Golden State Valkyries Become WNBA's First $1 Billion Franchise

The WNBA has its first billion-dollar team — and it's the team that didn't exist 18 months ago. CNBC's 2026 official WNBA valuations dropped Monday and the Golden State Valkyries top the list at $1 billion, becoming the first franchise in league history to clear that bar. The Valkyries pulled in $73 million in revenue in their inaugural 2025 season and are projected past $90 million in 2026.

Behind them: New York Liberty at $600 million, Indiana Fever at $560 million, Las Vegas Aces at $500 million, and Seattle Storm at $450 million. The league average sits at $460 million — up 59% year over year, per Sportico's separate valuation set.

The Valkyries' edge is structural. Owners Peter Guber and Joel LeCoe also own the Warriors and Chase Center, where both teams play. That means shared sponsorships, shared hospitality, and shared infrastructure — the kind of cross-sell other WNBA teams can't replicate. The Valkyries also haven't even tipped off their second season yet. The W has officially crossed into a new economic era.