Episode summary
WNBA Team Hit $1 Billion Valuation Milestone | Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Businessweek Daily
· · 9 min · Hosts: Carol Massar, Tim Stenovec · Guests: Jess Smith, Alexandra Semenova
Summary
The Golden State Valkyries have become the first women’s sports franchise to reach a $1 billion valuation, and Jess Smith argued that the milestone reflects years of growth across the WNBA rather than a one-year surge. She said the team is building around traditional revenue lines like ticketing, partnerships, and merchandise, while also looking for new ways to expand fandom and revenue through community, culture, and player storytelling.
Smith said women’s sports has moved beyond the old question of whether demand exists. In her view, rising ratings, visibility, and the league’s new collective bargaining agreement show an upward trajectory that should support more games, more money, and more opportunity for players. She also emphasized that the Valkyries’ business is tied to audience conversion: bringing in traditional sports fans, growing with existing women’s sports fans, and creating something new.
On the team side, Smith credited the Golden State ownership culture, the arena, and a deliberate focus on fan experience for the Valkyries’ strong inaugural season. She said listening to fans shaped decisions like the team name, and that a strong foundation, not a finished product, is driving the franchise’s second-year push.
Key takeaways
- Smith said the Valkyries’ $1 billion valuation is a milestone built on the WNBA’s 30-year growth, not a standalone event.
- The guest said the team is focusing on ticketing, partnerships, merchandise, and new revenue pathways to keep expanding the business.
- Smith argued that women’s sports is now about converting a broader audience, not proving demand exists.
- She said the new CBA could help visibility by allowing 15% more games per season next year.
- Smith credited Golden State’s winning culture and fan-focused execution for helping the expansion team reach the playoffs in year one.
Notable quotes
“already though valued at a billion dollars. It's the first women's team in any sport to reach that valuation”
“there is a unique audience as well as an audience to convert that may be a traditional sport fan into this incredible product”
“we are relentless on making sure, of course, the traditional Revon lines, ticketing, partnership, merchandise, you know, everything to do with the game day and so forth are ones that are really strong”
“It has and there's a lot of steps that got us here”
“there's still the questions of, you know, okay, is this it? And the reality is this is just the beginning”
How the episode opens
Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio, news. — You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Masser and Tim Stenc on Bloomberg Radio.
It is so hard to believe, but the WNBA is marking its 30th season this year. I actually I talked about this earlier. I remember like where I was when I learned about the WNBA.
I was a 12-year-old uh kid who loves sports and like this was such a big deal. and it's grown into an not just an incredible business but um also uh just an incredible experience. And on that we have with us the president of the Golden State Valkyries, Jess Smith is here.
The team not 30 years old, brand new, only joining the league last year, already though valued at a billion dollars. It's the first women's team in any sport to reach that valuation. Welcome to New York.
How are you?
Thank you. We're happy to be here. Happy to talk about the Velc. — Okay. Well, you know, you have some New Yorkers here, so and you guys play the Liberty later this week. So, we're going to try to keep things, you know, civil.
Civil. — I mean, so you're telling me you're not juring for the Valk just to confirm. — Listen, we are unbiased journalists, okay, who are just focused on, you know, asking the questions and getting the good answers. — Well, you both look great and violent. So,
So that's what we're going to do. Um, can you talk a little bit about just the the business side of this because the the valuation is just mindboggling after a year. you said to us as as we were talking, you're in New York a lot because there are a lot of business opportunities here.
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- women's sports valuation
- wnba team milestone
- sports franchise valuation
- sports business
- sports economics
Companies and tickers mentioned
- Golden State Valkyries
Watch the episode
Watch “WNBA Team Hit $1 Billion Valuation Milestone | Bloomberg Businessweek” on YouTube
Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
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