Oakland, California (AP) – Freshly out of a playoff race in their inaugural season, the Golden State Valkyries are already preparing for much more in 2nd year.
And their faithful fans are also.
President Jess Smith said on Tuesday that more than 90% of seasonal ticketholders were recommended for the 2026 season – and it’s more than 10,000 fans. And the Valkyries know that expectations will be even greater after such a successful first year, with Smith noting that everyone focuses on “How can we do better?”
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Golden State has become the first franchise in the history of the WNBA to reach the playoffs during its inaugural year.
“We are not satisfied,” Smith said at the team’s Oakland training center. “This is the beginning of the beginning. This is not a first of the film, it is a team that will be here forever and to build an inheritance and to be part of this big league. And therefore for us, we are constantly thinking about the things we have done well, what we think we can do better and the things we have not yet done that we want.”
Smith has referred to a woman from Fresno at around four hours by road who had seasonal tickets this season, when Golden State sold 22 of her home games at 18,064 Chase Center capacities and another for the eliminatory match against Minnesota last week which was held at SAP Center in San Jose, before, due to the previously planned tennis event.
Golden established a noisy terrain atmosphere In “Ballhalla” as he became known inside Chase Center, the team’s game on Valhalla – which, in Nordic mythology, is the place where Valkyries guides the souls of warriors killed.
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The Valkyries season ended with a 75-74 defeat At Minnesota Lynx Haut de Brand, last Wednesday in match 2 of their first round series, Cecilia Zandalasini missing a rider just before the buzzer. Golden State wasted a 17 -point lead in the third quarter.
“And then you should look up and see everyone standing, 18,000 standing fans”, Valkyries Natalie Nakase coach said. “After a defeat, some fans will huer but it is not Ballhalla. They supported us, they were our sixth man, so the reflection for me was proud and the fact that I built a new family here.”
Nakase told her players how delighted she was that they almost forced a decisive match 3. Nakase was appointed coach of the WNBA year and AP coach of the yearWhile Veronica Burton won the price of the most improved players in the league.
The owner Joe Lacob challenged Nakase to win a championship in the first five years of the franchise, and she plans to deliver it.
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The first -year coach also offered a lasting message to his team: “Everyone will rest, go on vacation, celebrate what you just did,” said Nakase, “because next year, I told them we’re all going to do more. And that’s what I’m going to concentrate them.”
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-mazing
