Golden State Valkyries Announced: 7 Must-Know Facts About the Bay Area’s New WNBA Team

The Bay Area’s new WNBA franchise, the Golden State Valkyries, kept their early-season momentum alive last night with a nail-biting 78-75 victory over the Atlanta Dream, thrilling a loud Chase Center crowd and pushing their record above .500. Next up, the Valkyries host the New York Liberty tomorrow at 7:00 p.m., a marquee Western-vs-Eastern Conference clash that could become an instant rivalry for two title hopefuls. Founded in 2025 and owned by Warriors governors Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, Golden State competes in the WNBA’s Western Conference and shares state-of-the-art Chase Center with its NBA sibling. Head coach Natalie Nakase and general manager Ohemaa Nyanin have built a balanced roster that blends explosive perimeter scoring with gritty interior defense, mirroring the Bay Area’s fast-paced basketball identity. Home-court advantage has already become real: attendance has cracked 17,000 twice this month, and ticket demand on the team’s official site continues to surge as San Francisco embraces its first major women’s pro basketball squad. Key early storylines to watch: • Clutch DNA – Golden State is 4-1 in games decided by five points or fewer. • Rookie Impact – Lottery pick Jazmin Carter leads all WNBA rookies in assists per 40 minutes. • Defensive Swarm – The Valkyries rank top-three in opponent turnovers forced, fueling their transition attack. Fans looking to experience “Ballhalla” live can buy single-game seats, season passes or Founding Guard memberships online; every home date includes themed nights ranging from Pride Celebration to Women-in-Tech networking events. For those watching remotely, Friday’s tilt with New York airs nationwide on ION and streams via the WNBA League Pass app. With a winning record, soaring attendance and a schedule packed with playoff implications, the Golden State Valkyries are quickly becoming one of the league’s must-watch teams—and the Bay Area’s hottest ticket this summer.