Ride of the Valkyries: how the WNBA finally found a home in the Bay Area

As the league's newest team targets a bright future, they are also keen to respect the culture and history of the Bay Area they represent

Purple-dyed ponytails and sequin jackets glittering in shades of black and violet. Fans are decked out in sports logos and LGBTQ rainbows while Black Box's Everybody Everybody - a queer dance club classic - booms from the speakers. Ali Wong is playfully dancing on the Jumbotron. There's no misinterpreting it: the WNBA has arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Golden State Valkyries - who are owned by Golden State Warriors tech mogul Joe Lacob, and housed with their sibling franchise at Chase Center in San Francisco - were announced in 2023 (their name was confirmed in 2024) as the first WNBA expansion team since 2008. Last Friday, the team made their WNBA debut, against the Los Angeles Sparks, in front of a sellout crowd of 18,064.