Fans understandably love to watch their favorite team win. It can be difficult to root for a team that is losing and just not playing good basketball for the majority of the season. Even though the Golden State Valkyries were expected to struggle like that in their inaugural season, fans flocked to the new franchise and were immediately rewarded. After a tough loss in the first game of the season, the Valkyries got two big wins, proving that they can be much more competitive than expected.
That early success is not just a blessing for fans in the Bay Area but also for the entire WNBA. Golden State proved that expansion teams can be fun to watch and easy to root for. That should make it easier for the league to nail further expansion.
The WNBA will expand further
Fans had been waiting for a league expansion for years. The last time a new team joined the league was in 2008 when the Atlanta Dream played its inaugural season. So, the Valkyries’ first season needed to be a success. The team delivered that with its early success, even if it may take some time for the Valkyries to get another win—the team’s next five games are against very strong opponents.
That early success bodes well for the WNBA’s plans to expand the league even further. The Toronto Tempo and a Portland franchise have already been announced for the 2026 season. By 2028 a sixteenth franchise situated in Cleveland should join the league. Portland and Cleveland both had WNBA franchises in the past, but the Fire and the Rockers folded in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Now, the cities will get a second chance to establish a lasting presence in the WNBA, and the Valkyries laid the perfect foundation for them to succeed.
The Valkyries’ branding, marketing, and team-building strategies can work as a blueprint for new franchises. Just like San Francisco, Toronto, Portland, and Cleveland have established NBA fanbases, and at least some of those fans should show interest in a WNBA franchise. However, the Valkyries have shown that a new WNBA team can attract its very own fanbase quickly. Only a small number of Valkyries season ticket holders also have season tickets to the Warriors.
The WNBA needs the expansion to be a success
The WNBA is in a great place right now. Viewership and attendance numbers have never been higher, and the WNBA has rarely received as much attention as it does now. There is no better time to expand the league.
Adding more teams and playing in more cities is the best way to attract new fans. So is creating more roster spots for young players fans fell in love with in college and avoiding some of the brutal cuts every team has to make each season, the Valkyries included.
Adding more teams, particularly after the Valkyries’ success with fans, is the perfect way for the WNBA to build on the momentum it created in past seasons.