The Aug. 10 match between the Portland Thorns and the Seattle Reign looked like countless other NWSL matches at Providence Park in downtown Portland over the years. The stadium's North End, home to Thorns supporters group Rose City Riveters, kept up a steady beat of chants and songs. The Pride flags and Cascadia banners were draped over the railing. A crowd of 21,811 fans enjoyed a 4-2 victory over their longtime rivals.

Compared to the 2022 and 2023 seasons, there were some flags missing, however. There were no "Sell The Team" signs, nor were there any "You Knew" banners, a reference to the abuse scandal that rocked the team -- and the NWSL as a whole -- starting back in 2021. The reason for this was simple: A change in ownership in early 2024 meant that Merritt Paulson -- who lo

See Full Page