Golden State Valkyries Set WNBA Expansion Benchmark with Record Season

The Golden State Valkyries have raised the bar for the WNBA’s upcoming expansion era, capping their debut campaign with record-breaking attendance and a historic playoff berth.

Following Saturday’s regular season finale against the Minnesota Lynx, the Valkyries confirmed that all 22 home games at San Francisco’s Chase Center were sellouts. The club also became the first WNBA expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season.

Golden State Valkyries drew a total of 397,408 fans across the season, with an average of 18,604 per game, also a new WNBA benchmark.

New Game Schedule fuels Surge

The 2024 Indiana Fever previously held the single-season attendance average record at 17,036. Indiana’s 2025 campaign sits second in total attendance (349,313) with one home fixture still to play.

The WNBA’s expanded 44-game schedule helped fuel the surge, with two additional home games per team compared to 2024.

However, the Valkyries’ playoff debut will come with logistical challenges. A scheduling clash with the Laver Cup tennis tournament means Golden State’s guaranteed first-round home game will be played at San Jose’s SAP Center rather than their “Ballhalla” home at Chase Center.

As a lower seed under the league’s revised 1–1–1 first-round format, the Valkyries are guaranteed at least one home playoff matchup. A first-round upset would secure further postseason dates back at Chase Center.

The milestone season highlights the franchise’s immediate impact as the WNBA prepares to welcome four more expansion clubs between 2026 and 2030. For the league, Golden State’s debut offers a strong commercial case for expansion markets: record-setting demand, established NBA infrastructure, and momentum heading into the postseason.

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