The Golden State Valkyries stand as a testament to the exponential growth that women’s basketball has seen in recent years. It seems that selling out all home games for two straight seasons was just a precursor. All the metrics at this point suggest that this growth is here to stay for the Valkyries and the WNBA, as the latest data highlights another historic mark that the Valkyries have achieved off the court.
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Setting a landmark financial precedent, the Valkyries have become not just the first WNBA team, but the world’s first women’s sports team to generate $100 million in annual revenue this year, per Boardroom.
After recording revenue of $78 million in their inaugural year, 2025, the Valkyries have now exceeded their expectations this year.
What would have certainly helped Golden State in achieving this mark is their robust sponsorship portfolio, which boasts more than 40 partners, such as JPMorgan Chase, Japanese technology conglomerate Rakuten, global beauty brand Sephora, and United Airlines.
The Valkyries’ popularity within their fanbase can be gauged from the fact that they had to freeze their season-ticket sales after crossing the 12,000 mark, even with their courtside access reaching $1,500 a night. They are also a team with high fan followings on the internet, with their TikTok followers crossing the 100,000 mark. And Valkyries’ president, Jess Smith, has hinted that they have no intention of slowing down.
“Last year wasn’t a movie premiere. It was really step one,” Smith said, per Sportico. “We kept our foot on the gas as if we were continuing to build in year one, and put a strategy forth to make sure that we were living up to the potential that the market was showing us.”
Earlier in the season, the Valkyries’ management announced that they were the first team in WNBA history to sell out each of their home games across the first two seasons. Golden State’s game against the Seattle Storm in September was their 22nd consecutive game of the season and their 44th in franchise history to record a sellout. 794,816 fans have entered Chase Center since May 2025, per Forbes.
Even Jess Smith was pleasantly surprised by this achievement.
“When we launched our brand and introduced this team to the world last year, the reception was amazing. But seeing how our fans have shown up in year two has been special,” Smith said. “We didn’t think it was possible, but they brought even more passion, energy, and sense of community this season. We can truly feel that this culture is built for the long haul.”
Clearly, the bet placed by owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber on this expansion club has delivered massive returns.
And the Valkyries may not be done yet. If they reach the WNBA Finals, their revenue might cross the $130 million mark.
Golden State is just one game away.
Golden State Valkyries On The Verge Of Maiden WNBA Finals
Making full use of home-court advantage, the Valkyries managed to hold off the defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, to take Game 2 on Wednesday. With 2-0 lead, they are now just a game away from reaching their first WNBA Finals.
Led by FIBA World Cup DPOY Gabby Williams, the Valkyries have shown that they are a team to be reckoned with. In Wednesday’s game, Williams finished with 20 points and five rebounds, and Kayla Thornton added another 16 points.
The game was very closely contested, and the Valkyries were able to take the lead in the dying moments, with just 41 seconds left on the clock, courtesy of a Veronica Burton deep 3-pointer.
“I think I held my breath the whole time the ball was in the air,” Burton’s teammate Hayes said while describing how she felt watching Burton’s clutch shot.
The Valkyries had a little bit of luck on their side too, as Jackie Young missed one of her two free throws, with just six seconds left on the clock. While Chelsea Gray was able to grab that rebound, Kiah Stokes was there to block her shot.
This blocked shot was a testament to the tight defense the Valkyries have shown all season and in the playoffs as well. A’ja Wilson’s 24 points on the night were not enough to turn the tide in the Aces’ favor.
The defending champions are staring at the exit, but Golden State will be wary of the fact that the next game is in the Michelob ULTRA Arena.
Both sets of fans remain excited for the game, regardless of the result.