The Golden State WNBA team has officially revealed its logo and confirmed that it will be known as the ‘Valkyries’.
Team president Jess Smith announced the news on ABC’s Good Morning America on Tuesday.
The Valkyries are the WNBA’s first expansion team since 2008 and Golden State will begin play in the 2025 season.
“The Valkyries are a host of female warriors who are fearless and unwavering, flying through the air and sea alike,” the club said.
“This brand is the Golden State’s modern interpretation of a Valkyrie: strong, bold and fierce.”
The franchise will be a partner of the Golden State Warriors, who have won six NBA championships since 2015.
Valkyries games will be played at Chase Center, but the team will train in Oakland, where the Warriors were until 2019.
The team also released a dramatic promotional video on Tuesday, which featured swords and a touching teaser from singer-songwriter Kehlani.
‘Born of the Bay, gilded in gold. This is where legends fly,” he narrated in the video. “But our history has not yet been written.”
The Valkyries website features the story behind the team’s name, which reads: “Strong, Bold, Fierce.” Valkyries are a defiant symbol of women’s power.
‘Fighting for community and connection, the Valkyries embody the Bay Area’s unmatched spirit of progress and innovation.
“A combination of strength and grace, the Golden State Valkyries are writing the next chapter in the epic story of the WNBA, a league that has transcended limitations and norms over the past 27 years.”
According to Warriors marketing officials, Basketball fans in the Bay Area were asked for suggestions for the new team name through surveys and social media, with ‘Valkyries’ being a common response.
Last week, the WNBA franchise announced Ohemaa Nyanin as its first female general manager. She started working the Monday before the team’s first game next year.
He joined the Valkyries after five years managing the New York Liberty. Her most recent position was deputy general manager.
Meanwhile, Smith previously worked as an executive for NWSL side Angel City FC.