{"id":878954,"date":"2026-10-11T21:16:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-11T21:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/878954\/"},"modified":"2026-10-11T21:16:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-11T21:16:14","slug":"best-of-the-bay-2026-editors-pick-golden-state-valkyries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/878954\/","title":{"rendered":"Best of the Bay 2026 Editors’ Pick: Golden State Valkyries"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re celebrating Best of the Bay 2026 <\/a>with a multitude of Editors\u2019 Picks of things we love.\u00a0Please join us at our 13th Annual Gala on October 27<\/a>\u00a0to celebrate even more!<\/p>\n

The Bay is buzzing right now with news that our first big league women\u2019s basketball team is headed to the WNBA finals. It\u2019s been an astronomical rise. In 2025, the same year the Oakland Athletics moved into the 15,000-capacity Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, home of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, the Golden State Valkyries<\/a> made their highly anticipated debut at San Francisco\u2019s Chase Center. The team defied typical expansion-team struggles, finishing 23-21 and becoming the first expansion franchise in WNBA history to make the playoffs in its debut season.<\/p>\n

\"\"Valkyries fans at Chase Center July 18. Photo by D.A. Mission<\/p>\n

But that transmittable energy, the effect they had immediately on Bay Area fans, was electric.\u00a0Anyone who commutes on BART in the early and late parts of the evening that inaugural season witnessed something a bit different. That Valkyrie Violet kept popping up, appearing in droves of fans, boarding the train either after another Golden State Valkyrie win or still quite excited despite a close loss. Either way, Valkyrie Fever took over the city and never relinquished its grip. But to change the vibe during the evening\u2019s BART commute?<\/p>\n

\"\"Valkyries play Mystics at Chase Center, July 18. Photo by D.A. Mission <\/p>\n

That\u2019s sacred. Filling that ride, which at times can be a bit of a snog, with pride and enthusiasm. The Valkyries have invigorated the professional women\u2019s basketball fan base ever since. Adding more success to the Bay Area sports landscape. Rikki\u2019s, San Francisco\u2019s first women\u2019s sports bar, located right in the Castro district\u2014and winner of Best of the Bay 2025 Best Sports Bar\u2014opened in June 2025 and has not looked back. <\/p>\n

\"\"Valkyries play Mystics at Chase Center, July 18. Photo by D.A. Mission <\/p>\n

Bay Area promoters Noise Pop and Do The Bay have engineered downtown evening events around watching those Valkyries. Valkyries Pride fills the streets. Chase Cater has been unofficially renamed \u201cBallhalla.\u201d Women\u2019s basketball is the hottest ticket in the city from June to October, and we\u2019re all the better for it. <\/p>\n

48 Hills welcomes comments in the form of letters to the editor, which you can submit here<\/a>. We also invite you to join the conversation on our Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n