Your Guide to Watching the Golden State Valkyries This Year

In 2025, the Golden State Valkyries entered the basketball-rich scene of the San Francisco Bay Area. Positionless, modern, and skillful, the Valkyries announced themselves loudly, becoming immediate contenders.  

The excitement started long before tipoff. Fans placed over 6,000 season ticket deposits before the team had played a single game, a sign that the Bay Area was more than ready for elite women's basketball.   

The Valkyries delivered. In their first season, they earned a playoff spot and made history as the first expansion team to reach the postseason in their debut year.  

The WNBA's first expansion team since 2008, the Valkyries sold out all 21 home games at Chase Center without breaking a sweat. Now in year two, the Valkyries are no longer just a feel-good story but a legitimate threat.  

The Faces of the Franchise: Key Players to Watch This Season  

Behind the Valkyries is an ownership group you might already know. Warriors owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber brought the same winning mindset from the NBA side and built a WNBA roster to match. The result is a team packed with talent from top to bottom.  

Get to know these names before your first game

Veronica Burton (G): Simply put, she does everything. Points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks. Burton led the Valkyries in all five categories last season and won Most Improved Player in the process. Watch her, and you'll understand why everyone is talking.  

Gabby Williams (F): The steal queen. Her 99 steals in 2025 were 30 more than any other player in the league that season. She is an absolute force on the defensive end and a joy to watch live.  

Kayla Thornton (F): An 11-year veteran and All-Star who scored the first basket in team history. She is the kind of player who makes everyone around her better.  

Janelle Salaün (F): Only in her second year but already turning heads. The French forward dropped 21 points in the 2026 home opener and leads the franchise in career three-pointers.  

Tiffany Hayes (G): A seasoned scorer with over 4,296 career points and a resume full of All-Star nods and defensive honors. She has been here before and knows how to win.  

The Valkyries are also backed by an experienced coaching group led by Natalie Nakase. Alongside assistants Sugar Rodgers, Kasib Powell, and Landon Tatum, the staff has helped build a team known for its energy, defense, and unselfish style of play. 

Getting Your Tickets: Prices, Options, and Where to Buy  

Your first stop is valkyries.com, where you can see everything available for the 2026 season.  

Single-game tickets are handled through Ticketmaster, with prices starting around $17 for a regular season game and averaging about $99. If you are watching your budget, games in May tend to be the most affordable time to go.  

Want to go more than once? A mini-plan lets you lock in the same seats for the best matchups of the season and comes with priority access to playoff tickets. For a bigger group night out, the team also offers group packages and premium suite options worth looking into.  

For resale tickets, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, and Gametime are all solid options. Prices shift depending on the opponent and date, so it pays to compare before you buy.  

Chase Center: One of the Best Places to Watch Live Basketball  

Chase Center is one of those venues that genuinely makes a night out feel special. Tucked into San Francisco's buzzing Mission Bay neighborhood, it holds over 18,000 fans, and when that crowd gets going, you feel every bit of it.  

What really sets it apart are the little extras you don't always expect. We're talking a two-story bar, a curated art collection, and your game ticket doubling as a free Muni pass to get you there and back without the parking headache.  

Inside, everything is dialed in for the modern fan. Giant HD screens, seamless Wi-Fi, and an app that lets you order food right from your seat so you never miss a play.  

New to the WNBA? Here's Everything You Need to Know Before You Go  

Skip the parking stress and just take public transit. Your event ticket doubles as a free all-day Muni pass, so hop on the T Third Street line, and you'll land right at the arena door without the headache of circling for a spot.  

Try to get there a little early, too. Lines move quickly once doors open, but having a few extra minutes means you can grab a drink, settle in, and actually enjoy the atmosphere before tipoff.  

Don't let the calendar fool you when it comes to what to wear. San Francisco summers are notoriously cool, especially right on the Mission Bay waterfront. Even on a warm day, the fog can roll in fast and drop the temperature quickly, so tuck a light jacket in your bag.  

Speaking of bags, keep it small. Anything larger than 14"x6"x14" won't make it through the door, so travel light and you'll sail right through security.