WNBA Finals
Valkyries Bring ‘Ballhalla’ Crowd to Chase Center for Game 5
The first WNBA franchise to average more than 18,000 fans and sell out every home game returns to San Francisco tied 2-2 with the Atlanta Dream after Game 1 crowd noise reached 114.7 decibels.
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As the Golden State Valkyries return to San Francisco's Chase Center tied 2-2 with the Atlanta Dream in the best-of-seven WNBA Finals, the franchise is leaning on a home-court environment that players and opponents alike describe as a defining force of the postseason, ABC7 News and ESPN reported.
Nicknamed "Ballhalla," Chase Center has helped make the Valkyries the first team in WNBA history to average more than 18,000 fans per game and sell out every single home date. During Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Oct. 18, arena sound meters peaked at 114.7 decibels A-weighted (dBA) after guard Kaitlyn Chen hit a fourth-quarter 3-pointer, following a 114.5 dBA roar on a corner 3-pointer by Gabby Williams.
Bay Area Icons and WNBA Attendance Records
Team president Jess Smith and general manager Ohemaa Nyanin credited head coach Natalie Nakase's gritty, defensive-minded roster for building an immediate bond with Bay Area basketball fans, while Oakland rap legend Too Short — who recorded a custom Valkyries anthem — and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans have been fixtures courtside during the Finals run.
Opposing players have felt the impact firsthand. Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray noted how quickly the Chase Center crowd surges during scoring runs, while veteran guard Tiffany Hayes praised the sea of violet towels and sustained noise awaiting both teams for Game 5 in San Francisco.
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