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Valkyries' victory celebration includes Oakland where team practices, San Francisco where games are
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AP

Valkyries' victory celebration includes Oakland where team practices, San Francisco where games are

  • By JANIE McCAULEY - AP Sports Writer
  • Updated

Gabby Williams hopped off a double-decker bus and began dancing through the streets, blowing a whistle to the beat and slapping high-fives with fans all while keeping her WNBA Finals MVP trophy safely tucked in her left arm. Then she called for teammate Kiah Stokes to join her and they popped champagne and enjoyed it among the first group in the Valkyries’ victory parade on a picture-perfect afternoon along San Francisco’s waterfront. The celebration came after the Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 on Saturday night in the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history.

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball
Sports
AP

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball

  • Justine Willard - FR172291 AP
  • Updated

Golden State Valkyries Kaila Charles waves out to fans during a parade to celebrate the WNBA basketball team's championship on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball
Sports
AP

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball

  • Brontë Wittpenn - San Francisco Chronicle
  • Updated

People gather during a Golden State Valkyries parade to celebrate the WNBA basketball team's championship on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

APTOPIX WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball
Sports
AP

APTOPIX WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball

  • Justine Willard - FR172291 AP
  • Updated

Golden State Valkyries Veronica Burton greets fans during a parade to celebrate the WNBA basketball team's championship on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball
Sports
AP

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball

  • Jessica Christian - San Francisco Chronicle
  • Updated

Fans arrive early to line up and watch during a Golden State Valkyries parade to celebrate the WNBA basketball team's championship on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (Jessica Christian/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball
Sports
AP

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball

  • Justine Willard - FR172291 AP
  • Updated

Golden State Valkyries Kiah Stokes cheers fans during a parade to celebrate the WNBA basketball team's championship on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball
Sports
AP

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball

  • Justine Willard - FR172291 AP
  • Updated

Golden State Valkyries Gabby Williams reacts with fans during a parade to celebrate the WNBA basketball team's championship on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball
Sports
AP

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball

  • Justine Willard - FR172291 AP
  • Updated

Golden State Valkyries Kiah Stokes, left, and Gabby Williams spray champagne during a parade to celebrate the WNBA basketball team's championship on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball
Sports
AP

WNBA Valkyries Victory Parade Basketball

  • Justine Willard - FR172291 AP
  • Updated

Golden State Valkyries fans gather along the parade route to celebrate the WNBA basketball team's championship on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)

Sold-out arenas, 3.3 million viewers for Game 7: The WNBA postseason surges in numbers
Sports
AP

Sold-out arenas, 3.3 million viewers for Game 7: The WNBA postseason surges in numbers

  • AP
  • Updated

The WNBA Finals was the most watched since 1999 with an average of 1.88 million people viewing the seven-game series that Golden State won over Atlanta in a decisive Game 7. That game averaged 3.3 million viewers, making it the most watched WNBA postseason game ever. It was up 128% from last season’s clinching game between Las Vegas and Phoenix that the Aces won. All seven games in the series were sold out, including Game 6, which was played at 12:30 p.m. EDT. The Finals capped the WNBA’s most-watched postseason since its inaugural season in 1997, averaging 1.49 million viewers, up 27% from last year.