"From the tip-off to the final buzzer - and even after the final buzzer - it was so loud in there,"
"The loudest I've ever heard it."
"The energy is unmatched,"
"We're selling out arenas, filling each and every foot. The fans are there as if we've won championships for decades."
An expansion WNBA team, the Golden State Valkyries drew a sellout crowd of 18,500 during a playoff loss at San Jose's SAP Center, generating unprecedented noise and energy. The team finished 23-21 in its inaugural season and became the league's only expansion team to reach the playoffs immediately. Fans and local influencers described arena atmospheres as championship-level and fiercely passionate, with branding tied to Ballhalla and Norse imagery. The Valkyries' rapid on-court success contrasts with historically poor expansion debuts like Atlanta, Chicago, and Seattle, despite usual challenges of assembling new rosters, coaches and fan bases.
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