Discover how the Portland Thorns navigated a historic ownership shift and a massive roster overhaul to reach the 2024 NWSL playoffs.
ALEX: If you walk into Providence Park in Portland, you’re stepping into the cathedral of women’s soccer, but in 2024, the fans were cheering for a team that looked—and was owned—completely differently than ever before. For the first time in over a decade, the legendary Christine Sinclair wasn’t on the pitch, and the name on the deed to the stadium had finally changed.
JORDAN: Wait, so the 'face of the franchise' was gone and the owner was out? That sounds less like a standard season and more like a total identity crisis. How do you even field a team when the foundation is being jackhammered?
ALEX: That is exactly what defined the 2024 Portland Thorns season: a high-stakes transition. It was the year they had to prove the club was bigger than its icons and stronger than the scandals that had plagued its front office for years.
JORDAN: So, let’s go back to the start. Why did this massive reset happen all at once? Was it just bad timing or a deliberate house-cleaning?
ALEX: It was a bit of both, but the catalyst was the January 2024 sale of the club to the Bhathal family. This wasn’t just a business deal; it was the end of a long, painful era following the Sally Yates Report, which detailed how the previous ownership failed to protect players from systemic abuse. The sale represented a clean slate that the fans and the Rose City Riveters had been demanding for years.
JORDAN: Okay, so the suits in the boxes changed, but what about the grass? You mentioned Sinclair was gone—did the veterans just jump ship because of the drama?
ALEX: It was more of a natural, albeit painful, passing of the torch. Christine Sinclair retired from play to move into a mentor role, and other stalwarts like Crystal Dunn and Meghan Klingenberg moved on or retired. By the time the whistle blew for the first game, the roster was essentially a new generation led by 2022 MVP Sophia Smith and rising stars like Sam Coffey and Olivia Moultrie.
JORDAN: That’s a lot of pressure on the young guns. Did they actually show up, or was the 'new era' just a nice way of saying 'rebuilding year'?
ALEX: It started with absolute fireworks. The Thorns opened the season in March against the Kansas City Current in a historic match—the first-ever game at a stadium purpose-built for a women’s pro team. And the game was pure chaos: a nine-goal thriller that Portland lost 5-4.
JORDAN: Five to four? That sounds like a defensive nightmare. I’m guessing the 'rebuilding' part involved learning how to actually stop a ball?
ALEX: Exactly. Head Coach Mike Norris was essentially trying to build a plane while it was in the air. The team had incredible offensive firepower, with Sophia Smith scoring at will, but they were leaking goals in the back. By April, they were sliding down the standings, and the panic button was hovering within reach.
JORDAN: So how did they stop the bleed? Did they make a big trade or just figure it out?
ALEX: They leaned into their new identity. General Manager Karina LeBlanc brought in Canadian star Jessie Fleming to steady the midfield, and the younger core started to gel. They stopped playing like a collection of stars and started playing like a unit. Throughout the summer, they even juggled two brand-new tournaments: the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup and the CONCACAF W Champions Cup.
JORDAN: That sounds exhausting. They’re basically playing three different seasons at the same time while still trying to figure out who they are?
ALEX: It was a gauntlet. The fixture congestion was brutal, but it forced the team to build depth. They clawed their way back into the playoff race, eventually securing the sixth seed in the NWSL. They weren't the dominant juggernaut of the past, but they were resilient.
JORDAN: But the playoffs are where the fairy tales usually end if you’re a sixth seed, right? Who did they draw?
ALEX: They had to face the third-seeded NJ/NY Gotham FC in the quarterfinals. To add to the drama, Gotham featured their former star, Crystal Dunn. It was a valiant effort, but Portland ultimately lost, ending their 2024 campaign in the first round.
JORDAN: So, if they lost in the first round, why does this season actually matter? On paper, it looks like a step back for a team that’s used to winning titles.
ALEX: On paper, sure, but in reality, 2024 was about survival and evolution. They successfully moved the franchise out of the shadow of a massive scandal and proved they could remain a playoff-caliber team without their legendary old guard. They proved that Sophia Smith isn't just a star; she’s the new foundation of the entire club.
JORDAN: It sounds like they traded a glorious past for a sustainable future. If you had to boil this whole rollercoaster year down to one thing to remember, what would it be?
ALEX: The 2024 season was the year the Portland Thorns proved that while icons retire and owners change, the club’s culture of resilience is permanent.
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