• The Golden State Valkyries, WNBA's newest expansion team, are already valued at $500 million. • The team's president credits the successful inaugural season to strong branding and partnerships. • This article is part of "The Business of Sports," a series on the teams, leagues, and brands turning competition into big business.

Before the Golden State Valkyries ever drafted a player, 15,000 fans had already placed deposits for season tickets.

"This fan base acts as if we've been here for 30 years," Jess Smith, the team's president, told Business Insider.

These sales set a high bar for the newest team in the Women's National Basketball Association, which is seeing unprecedented growth. Record viewership has led the league to ink an 11-year media rights deal in July 2024 with Disney,

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