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Report: Merritt Paulson in talks to sell Portland Thorns

Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson sought to keep the cause of coach Paul Riley’s dismissal from the club under wraps. (Diego Diaz/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Portland Thorns could soon find themselves under new ownership, Portland alternative newspaper Willamette Week reported.

Paulson and his NWSL club found themselves at the center of the NWSL abuse scandal in the wake of the Sally Yates report released in October.

When coach Paul Riley was fired by the Thorns in 2015 after sexual harassment and coercion allegations, Paulson kept the reason for his dismissal under wraps publicly, which allowed Riley to continue coaching in the league. Riley’s misconduct, and the Thorns’ role in allowing him to continue coaching, made up a significant part of the findings of the U.S. Soccer-commissioned investigation.

Now Paulson is in talks to sell the Thorns, though he aims to maintain control of his MLS club, the Portland Timbers, sources with knowledge of the situation told Willamette Week.

One potential buyer for the Thorns is a group of women led by Melanie Strong, a former Nike executive. She left Nike to begin investment company Next Ventures VC in partnership with Lance Armstrong. The Oregonian listed Strong as a possible buyer for both teams in October.

Strong confirmed the negotiations to Willamette Week but declined to say if the talks only involved the Thorns.

“Nothing we can talk about yet, but I will share everything I can soon,” she said in a text message.

Paulson is hoping the sale of the Thorns to a group of women would allow him to keep the Timbers, the stadium deal and media rights, sources told Willamette Week. (The MLS commissioner said in early November that there is no reason for Paulson to sell the Timbers.)

Paulson stepped down as the CEO of the Timbers and Thorns in October in the wake of the NWSL abuse investigation. But calls have increased for Paulson to sell the Thorns, and reports indicated that the team could garner an NWSL record sale price even before it won its third NWSL championship.

Both the Thorns and the Timbers are owned by Peregrine Sports LLC, which is controlled by Paulson and his father. The group is reportedly seeking $30 million to $50 million for the Thorns, Willamette Week reported.

“The worst thing that could happen is selling the Thorns out from under the Timbers,” said Chris Henderson, a professor at the University of Rhode Island who has studied the Rose City Riveters and Timbers Army fan groups for the past few years. “If that happens, the Thorns would be in trouble. They are more vulnerable than they are as a package with the Timbers.”

Portland officials were supportive of the possibility of a women-led ownership group for the Thorns, though none were aware of negotiations to sell the Thorns apart from the Timbers.

“I would love to see a women-led group come forward and successfully purchase the Thorns,” commissioner Carmen Rubio said. “That would be a moment to celebrate.”

Others, though, continued to call for Paulson to sell both teams, including commissioner Mingus Mapps and the fan groups.

“If he’s unfit to own one team, why should he be fit to own the other?” said Gabby Rosas, president of the 107 Independent Supporters Trust, a nonprofit that represents the Rose City Riveters and Timbers Army. “You can’t tell me that one half of the club is broken and the other is fine.”

Despite Rocky Start, WSL Extends ESPN Media Deal for 2025/26 Season

Chelsea and Manchester City face off in their 2025/26 WSL season-opening match.
Two WSL broadcasts faced technical difficulties during the league's 2025/26 season-opening weekend. (Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

The WSL hit some opening day snags over the weekend, with a last-minute media deal causing broadcasts Stateside to generate confusion and widespread technical difficulties as the UK league's big-name US talent pool took the pitch.

First, in Friday's 2025/26 season kick-off match, ESPN+ served fans an error screen during the first 15 minutes of six-time defending WSL champion Chelsea's 2-1 win over Manchester City.

Then on Saturday morning, skips and lags continuously interrupted Arsenal's 4-1 victory over the recently promoted London City Lionesses.

Notably, the WSL media rights extension deal with ESPN+ — the 2024/25 US carrier of the top-flight UK league —came together at the very last minute.

As such, the WSL left fans in the dark by omitting US coverage details from all promotions in the lead-up to the 2025/26 season's opening weekend — possibly missing out on a big Stateside moment as USWNT stars like Naomi Girma, Catarina Macario, Emily Fox, and Alyssa Thompson kick off their club campaigns in the UK.

"The delays weren't about lack of interest so much as the sheer number of changes the league has been managing," former head of broadcast at WSL Football Andrea Ekblad told The Athletic this week.

