The Golden State Valkyries have slowly but surely been making headlines since it was announced that the Bay Area would be getting a WNBA franchise in October of 2023.
Seemingly a perfect place for a women’s basketball team, Northern California welcomed the Valkyries with open arms and has continued to pack Chase Center with sellout crowds all season long.
On Thursday, Sept. 4, Golden State made WNBA history as the first expansion franchise to make the playoffs in its inaugural season. Led by the most improved player candidate guard Veronica Burton, the Valkyries have made a second-half charge in the standings, catapulting themselves into contention by clinching a playoff berth against the Dallas Wings.
Players, coaches, trainers and fans alike all spent the night celebrating what was an unbelievably impressive accomplishment.
However, there was an interesting bit of news that would soon throw a wrench in their playoff plans.
Their first home playoff game would not take place at Chase Center.
Shortly after the team's historic win, season ticket holders received an email stating that the game would be moved to the SAP Center in San Jose due to a prior agreement the arena had reached with the Laver Cup, a popular annual tennis tournament.
“We plan on doing what we’ve done with every challenge thrown our way this season,” Valkyries President Jess Smith wrote. “Rise to the occasion.”
While the email stated that the event was booked before the Valkyries being announced as a franchise altogether, fans were still outraged at the news, leaving many wondering what management would do if this were to happen with the seven-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
Of course, the arena (owned by the Warriors) would not schedule anything during playoff time, as they would want to avoid conflicts like this one. However, it still raises questions about the differences in treatment between men's and women's sports.
While it remains to be seen what kind of postseason the Valkyries will have, it will be interesting to see how their dedicated fan base responds to playing a playoff game in a different arena.
If we have learned anything from Golden State this season, it’s that this team has the resilience to overcome just about anything.