Golden State’s WNBA expansion franchise reveals its name, logo
The team's identity was revealed Tuesday, the same day that the WNBA season will open. Golden State will begin play in 2025.
By DOUG FEINBERG | AP Basketball Writer
Call them the Golden State Valkyries.
The WNBA franchise affiliated with the Golden State Warriors unveiled the team’s brand identity on Tuesday morning with the name and logo. The team, which will start play in 2025 with games at Chase Center, has already sold more than 7,500 season tickets.
A combination of strength and grace, the Golden State Valkyries are writing the next chapter in the epic tale of the WNBA. pic.twitter.com/25NVgnBmU6
— Golden State Valkyries (@wnbagoldenstate) May 14, 2024
“It’s a beautiful nod to the Golden State Warriors, but also is uniquely our own,” team president Jess Smith said. “What’s so incredibly powerful about it is first and foremost is what a valkyrie is. A valkyrie doesn’t act alone, it’s a group moving things forward. As we think through what we’re building here at Golden State, it’s on the court and off the court. To make the impossible, possible like the Bay Area does.”
Smith said she had seen all the comments from fans over the last few months who were really hoping that the Valkyries would be the team name.
“It’s been pretty constant and that’s really beautiful,” Smith said of the fan support. “This is the Bay’s team and to be able to give them what they are asking for and give it in the way we’re going to is phenomenal.”
The color scheme for the team will be Valkyrie purple.
“There are lots of different purples and mythologies that come with it,” Smith said. “That key violet color is something that’s uniquely ours. We think it’s powerful enough to represent the Valkyries. … It’s regal and powerful and something we’re really excited to identify with.”
The outer shape of the logo is a V that reinforces the V in Valkyries while symbolizing the unity of a group of valkyries in flight.
“The sword that’s right down the center. On the flip side of that you got the bridge connecting the bay. That’s very important for us that we’re unifying in a big way. We are going to have a home in Oakland and San Francisco,” Smith said. “We view this as an incredible time for the WNBA and something we’ll all reflect back on as the 13th team came into the league and what that looked like at that moment in time.”
Smith arrived at the organization in late January after four years spent launching Angel City FC of the National Women’s Soccer League as the head of revenue. Last week, Golden State announced its general manager would be Ohemaa Nyanin, formerly of the New York Liberty.