it was always about finding a place I can call home, I can feel like my child is going to have a great foundation to be able to really just thrive in."
...
"Every place I've gone, I've always felt like my heart is in New York. My family still lives here, I'm a New Yorker and you know how we are. … I just think I am a product of New York and it's such a special place that when faced with this opportunity to play the game that I love, move my family here and just have my friends and family show up and be present at games, I think it was ultimately an easy decision."
Any chance that Karina is still in the Bahamas looking for Dunn, having heard that Dunn was going back to Nassau because the Thorns hadn't "valued" her, and that Karina has yet to figure out that Dunn meant New York? =)
From ESPN.com, breaking down the WSL January transfer window, offering this bit of speculation for Leicester City:
"Although they haven't been linked with many players, looking to sign a free agent like former Portland Thorns star Rikke Sevecke would be a solid start."
First of all, the "former Thorns star" who never suited up for the club at all before leaving?
Second, I'd heard (pretty reliably) that she left Portland to retire due to a health concern.
It’s weird that her social media still notes that she’s at the Thorns. I’ve noticed her posting a bit more lately in the last few weeks…it was def somewhere v snowy so i imagine she’s home. And she hasn’t posted anything about retiring…is it possible she’s getting care and is planning to make a return eventually?
I’ve also seen multiple folks commenting about wanting her after she “left” the Thorns, which made me just go….”hrrrrmm, yah ok sure.” Folks just don’t know what’s going on with her apparently…Real Madrid were also wanting her apparently (or at least their fans lol.)
Re-posted to bring it to the top, now that the list is complete:
Equalizer's 11 Most Memorable NWSL Trades. I tried both to condense the information and flesh it out a bit. Fun list.
11. Thorns acquire Becky Sauerbrunn from Utah for Elizabeth Ball and $100,000 in allocation money.
10. Thorns send No. 3 pick (Christen Westphal) and No. 4 spot in Distribution Ranking Order to Boston for No. 1 spot in Distribution Ranking Order. The No. 4 pick went unused and Portland failed to land Mal Pugh.
9. Washington send Shelina Zadorsky to Orlando for Aubrey Bledsoe and No. 4 pick (Sam Staab).
8. Chicago trade Savannah McCaskill, Yuki Nagasato, the No. 5 pick (Emina Ekic), and international roster spot (Gemma Bonner? Freya Olaffson? Ebony Salmon?) to Louisville for Expansion Draft protection.
7. FCKC acquire Amy Rodriguez from Seattle for Kristie Mewis.
6. Sam Kerr to Chicago, Carli Lloyd to Sky Blue, Christen Press to Houston. Press refuses to report to Houston and returned to Chicago, which sets up the #3 Most Memorable Trade.
5. Thorns acquire No. 1 pick (Sophia Smith) from Orlando for Emily Sonnett, the No. 7 and No. 14 picks (Courtney Petersen, Phoebe McClernon), and the rights to Caitlin Foord.
4. Sky Blue acquire Sam Kerr from Western NY for Elizabeth Eddy and No. 4 pick (Sam Mewis).
3. After she refuses to report to Houston, Chicago reacquire Christen Press and a 2020 1st Round pick from Houston for Sofia Huerta and Taylor Comeau; Chicago send Press and Samantha Johnson to Utah for Brooke Elby, the No. 1 (Tierna Davidson) and No. 7 (Tegan McGrady, pick traded to Washington) in the 2019 Draft, two conditional picks in 2020 and a conditional pick in 2021. This one is CRAZY! The Houston 1st rounder went to Chicago, then Sky Blue, then Chicago again, then Orlando. Orlando acquired the No. 3 and No. 26 picks in the 2020 Draft in exchange for the No. 19 pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft, Orlando's natural first-round selection in the 2021 Draft, Rachel Hill and $50,000 of allocation money. Chicago acquired the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in the 2020 Draft from Sky Blue for the No. 4 and No. 5 picks in the 2020 Draft and $80,000 of allocation money. Sky Blue received Chicago's highest first-round pick and a second-round pick in the 2020 Draft in exchange for Savannah McCaskill. And Portland acquired the No. 2 pick (Morgan Weaver) in the 2020 Draft from Chicago for the No. 15 (Julia Bingham) and No. 16 (Camyrn Biegalski) picks in the 2020 Draft and $70,000 allocation money. And as for the 2019 part of this deal? Washington acquired the No. 7 pick (McGrady) in the 2019 Draft from Chicago for the No. 20 pick (Bianca St Georges) and Washington's natural first-round pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft. This after Chicago had acquired the No. 1 and No. 7 picks in 2019 from Utah in exchange for Press's rights, and Utah had acquired the No. 7 from Orlando via Seattle. Got all that?
