A New WNBA Champion Crowns an Unprecedented Finals Matchup
Nearly 21,000 people packed into the Bell Centre in Montreal for a relocated matchup hosted by Toronto’s new franchise, setting another absolute attendance record as the WNBA will crown a champion outside of the Las Vegas Aces or the New York Liberty for the first time since 2021, setting up an unexpected title clash between the expansion Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream. Neither of the league’s recent powerhouse dynasties reached the championship round, clearing the path for an entirely new occupant of the throne in a best-of-seven series that opens at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The Chicago Sky had previously inaugurated their title record in 2021 during a very special season that marked the homecoming of Candace Parker, preceding a New York Liberty title in 2024 that came right before the Knicks’ success for professional basketball in the Big Apple last June.
Golden State Valkyries Complete a Rapid Rise to the Title Series
The Valkyries entered the league less than three years ago after paying a $50 million expansion fee in October 2023. No entity better represents that state of effervescence and unstoppable takeoff than the Valkyries, the team where the owners of the Warriors, led by Joe Lacob, expanded their vision for basketball as both a sport and a business in the Bay Area.
THE @VALKYRIES FIRST EVER PLAYOFF SERIES WIN 💜 pic.twitter.com/HUoZrYJOEA
Atlanta Dream Surge Into Their First Finals Appearance Since 2013
The Atlanta Dream reached the Finales by mounting a dominant 22-4 run following a difficult stretch in June and July. Finishing the regular season at 30-14, the Dream enter the finals carrying a ten-game winning streak—a feat last accomplished by the Sparks in 2017—alongside a 5-0 postseason record. Angel Reese anchors the Atlanta frontcourt during these Finales, though the team faces injury concerns regarding star guard Allisha Gray, who sustained a hand injury.
Record Financial Growth and Expanded Venues Shape the Series
The commercial boom across women’s professional basketball provides the backdrop for the championship series, featuring a newly established collective bargaining agreement that raised the total team salary cap to $7 million and maximum player salaries to over $1.4 million. The league’s ongoing expansion includes new franchises in Toronto and Portland, with future additions slated for Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia by 2030, supported by an 11-year media rights agreement valued at $3.1 billion.
