WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert “did not shy away from declaring the Valkyries are having a huge impact on the rest of the league” since the expansion team’s arrival, according to Ron Kroichick of the S.F. CHRONICLE. Engelbert said, “The Valks have really helped raise the bar for other WNBA teams, because they’re driving revenue from all sources and they’re driving a winning culture, too.” She added, “It’s a blueprint for future expansion teams, and also quite frankly a blueprint for some of our current teams to thrive at a higher level.” Engelbert “downplayed the $1 billion valuation as a magical milestone.” She said that she “found more significance in CNBC estimating the WNBA’s average franchise valuation at $460 million.” She noted that her goal when taking over as commissioner in July 2019 was $100M. Kroichick wrote it is “no stretch to say the Valkyries are one reason for the league’s soaring economics.” Engelbert said that the team “‘catapulted’ to the top of the WNBA from a business perspective.” That helped this year’s expansion teams, Toronto and Portland, “understand how to navigate their maiden season.” Kroichick wrote Valkyries games have become a “rollicking party.” Engelbert: “Whenever I’m at a game at Chase Center, it feels like the fans have been fans of this team for 30 years -- and it’s only their second year. That’s the special part” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/9).
Engelbert: Valkyries helped ‘raise the bar’ across WNBA
