The Bay Area’s brand new WNBA team, the Golden State Valkyries, made history Friday with the second-largest crowd — a roaring 18,064 fans — of any team in their debut game.
At the Chase Center, purple, or rather Valkyries violet, took over the regular blue and gold for the team’s home opener Friday night against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Forward Kayla Thornton, formerly of the New York Liberty, recorded the first points in the game and the first points in franchise history with a 2 at the 9:36 mark.
For much of the game, it looked like the team might actually write a win in the record books for their first game, but the Valkyries gave the ball away 22 times, which led to 25 Sparks points from turnovers.
The star of the night was guard Julie Vanloo, who sank three 3-pointers in a row in the third quarter.
“We still have to learn how to play with each other,” Vanloo said of the loss. “It hasn’t even been two and a half weeks [playing as a team], so let’s be honest, it’s not easy. L.A. had a lot of people who have been playing with each other. We’re new. We’re going to work through it.”
At the last buzzer, the score was 84–67.
But the loss did not seem to discourage the fans looking to stand by the team through thick and thin.
“I was out of my chair a lot and cheering really, really loudly, even though obviously the ending didn’t go as we wanted,” said season ticket holder Erin Ng. “I think the energy is still just so supportive of this team and how we just want to show up for them.”
And show up they did. Fans started arriving at Chase Center hours before tip-off, sporting Valkyries violet.
For some, it was about more than the game.
“I want her to see women on a platform, celebrated in sports,” said Beth MacNulty, tears falling down her face as she spoke about why she brought her 5-year-old daughter, Clara, to the game. “I’m hoping this inspires her to love basketball as much as I have loved basketball and it’ll just be a fun time to see this through her eyes.”
MacNulty played basketball growing up, as did fellow Valkyries fan, Corinne Cueva.
“Back in the day when I was in high school, I was a point guard and I was like ‘I want to be in the WNBA’ but then, you know, I’m Filipino and I’m short,” she said. “So this is the closest I’m gonna get to being in the WNBA, is being a superfan.”
It’s basketball that brought her and her husband, Cesar Cueva, together.
“One of our first few dates is just like us going to a basketball court and shooting it around,” he said.
Krista Juli has planned her vacation schedule to make every single Valkyries game.
“We’re getting the opportunity to see just amazing basketball,” she said. “And it’s not just about the Valkyries, but we’re gonna see the [Indiana] Fever, we’re going to see the [New York] Liberty, we’re going to see amazing players across the league. … And then just being able to cheer on our own team while all of that is happening is just an added bonus.”
Gloria Challenger came all the way from Florida to see the Valkyries’ first game.
“I support the women. The men get all the support. the women don’t get much support, so I go out and support the women.”
Over the years, she’s traveled to see the first games of WNBA expansions in San Antonio, and most recently in Miami in 2008.
The Valkyries’ arrival was highly-anticipated among Bay Area basketball fans. The team is the first WNBA expansion team in 17 years.
As for the season ahead?
“I’m just excited to see them get to know each other better, get better with every game,” said Leigha Bartley, who drove in from Eureka with her mom and 10-year-old daughter. “And, hey, maybe they will bring home that championship in the first five years.”
Golden State hosts the Washington Mystics on Wednesday, May 21 at 7 p.m.