The crowd cheers after the Golden State Valkyries Cecilia Zandalasini (24) makes a basket against the Dallas Wings at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, July 25, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO — The Valkyries will not play their first home playoff game in franchise history in San Francisco.
Instead, the expansion franchise will have the game on Sept. 16 or 17 moved to SAP Center in downtown San Jose, the team announced in a news release on Thursday after punching its ticket to the postseason with an 84-80 victory over Dallas.
Chase Center, where the Valkyries have sold out all 21 of their home games, had been booked years in advance for the Laver Cup tennis tournament.
The international tennis event “was booked at Chase Center in 2023 before the Bay Area was awarded a WNBA team,” the release stated. “The organization explored every possible option to host its first round Playoff game at Chase Center, but SAP Center emerged as the right fit for this historic event. Golden State vetted several venues, including Oakland Arena which had a scheduling conflict due to a property-wide private event, and is thrilled to partner with SAP Center.”
The Sharks play their NHL games at SAP Center.
Veronica Burton, the Valkyries’ leader, said neither she nor the team is phased by having to play the postseason home game in the South Bay.
“That’s obviously above us, so we can’t control it,” Burton said. “We have faith in our fans that they’re going to continue to show out for us. And wherever we play, we’re going to bring our basketball. So we’re confident, we’re excited, and it’s another opportunity to compete. So regardless of where we’re at, we’re going to show up.”
