The hidden meaning behind the Golden State Valkyries' logo and court design
The first thing fans will see when they walk into Chase Center this summer is the Valkyries brand new playing court.
It's a design that was months in the making, and one Kimberly Veale, the team's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, said holds a plethora of hidden meaning.
"We wanted something that was unique, ownable and that really stood out for the Valkyries," Veale said.
It starts with the court's signature violet border. No other sports team in the world has this shade of purple as their main color and that was intentional.
"It was important to come out with a bold, strong color that really amplified the story of the Valkyries," Veale said.
Also unique is the court's chevron-patterned flooring.
"This chevron, to us, leans into the bold angular features of the brand, and it points into Vs so when you zoom out and look at it from the bowl, you can see kind of that subtle V pattern throughout the entire court," said Veale.
In the center of the court is the team's logo, a nod to both the Valkyries mascot and the Bay Area.
"Overarchingly, the shape is a V for victory, for Valkyries. Down the middle we've got the Bay Bridge which is the connecting point, the connector between San Francisco where Chase Center's located, where we play our home games and the Sephora Performance Center in Oakland where our team goes to work every day, that's where they practice, where our front office is headquartered," Veale explained. "It also doubles as a sword, which is a common symbol associated with the Valkyries in the mythology."
There is also a nod to the Valkyries' entry into the WNBA.
"On the sides, you've got five slices which double as the bridge cables and wings. So we know Valkyries can fly, it's one of their superpowers, so building that into the logo was important for us. And then throughout the entire logo, there's 13 lines to represent that we're the 13th team entering the WNBA," Veale said.
There are also a few additions solely for this inaugural season, including a crest that the players will run over every time they sub into a game.
Veale told KPIX the goal was to create a bold, memorable look that both fans would love to look at and players would love to play on.
She feels like they've succeeded in that, and now it's just time to put the shiny new court to some use.
"It's really special to have had such a strong team designing it, the intentionality that went into it. But it's going to be really exciting to see this team come to life on this hardwood," Veale said.
