“It was very important the team stay, and for me, that’s one of the reasons why I’m in it,” Tyle said. “The city and state are too special not to have them.”
He has lived in Oregon for only two-plus years, but he says he already has an understanding of how deeply the Blazers matter to Oregonians. He went to high school in Rochester, N.Y., and the passion of Portland fans reminds him of the civic bond the Bills had with Buffalo and upstate New York.
“Sports are one of the great unifiers, where people from different backgrounds, different religions, different beliefs, can rally around the same thing,” Tyle said. “We need that, in Oregon and in this country.”
He says his financial commitment, and his local presence, will give Portland a voice if relocation is ever broached by the rest of the ownership group. Tyle insists moving the team is not on the table.
“I don’t want people to be concerned or scared,” Tyle said. “We are committed to Portland, 100 percent. Full stop.”