Portland Thorns welcome new slate of investors as women’s sports continue to grow in popularity

Portland’s professional women’s soccer team will add five new members to its investor group, including a former NBA player and the head of a major sportswear company, the club announced Thursday.

It comes after the three-time champion Portland Thorns FC welcomed new owners in January. California-based RAJ Sports, led by siblings Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, acquired the team after Merritt Paulson stepped down in 2022 following an investigation that showed he mishandled allegations of sexual harassment. It was part of a larger scandal uncovering systemic abuse in the league, first reported by The Athletic.