PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Fire expect to find out next week whether Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen will buy the team. If not, the future looks bleak for another WNBA franchise.

"We're running out of time,'' said Sandi Bittler, the Fire's vice president of business operations.

Allen and the Blazers are expected to let the Fire know their decision next week. Until then, the Fire's future remains in limbo -- like many of the other WNBA franchises.

In October, the NBA's Board of Governors approved a restructuring plan allowing outside owners to buy teams, which are collectively owned by the NBA. The league's owners have the first right to buy the WNBA teams.

The Sacramento Monarchs, the Detroit Shock and the Charlotte Sting have worked out deals, according to WNBA spokeswoman Traci Cook. Two teams, the Miami Sol and the Orlando Miracle, stopped operating when their NBA counterparts decided not to buy the teams.

The Utah Starzz announced last week that the franchise would move to San Antonio.

While there is no formal deadline for the transfer of ownership, agreements must be in place by early next year, when schedules for 2003 are worked out, Cook said.

The Blazers have one of the NBA's highest payrolls, and the team probably is looking at paying more when the luxury tax kicks in.

"I think the Trail Blazers love the Fire. I think the community loves the Fire,'' Bittler said. "But the financials are difficult and the economy is tough.''

Bittler said the Fire has talked to two potential ownership groups to keep the team in Portland, but the prospects were slim, given the current economic climate.

While the Fire drew an average of 8,037 fans last season, down from 8,604 in 2001, Bittler said the Fire has the potential to build a strong following in Portland, if given the chance.

"We have great fan support. We have great corporate support, but we haven't seen that grow,'' she said. "We're a young business, and we're still exposing women's basketball to a lot of new fans.''