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REVEALED: Newest WNBA team announced with expansion franchise set to begin playing in 2025 season

4 months ago 23

By Daniel Matthews

Published: 13:55 BST, 14 May 2024 | Updated: 14:40 BST, 14 May 2024

The Golden State WNBA team has officially revealed its logo and confirmed that it will be known as the 'Valkyries'.

Team president Jess Smith announced the news on ABC's Good Morning America on Tuesday. 

The Valkyries are the WNBA's first expansion team since 2008 and Golden State is set to begin playing in the 2025 season. 

'Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering - flying through air and sea alike,' the club said. 'This brand is Golden State's modern interpretation of a Valkyrie: strong, bold, and fierce.'

The franchise will be a partner of the Golden State Warriors, who have won six NBA championships since 2015. 

The Valkyries' games will be played at Chase Center but the team will train in Oakland - where the Warriors were based until 2019.

The team also released a hype video on Tuesday, which featured swords and a teaser narrated by singer-songwriter Kehlani.

'Born from the Bay, gilded in gold. This is where legends take flight,' she narrated over the video. 'But our story has yet to be written.'

The Valkyries website features the story behind the team's name, which reads: 'Strong, bold, fierce. Valkyries are a defiant symbol of the power of women.

'Fighting for community and connection, Valkyries represent the Bay Area spirit of unmatched progress and innovation.

'A combination of strength and grace, the Golden State Valkyries are writing the next chapter in the epic tale of the WNBA, a league that has transcended limitations and norms over the last 27 years.'

According to Warriors' marketing officers, basketball fans in the Bay Area were asked for suggestions for the new team name through surveys and social media, with 'Valkyries' a common response.

Last week, the WNBA franchise announced Ohemaa Nyanin as its first general manager. She started work on Monday ahead of the team's first game next year. 

She joined the Valkyries after five years in the front office of the New York Liberty. Her most recent role was as assistant general manager.

Smith, meanwhile, previously worked as an executive for the NWSL's Angel City FC.

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