Geno Auriemma once called owning a WNBA team a “cause.” The Golden State Valkyries just made that word feel small. They are now the most valuable franchise in the WNBA, per Sportico, and their rise has pushed their parent club, the Golden State Warriors, to a record valuation. This is not a cause anymore. It is a business.
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“The Warriors, since they moved into the Chase Center, have been an absolute financial juggernaut…,” said Sportico’s Kurt Badenhausen.
From a valuation of about $11.33 billion just last year in 2025, their overall value has shot up.
“And with the Vegas process going on, that next tier of teams took a step up because, again, market matters when you’re looking at NBA franchises. And what you’re seeing with some of these NBA teams is that there are 10 NBA teams that also own a stake in WNBA teams. So those W teams are skyrocketing in value.”
The latest round of data from Sportico reveals that the Golden State Warriors are the NBA’s most valuable franchise, valued at $14.5 billion. They are followed by the Knicks, in second, valued at $12.8 billion, and the Lakers, who are valued at $12.5 billion. These three franchises are the only NBA teams to have an 11-digit valuation.
The Golden State Valkyries are owned by the same group that owns the Golden State Warriors. This year, the Valkyries’ revenue has topped the $100 million mark and could potentially even reach $130 million, now that they have reached the Finals.
In the 2025 season, the Valkyries’ first season in the WNBA, they generated $78 million in revenue, which marked a staggering 48% more than the second-placed Indiana Fever. This gap was even higher than the revenue margin by which the Warriors led the Knicks in the same year, which was 34%.
The Valkyries home attendance also reveals a similar story. Latest data says that they have the highest home attendance in the WNBA, and by the All-Star break this season, some 270,960 fans had been in attendance at the Chase Center across 15 games. This gave them an average of 18,064 fans per game, which was also the highest in the league, per the Sports Business Journal.
That’s not it. The Valkyries also hold the WNBA record for the most consecutive home game sellouts. Across the first two seasons, they have sold out 44 consecutive home games, and the streak increases to 47 if you count the postseason games.
All this means that Joe Lacob and Peter Guber’s $50 million investment has now ballooned into $850 million, with CNBC reports suggesting that the Valkyries may have already topped a $1 billion valuation.
The Warriors, as glad as they can be for their and the Valkyries’ financial success, remain ever so invested in the Valkyries’ success on the court as they make the trip to their first WNBA Finals.
Stephen Curry And The Warriors Hyped For The Valkyries As They Push For Maiden Title
Stephen Curry has always been an avid part of the “Balhalla.” Whether it is celebrating Tiffany Hayes’ buzzer-beater against the Dallas Wings in August, or turning up courtside wearing a purple Valkyries jersey, Curry and the Warriors make sure to be there to support the Valkyries in any way they can.
After the Valkyries completed the sweep of the defending champions Las Vegas Aces, the Warriors wasted no time in hyping up their team.
One of the Warriors’ latest posts on X shows both Steph Curry and Brandin
Podziemski dabbing it up while wearing a shirt that says “We are the Valkyries.”
Under the same post, one fan even joked that the “Valkyries are better than the warriors rn 🥲.”
For a franchise that has only existed for two years, that is an incredible achievement.
They may not be too far off in their assessment. Led by Gabby Williams, the Valkyries have a legitimate shot at the title. In Game 1 of the semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces, Williams set the tone for the series, dropping a game-high 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists while anchoring a defense that held Las Vegas to a season-low 60 points.
In a dramatic, series-clinching overtime thriller in Vegas, Williams came up clutch. Despite earlier offensive struggles, she scored 8 of her 16 points in overtime (including a lethal step-back dagger jumper with 54.7 seconds left) to finish the sweep.
Averaging 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game this season, Williams has led the Valkyries in points and steals in the regular season.
Heading into Game 1, the Valkyries have a 62.8% chance of winning, per the ESPN match predictor. Odds aside, the Valkyries look like a well-balanced team, with three players scoring in double digits in the postseason: Gabby Williams, Tiffany Hayes, and Kayla Thornton.
And Golden State can always count on Gabby Williams, the World Cup’s Defensive Player of the Year, to anchor their defense. Now the Valkyries’ fans just hope to see Williams and Co. at their best in the Finals.