2. NC acquire Crystal Dunn and an international roster spot from Washington for Ashley Hatch and Taylor Smith.
1. Orlando acquire Alex Morgan, Kaylyn Kyle, and the No. 10 pick in the 2016 Draft (Sam Witteman) from Portland for the No. 1 pick in the 2016 Draft (Emily Sonnett), the No. 1 pick in the Expansion Draft (Meghan Klingenberg), and the rights to A.D. Franch and Lindsey Horan.,
ABell4: Yes, the young international CB is happening. Announcement will come soon.
would be poetic justice if came from OL
can you share where she's coming from? League?
Narrator: "A planet we like to call 'Earth.'"
Not yet. Out of respect for my source, I'll let the announcement come. But I will say she's playing in this year's UWCL group stage.
playing or on a roster
Final sale price: $63M
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/01/03/portland-thorns-sale-completed
Also...
"RAJ Sports, the Bhathals’ sports ownership firm, has also committed to building a new training facility for the Thorns, which is expected to be a low-to-mid eight-figure project. The Thorns are expected to continue to practice at Providence Park through 2025 at no additional charge. The sale also includes a one-year services agreement that will see the Timbers’ staff continue to support the Thorns’ business operations while they transition into a standalone club."
Well, there it is.
The good news: tons of experience hiring coaches.
https://www.timbers.com/thornsfc/news/raj-sports-finalizes-acquisition-of-portland-thorns-fc
Thorns under a lease through 2035 to remain at Providence Park.
And then the heavens opened and the seas parted!
"Today, we announced that RAJ Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, has formally assumed controlling ownership of Portland Thorns FC from Peregrine Sports LLC.... At some point, business operations will transfer over to the new owners, but there is no firm date set for that transition. Soccer operations are under RAJ Sports effective today."
Good for a laugh every year at this time, here's the slate of FIFPRO World 11 nominees.
https://twitter.com/womenstransfer/status/1742568043446673787
Naeher and Morgan are only NWSLers getting nominated.
Wow. Can they not look up, like I just did, that Morgan had only 7 NWSL goals this year (tied for 6th in the league), scored 0 at the World Cup (tied for last!), and had only 2 other USWNT goals total? And this is a striker, for whom goals scored is by far the most important metric.
I know! Maybe they saw that Morgan Weaver ALSO scored 7 NWSL goals, confused her with Alex Morgan ("she must have married former Man City keeper Nicky Weaver halfway through the season and changed her name"), and added their numbers to get 14 goals scored in the league. Golden Boot material!
Yep, good for a laugh.
Orlando just signed Evelina Duljan, a young Swedish midfielder who played for Juventus most recently.
Providence Park? Whistling wind.
Nadim has changed her home address on Xitter to Paris. Maybe she's going to return to PSG after all? Word is that PSG are chasing Earps now too.
Sonnett and Lavelle inching closer to signing with Gotham.
Fair to guess that the "inching" involves clearing up space for them -- maybe some draft-day trades?
Speaking of which.... NWSL Draft coming up in 10 days. I wonder who Drinking Bird will select?
Memo to Karina:
THAT is what you do after winning a championship. You go out and improve your team.
P.S. What's the Drinking Bird reference? Something KK said on Xitter?
The Simpsons. https://giphy.com/gifs/simpsons-dippy-bird-drinking-l41lUJ1YoZB1lHVPG
This year's version of Florida Woman?
Maybe we can draft Nasello again? Syd, now playing for Apollon, scored 2 goals in 4 matches (305 minutes) during UEFA WCL Rounds 1 and 2
So many pictures including Dunn, you'd think they "valued" her.
https://www.timbers.com/thornsfc/news/thorns-year-in-pictures-a-look-at-2023-through-photography
I read those comments from Dunn as relating to Soubrier tbh.
I think there's that, but I imagine we also didn't offer her the same length and $$$ of contract as Gotham and others did.
Hermoso to Tigres.
Providence Park? Crickets.
Tierna Davidson to Gotham confirmed.
Providence Park? Eerie silence.
Sounds like Dunn's move to Gotham, in addition to being valued, was also about family and home:
"For me, it was always about finding a place I can call home, I can feel like my child is going to have a great foundation to be able to really just thrive in."
...
"Every place I've gone, I've always felt like my heart is in New York. My family still lives here, I'm a New Yorker and you know how we are. … I just think I am a product of New York and it's such a special place that when faced with this opportunity to play the game that I love, move my family here and just have my friends and family show up and be present at games, I think it was ultimately an easy decision."
Any chance that Karina is still in the Bahamas looking for Dunn, having heard that Dunn was going back to Nassau because the Thorns hadn't "valued" her, and that Karina has yet to figure out that Dunn meant New York? =)
Happy New Year!
Tori Huster retired. Not just an original NWSLer, but also NWSLPA Prez. Respect.
WTF?
