Golden State Valkyries Celebrate WNBA Title in Oakland and Across Bay

The Golden State Valkyries united the East Bay and San Francisco on Wednesday to celebrate their first-ever WNBA championship, hosting an opening rally in Oakland where the team operates its practice facility before boarding a ferry across San Francisco Bay for a noon parade along the Embarcadero.

Oakland Rally and Transbay Ferry Crossing Launch "Ballhalla" Celebration

After winning the WNBA Finals on Saturday in only their second season—2nd season—the Valkyries opened Wednesday's festivities with a championship celebration in Oakland before boarding a ferry to cross the Bay into San Francisco, according to NBC Bay Area. Fans dressed in lavender and violet filled BART Red Line trains Wednesday morning, where station announcements at Oakland's MacArthur station congratulated the 2026 WNBA champions as commuters headed toward the Embarcadero, Oakland North reported.

Golden State Valkyries President Jess Smith emphasized the franchise's dual-city identity in a Sunday release, noting that the organization represents the entire Bay Area from its practice facility in Oakland to its home court at Chase Center in San Francisco—nicknamed "Ballhalla" in reference to the team's Norse mythological name, where sell-out crowds packed every home game across both its inaugural season last year and its 2026 title campaign.

Mayors Barbara Lee and Daniel Lurie Join Embarcadero Parade as Franchise Tops $100M Revenue

Along the Embarcadero near Ferry Plaza on November 4, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee—who won reelection on Tuesday—joined San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, Oakland Fire Captain William Douglas, and thousands of supporters to welcome the players and Head Coach Natalie Nakase as they carried the 2026 WNBA Championship Trophy.

In October, the Valkyries became the first professional women's sports team to generate $100 million in annual revenue and the first WNBA franchise to reach a $1 billion valuation, after becoming the first expansion team to clinch a playoff berth in its inaugural season and capture a league title in its second year. Supporters Tanya Reyes and Lexie Bispee told Oakland North along the parade route that the celebration highlighted the rapid growth of women's professional athletics across the region.