"Of course, nobody wants a broadcast deal announced only hours before kickoff. That's not ideal," she continued. "But continuing the [ESPN] partnership makes great sense."

Report: NC Courage Trade Jaedyn Shaw to Gotham in Record-Breaking NWSL Deal

North Carolina Courage forward Jaedyn Shaw looks across the pitch during a 2025 NWSL match.
USWNT rising star Jaedyn Shaw has reportedly been traded from the NC Courage to Gotham FC for a league-record $1.25 million fee. (David Jensen/NWSL via Getty Images)

USWNT prospect Jaedyn Shaw is on her way to New York City, with ESPN reporting late Monday that the No. 11 North Carolina Courage is sending the rising NWSL star to No. 6 Gotham FC in an intra-league-record $1.25 million trade deal.

North Carolina's return nearly doubles the NWSL's previous $600,000 transfer record, set when the No. 1 Kansas City Current acquired forward Ally Sentnor from the last-place Utah Royals in early August.

As for Shaw, this will be her second major move this year, after the attacker requested a trade to the Courage from the San Diego Wave last January — a deal in which the Wave received a combined $450,000 in allocation money and fees.

During her time in San Diego, Shaw shattered the NWSL record for most goals scored by a teenager, but the now-20-year-old has only logged three in her 10 starts for North Carolina this season.

With this trade to Gotham, Shaw will exit a Courage side sitting three spots below the postseason line as North Carolina regroups following the abrupt firing of head coach Sean Nahas.

She instead will join a NJ/NY side in the midst of a serious playoff push, with ESPN reporting that Gotham is going all in on Shaw with plans to sign the young talent through the 2029 season.

Seattle Storm, LA Sparks Battle for Final WNBA Playoffs Ticket

The Seattle Storm tips off against the Golden State Valkyries during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Seattle Storm can clinch the final spot in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs with a win over the Golden State Valkyries on Tuesday. (Scott Eklund/NBAE via Getty Images)

The No. 8 Seattle Storm are only one win away from making the 2025 WNBA Playoffs, shooting to oust the No. 9 LA Sparks from the postseason race by claiming a victory over the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries on Tuesday night.

"Our team has changed from the beginning of the season until now," Seattle head coach Noelle Quinn said earlier this week. "Part of that is finding some consistency with one another: minutes, reps, all of those things."

Should the Storm lose to the already-clinched Valkyries in their final 2025 regular-season game, Seattle will still have a shot at the playoffs: The Sparks must still win both of their remaining two games to secure a playoff berth and bounce Seattle from the postseason — starting with their own Tuesday night matchup against the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury.

"[We're] not talking about things we can't control," Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts said over the weekend. "Whether Indiana wins or loses or Seattle, we can't control that. We just have to focus on what we're doing and see how it all shakes out."

How to watch the Storm and Sparks on Tuesday

Both No. 8 Seattle and No. 9 LA will take the court at 10 PM ET on Tuesday, with the Storm battling No. 6 Golden State on WNBA League Pass while the Sparks face No. 4 Phoenix on NBA TV.

NWSL Expansion Team Bay FC Parts Ways with Head Coach Albertin Montoya

Bay FC head coach Albertin Montoya looks on before a 2025 NWSL match.
Head coach Albertin Montoya will depart Bay FC at the end of the 2025 NWSL season. (Lachlan Cunningham/NWSL via Getty Images)

Bay FC is shifting gears as the NWSL's 12th-place team's postseason hopes slip away, with the 2024 expansion side announcing a plan to part ways with inaugural head coach Albertin Montoya at the end of the 2025 season.

"I have so much love for these players, staff, and fans," Montoya said in Monday's club release. "We've built a culture and a style of play that I believe will compete for championships for years to come."

Brought on in 2023, Montoya led Bay FC to 11 victories in 2024, setting a league record for wins by an expansion team in its debut season.

Under Montoya, Bay FC also became just the second expansion club to qualify for the NWSL Playoffs in their inaugural campaign, but the team has fallen down the table this year amid accusations of fostering a toxic work environment.

The team also recently lost a high-profile player in Nigerian star Asisat Oshoala, who signed with Saudi Premier League side Al Hilal last week.

Bay Collective CEO Kay Cossington and club sporting director Matt Potter stated that they will work together to hire a replacement for Montoya prior to the 2026 NWSL season.

"Bay FC's startup phase is ending and we're moving to our next phase of growth," Bay FC chair Alan Waxman added in the team's statement.

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