New Blazers Owner Dundon Promises Portland: "My Intention Is Clear — Bring a Championship"

Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon emailed season ticket holders on October 7 pledging to bring a championship to Portland and addressing the Moda Center's long-term future amid ongoing lease uncertainty.

New Blazers Owner Dundon Promises Portland: "My Intention Is Clear — Bring a Championship"

Tom Dundon has put his ambitions for the Portland Trail Blazers in writing, telling season ticket holders in an email on Tuesday that his goal is nothing less than a championship.

"On the arena, our focus is the long term," Dundon wrote, addressing the Moda Center negotiations that have fuelled fears the franchise could leave Portland. "We're working to make sure Moda Center remains one of the best buildings in the NBA. There's work ahead, and we'll keep pushing until we get there."

The new owner leaned on his Carolina Hurricanes experience to make his case: "I saw the same commitment in Raleigh, where fans just watched their team hoist the Stanley Cup. I don't believe in making promises I can't back up. My track record speaks for itself, and my intention here is clear: bring a championship to Portland."

The email, first reported by Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report, stops short of an explicit guarantee the team stays in Portland — a notable omission given NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said losing the franchise would be a "failure." Dundon's group completed its $4.25 billion purchase of the Blazers in March, the first ownership change since Paul Allen bought the team in 1988, and Portland is chasing a 50-win season under coach Micah Nori after last spring's first-round playoff exit.