If the latest CBA was any proof, the WNBA has been rapidly evolving in the past few years in terms of audience, viewership, and fandom.

On Friday, May 1, Sportico released its annual WNBA team valuations, and it is clearer than ever that everyone involved has invested in the sudden rise of the league, from team owners, stakeholders, and players.

The average WNBA team is worth $427 million — an increase of 59% from last year’s annual average. An X update from Chiney Ogwumike showed all the numbers, and Sportico values the Golden State Valkyries the highest at $850 million.

Golden State sits comfortably ahead of the pack in Sportico's ranking. All the other teams are currently significantly trailing the Valkyries, with the New York Liberty coming in second place with a $600 million valuation.

Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever holds a valuation of $560 million, a figure expected to rise, while Angel Reese’s Atlanta Dream sits at the bottom of the league with a $280 million valuation.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Sparks, Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, and Seattle Storm are all valued between $400 million and $425 million. But none come close to the Valykries, who are worth 150% more than the most valuable NWSL club, Angel City FC, which is valued at $335 million.

Moreover, the WNBA now has the HIGHEST value-to-revenue multiplier of ANY major sports league. At 13.6, it also surpasses the NBA, which has a 13.5 multiplier, for the first time.

The Valkyries' road to the top of the WNBA valuation chart

The Golden State Valkyries already have one of the biggest and most dedicated fanbases in the WNBA, and according to Sportico, they reported a WNBA-record $78 million in revenue in their inaugural season, largely due to more than 10,000 season tickets sold.

In addition, the Valkyries already have an impressive collection of sponsorships, including JPMorganChase, Sephora, and United Airlines. They qualified for the WNBA playoffs in just their first season under coach Natalie Nakase, recording 23 wins in 44 games.

Ahead of the upcoming season, they have also topped last year's 10,000 season tickets. This year, the Golden State cut off season-ticket sales at more than 12,000.

The Valkyries are going on a similar trajectory as their Bay Area counterpart, the Golden State Warriors. The Stephen Curry-led team crossed over $11 billion in valuation this year.

Do you think the Golden State Valkyries will have a dynasty of their own, just like their NBA counterpart?

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Yask Kotak