From ESPN.com, breaking down the WSL January transfer window, offering this bit of speculation for Leicester City:
"Although they haven't been linked with many players, looking to sign a free agent like former Portland Thorns star Rikke Sevecke would be a solid start."
First of all, the "former Thorns star" who never suited up for the club at all before leaving?
Second, I'd heard (pretty reliably) that she left Portland to retire due to a health concern.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/39196592/womens-super-league-transfer-window-preview-earps-fox-arsenal-mewis-moves-west-ham
It’s weird that her social media still notes that she’s at the Thorns. I’ve noticed her posting a bit more lately in the last few weeks…it was def somewhere v snowy so i imagine she’s home. And she hasn’t posted anything about retiring…is it possible she’s getting care and is planning to make a return eventually?
I’ve also seen multiple folks commenting about wanting her after she “left” the Thorns, which made me just go….”hrrrrmm, yah ok sure.” Folks just don’t know what’s going on with her apparently…Real Madrid were also wanting her apparently (or at least their fans lol.)
Boy, how bad is it if she left Portland AND we traded Menges? Better be very sure that Becky is returning.
Re-posted to bring it to the top, now that the list is complete:
Equalizer's 11 Most Memorable NWSL Trades. I tried both to condense the information and flesh it out a bit. Fun list.
11. Thorns acquire Becky Sauerbrunn from Utah for Elizabeth Ball and $100,000 in allocation money.
10. Thorns send No. 3 pick (Christen Westphal) and No. 4 spot in Distribution Ranking Order to Boston for No. 1 spot in Distribution Ranking Order. The No. 4 pick went unused and Portland failed to land Mal Pugh.
9. Washington send Shelina Zadorsky to Orlando for Aubrey Bledsoe and No. 4 pick (Sam Staab).
8. Chicago trade Savannah McCaskill, Yuki Nagasato, the No. 5 pick (Emina Ekic), and international roster spot (Gemma Bonner? Freya Olaffson? Ebony Salmon?) to Louisville for Expansion Draft protection.
7. FCKC acquire Amy Rodriguez from Seattle for Kristie Mewis.
6. Sam Kerr to Chicago, Carli Lloyd to Sky Blue, Christen Press to Houston. Press refuses to report to Houston and returned to Chicago, which sets up the #3 Most Memorable Trade.
5. Thorns acquire No. 1 pick (Sophia Smith) from Orlando for Emily Sonnett, the No. 7 and No. 14 picks (Courtney Petersen, Phoebe McClernon), and the rights to Caitlin Foord.
4. Sky Blue acquire Sam Kerr from Western NY for Elizabeth Eddy and No. 4 pick (Sam Mewis).
3. After she refuses to report to Houston, Chicago reacquire Christen Press and a 2020 1st Round pick from Houston for Sofia Huerta and Taylor Comeau; Chicago send Press and Samantha Johnson to Utah for Brooke Elby, the No. 1 (Tierna Davidson) and No. 7 (Tegan McGrady, pick traded to Washington) in the 2019 Draft, two conditional picks in 2020 and a conditional pick in 2021. This one is CRAZY! The Houston 1st rounder went to Chicago, then Sky Blue, then Chicago again, then Orlando. Orlando acquired the No. 3 and No. 26 picks in the 2020 Draft in exchange for the No. 19 pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft, Orlando's natural first-round selection in the 2021 Draft, Rachel Hill and $50,000 of allocation money. Chicago acquired the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in the 2020 Draft from Sky Blue for the No. 4 and No. 5 picks in the 2020 Draft and $80,000 of allocation money. Sky Blue received Chicago's highest first-round pick and a second-round pick in the 2020 Draft in exchange for Savannah McCaskill. And Portland acquired the No. 2 pick (Morgan Weaver) in the 2020 Draft from Chicago for the No. 15 (Julia Bingham) and No. 16 (Camyrn Biegalski) picks in the 2020 Draft and $70,000 allocation money. And as for the 2019 part of this deal? Washington acquired the No. 7 pick (McGrady) in the 2019 Draft from Chicago for the No. 20 pick (Bianca St Georges) and Washington's natural first-round pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft. This after Chicago had acquired the No. 1 and No. 7 picks in 2019 from Utah in exchange for Press's rights, and Utah had acquired the No. 7 from Orlando via Seattle. Got all that?
2. NC acquire Crystal Dunn and an international roster spot from Washington for Ashley Hatch and Taylor Smith.
1. Orlando acquire Alex Morgan, Kaylyn Kyle, and the No. 10 pick in the 2016 Draft (Sam Witteman) from Portland for the No. 1 pick in the 2016 Draft (Emily Sonnett), the No. 1 pick in the Expansion Draft (Meghan Klingenberg), and the rights to A.D. Franch and Lindsey Horan.,