Karina LeBlanc to Join RAJ Sports at Conclusion of NWSL Season; Thorns Begin Search for New General Manager
PORTLAND, Ore. (Wednesday, Oct. 9) - RAJ Sports, the sports investment platform for the Bhathal Family, owners and operators of Portland Thorns FC, announced today that Karina LeBlanc will transition out of her role as Thorns General Manager following the conclusion of the 2024 NWSL season. LeBlanc, an NWSL Champion as both a player and general manager, will join RAJ Sports in a role across the Portland Thorns and Portland WNBA. The Portland Thorns will begin the search for a new General Manager immediately.
“We’d like to thank Karina for everything she has done for the Portland Thorns since she joined the club in 2021,” said Lisa Bhathal Merage, Co-Executive Chair, RAJ Sports. “Karina provided stability for the Thorns during a very tumultuous time, contributed to a NWSL Championship in 2022, and has been an integral part of this club’s work in the community. We believe now is a good time to make a change and set the club, and Karina, up for future success. Karina will remain with RAJ Sports in a role that will allow her to thrive and drive impact in our community as we build Portland into the global epicenter for women’s sports. We will begin our search for a new General Manager immediately.”
“I’m incredibly honored and empowered to represent RAJ Sports through the unique and passionate lens of Portland,” said LeBlanc. “Having played here and now living and raising my daughter in Portland, I have firsthand experience of how deeply rooted this community is in the success of women’s sports. I truly believe Portland can become the epicenter of women’s sports, and I’m excited to be part of the team driving that vision forward.”
RAJ SPORTS
RAJ Sports, led by Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage, focuses on investment opportunities in sports and sports-related properties, drawing on the Bhathal family’s multi-generational experience and relationships in the industry. The firm seeks to leverage the power of sports to affect broader social and economic change through a variety of business and philanthropic strategies. Its deep experience in professional sports operations and large-scale real estate developments that create thriving community centers, positions the firm to deliver valuable assets that will support further growth for the players, staff, and fans. In 2013, the Bhathal family became investors in the Sacramento Kings (NBA); subsequently building the platform to include the Sacramento RiverCats (MiLB), Stockton Kings (NBA G-League) and several sports anchored real estate developments. The 2024 acquisitions of Portland Thorns (NWSL) and the WNBA Portland expansion team represents a milestone for the city of Portland and places it at the epicenter of growth for women’s sports.
Karina LeBlanc to Join RAJ Sports at Conclusion of NWSL Season; Thorns Begin Search for New General Manager
PORTLAND, Ore. (Wednesday, Oct. 9) - RAJ Sports, the sports investment platform for the Bhathal Family, owners and operators of Portland Thorns FC, announced today that Karina LeBlanc will transition out of her role as Thorns General Manager following the conclusion of the 2024 NWSL season. LeBlanc, an NWSL Champion as both a player and general manager, will join RAJ Sports in a role across the Portland Thorns and Portland WNBA. The Portland Thorns will begin the search for a new General Manager immediately.
“We’d like to thank Karina for everything she has done for the Portland Thorns since she joined the club in 2021,” said Lisa Bhathal Merage, Co-Executive Chair, RAJ Sports. “Karina provided stability for the Thorns during a very tumultuous time, contributed to a NWSL Championship in 2022, and has been an integral part of this club’s work in the community. We believe now is a good time to make a change and set the club, and Karina, up for future success. Karina will remain with RAJ Sports in a role that will allow her to thrive and drive impact in our community as we build Portland into the global epicenter for women’s sports. We will begin our search for a new General Manager immediately.”
“I’m incredibly honored and empowered to represent RAJ Sports through the unique and passionate lens of Portland,” said LeBlanc. “Having played here and now living and raising my daughter in Portland, I have firsthand experience of how deeply rooted this community is in the success of women’s sports. I truly believe Portland can become the epicenter of women’s sports, and I’m excited to be part of the team driving that vision forward.”
RAJ SPORTS
RAJ Sports, led by Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage, focuses on investment opportunities in sports and sports-related properties, drawing on the Bhathal family’s multi-generational experience and relationships in the industry. The firm seeks to leverage the power of sports to affect broader social and economic change through a variety of business and philanthropic strategies. Its deep experience in professional sports operations and large-scale real estate developments that create thriving community centers, positions the firm to deliver valuable assets that will support further growth for the players, staff, and fans. In 2013, the Bhathal family became investors in the Sacramento Kings (NBA); subsequently building the platform to include the Sacramento RiverCats (MiLB), Stockton Kings (NBA G-League) and several sports anchored real estate developments. The 2024 acquisitions of Portland Thorns (NWSL) and the WNBA Portland expansion team represents a milestone for the city of Portland and places it at the epicenter of growth for women’s sports.
