Moda Center Tickets

The NBA championship winning basketball team Portland Trail Blazers is proud to call the Moda Center their home. Founded in 1970, for 50 years the Trail Blazers have been winning the hearts of loyalty of Portland and Oregon. The NBA basketball team has won countless games and numerous titles in many championships and divisions. Come and support your local basketball team and witness them in their home arena at the Moda Center.

The Portland Trail Blazers story began back in 1955 with sports promoter Harry Glickman. Glickman wanted an NBA franchise for Portland and proposed two new expansion teams, one for Portland and the other for Los Angeles. Glickman saw potential in using the Memorial Coliseum as a professional basketball venue when it was opened in 1960. But it wasn’t until 10 years later, in 1970, that Glickman was granted the rights to a Portland franchise.

Later, team management held a contest to select the team’s name. After 10,000 entries, the most popular choice was the Pioneers. But since that name was already used by Portland’s Lewis & Clark College, the name “Trail Blazers” was chosen instead. The chosen name was revealed on March 13 during the halftime of a SuperSonics game at the Memorial Coliseum.

The name comes from the trail blazing activity explorers used to make easier trails through thick verdant forests. It inspired images of ruggedness. The name is often shortened to “Blazers” by Oregon natives.