As Valkyries enter, the WNBA's financial landscape is changing. What's at stake?
Meanwhile, as other team’s ticket prices soar, the Valkyries have already gotten more than 14,000 season ticket deposits. They have yet to set season ticket or single game prices for their first season. The deposits are $25, but are happening without fans knowing how much they’ll actually have to commit to purchase season tickets.
The Valkyries have already announced a dedicated practice facility at Oakland Arena and will have their own locker room at Chase Center (and a separate locker room for visiting WNBA teams as well), a significant financial investment from owner Joe Lacob, and league players have complimented his willingness to not skimp on payroll for the new team.
But as the league gets more popular and demands — and gets — more money from fans, the question of where that money goes and if it’s to the players is going to be important in the Valkyries’ first few seasons.
“We were able to successfully negotiate this thing in 2020 that prepared us for the summer of 2020,” said players association president and Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike. “You don’t ever really know what’s going to happen, but we can always be disciplined and stay prepared and stay informed and engage with each other so that when something does happen, there’s a network that will be supportive.”
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/wnba-s-financial-landscape-changing-expansion-19583019.php