The Golden State Valkyries are the most valuable franchise in the WNBA for the second season in a row — a feat that is all the more remarkable when one considers the fact that the team has only been in the league for two years.
The news comes by way of Sportico's annual WNBA franchise valuations report.
Sportico has the Valkyries' valuation at $850 million, a major number that is the result of the $78 million the team posted in revenue last year and sponsorships. The Valkyries had 10,000 season ticket holders in 2025 and capped that number at 12,000 for the 2026 season. The team was valued at $500 million last year.
The other teams in the top five include the New York Liberty (valued at $600 million), the Indiana Fever (valued at $560 million), the Seattle Storm ($425 million), and the Phoenix Mercury ($420 million). The report is only based on the 13 teams that played in the 2025 season, which is why the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo were not included.
Sportico's report underscores an exciting reality
The report can be interpreted as confirmation that the surge of interest in women's professional basketball isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Fans are still flocking to games and locking in season tickets, they're showing up and buying merch, and everyone involved with the league is benefitting from the results.
The WNBA is in its 30th season this year, a monumental feat for a league that's still very much growing and reaching new audiences. Every single thing that creates more positive news for the WNBA helps, and having teams valued as highly as the Valkyries offers proof that Golden State in particular isn't going anywhere.
The Valkyries find themselves in a familiar spot
As the 2026 regular season draws near, the Valkyries find themselves in a familiar space: saddled with enormous expectations. Last year, those expectaitons were that Golden State would crumble, and that the team's first season would go the way a lot of first-ever seasons have: badly. Instead, the Valkyries made the playoffs and Nakase was named Coach of the Year.
Now the team is facing enorous expectations from a community of fans and onlookers who know just how good they can be. The Valkyries signed Gabby Williams during free agency, a move that indicates they're definitely hoping to pursue a more serious playoffs run this season — and with today's news, it's clear the team has all the support they need.
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