San Francisco businesses primed for boost from Golden State Valkyries games
With women's professional sports leagues seeing record attendance numbers and viewership, businesses around the Chase Center are looking forward to more customers when the Golden State Valkyries start their first season.
When it gets busy on game days, Nick Osborne will jump in to mix drinks at Mission Rock Resort.
"A game day in the neighborhood does translate to some more action," said Osborne.
Osborne's family owned and operated restaurant boasts spectacular views of San Francisco Bay and is a stone's throw away from Chase Center.
The business opened in 2012 before any plans were put in place to construct the arena. The restaurant has seen the direct impact of a winning franchise.
"If the Warriors are winning the title, or if the Giants are winning, it undeniably has an impact on the local economy," said Osborne.
He anticipates the Valkyries upcoming inaugural season as an added boost.
"I think what's easy to quantify is the level of excitement surrounding the team and the start of their season," said Osborne.
There are plenty of reasons for fans to be excited, and businesses that will see the economic impact of a new WNBA franchise. In-person attendance reached a 22-year high, and was up 48% over the 2023 season.
"That power from the consumer is truly what's driving this. The viewership is there and continues to rise. The ticket sales are there and continue to rise," said Golden State Valkyries CEO Jess Smith.
The Valkyries have locked in 22,000 ticket deposits and major partnerships including Chase, Kaiser Permanente, and Car Max to name a few.
"The more partners that we have at the table with us by your side during this, you know not only that's huge for the business, but that allows us to do really fun things you know along the way to make sure that our games and in different activations are incredible," said Smith.
A new media rights deal for the league valued at $200 million per year and surging viewership numbers, with a 155% increase from 2023, are adding to the momentum the league is experiencing.
Carrie Potter teaches sports finance at Rice University.
"You're not only seeing the local impact, but you're seeing the local economic impact from visitors coming in from out of town to support their WNBA franchises," said Potter.
The Valkyries have sold merchandise in all 50 states and 70 countries. It's that wide-ranging fanbase willing to travel that can have a significant impact on cities still recovering from dismal tourism numbers over the years.
"If you look at games like the Chicago Sky playing the Indiana Fever, a sold-out game, people are traveling to Chicago to catch Caitlyn Clark, to catch Angel Reese in these competitive games that are happening," said Potter.
That traveling trend among WNBA fans to see stars like Caitlyn Clark is even more promising for small businesses like Mission Rock Resort.
"We're hopeful that, you know, ultimately, what it will do is just bring more people to the neighborhood," said Osborne.
It's why Osborne and his team are fired up for the Valkyries, the newest team in town, who will have team facilities at Chase Center. They will also have a new practice facility located in Oakland, with construction set to be completed early this year.
The Valkyries open training camp in April and tip off its first game May 16th. The WNBA grows to 13 teams from the 2025 season with the addition of the Valkyries, and teams from Toronto and Portland will join the league in 2026.
