From Rikki’s to Chase Center: SF Powers the Women’s Sports Boom

If you’re a woman or queer person in the Bay, you might be asking yourself if you’re losing it: How can the world feel so devastatingly heavy, from war to attacks on reproductive and trans rights, to cost of living, and whatever virus is knocking us out of work or making us miss our BFF’s 50th… and yet, somehow, you’re also simultaneously feeling these bursts of extreme happiness and pride… over sports?

Women’s sports are having a long-overdue moment, and fans couldn’t be more energized to see female athletes gaining the recognition and compensation they deserve. Viewership is rising, major media deals continue to expand coverage, women’s sports bars are opening in cities across the country, and fan-led community gatherings are thriving. Turn on the TV or scroll through social media, and you’ll see more women talking about sports than ever before.

If you're Gen X, or even Millennial, you remember why we have t-shirts that say “Everyone watches women's sports.” We grew up hearing, “*Nobody* watches women's sports.” Not long ago, sports media and broadcasting were spaces intentionally reserved for men. Look at the history of TV deals and this study from 2010 showing how dire it was in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s.

But this past September, the WNBA signed a record 11-year, multi-billion dollar media deal with USA Network, with partnerships with Disney, Amazon Prime and NBC. And, just last month, it announced a huge deal with CBS.

And women aren’t just getting attention on the court. Women analysts, hosts, stylists, photographers, and restaurateurs are stepping up to strengthen the basketball economy further. Even video games have been affected with a rise in users/games played and the WNBA extended its partnership with NBA 2K, complete with an A’ja Wilson GOAT challenge. 

Finally, advertisers are catching up; we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg for NIL deals for women athletes. Former professional athletes and fans alike are launching successful podcasts, stepping into media roles, and shaping the narrative around the games they once played. 

At a time when so much in the world feels uncertain, this surge in women’s sports is worth celebrating because it is a real sign of progress.

Ballhalla, the nickname for the Chase Center, was born a year ago almost to the day (this year’s first preseason game is this Saturday April, 25th at 5:30pm). Last May, the Bay Area opened its heart(s) to everything violet and embraced the roaring decibels of raging joy (ear plugs recommended)! That very first Golden State Valkyries game at Chase left fans gushing for days. 

The following weekend, the authors of this article did what every busy parent and teacher would do in their zero moments of free time: we recorded our first podcast episode of “Valkyries, Say Less”. We were so enthralled by the question, “Who ARE these people on the court that are commanding such a visceral reaction by 18,000 plus fans?” that we had to do it. 

Our goal was to help fans (and ourselves) get to know each Valkyrie’s story and relay local anecdotes about San Francisco life and Ballhalla. We researched the coach’s and players’ biographies and scoured their social media to figure out how they got there. Through this work, we got to appreciate how special they are beyond the basketball skills that landed them on a team. Quickly, this project evolved into something bigger. Like so many fans, we began using our voices (and sway as ticket purchasers) to amplify a clear message: PAY THE PLAYERS.

Superstar Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier mic dropped her sincere critique of the WNBA leadership in her exit interview after the championship game last October.  Fans listened and fell in line to keep the message going. It felt like when we stood on a picket line with nurses or teachers this past year to advocate for working people (overwhelmingly women) who were not getting what they deserved. Together, we'd stand up to the owners of the world and call their bluff.

Nearly a year later, after months of tension, weeks of silence, the looming possibility of a strike, and the owner threats of the season not starting on time if the players didn't take what the owners were offering, the Players Association (the players’ union) and the league leadership met for a marathon negotiation of over 100 hours. 

And guess what?! They paid the players!  

The outcome of the recent WNBA negotiations is beyond inspiring. The players fought hard for a CBA (collective bargaining agreement) that marks a significant step forward in player compensation and revenue sharing. This past week Aj’a Wilson signed the richest contract in the history of the W: a supermax contract for $5 million over three years. (Note, last year she was paid $200,000.) 

Beyond supermax contracts, the CBA also includes meaningful increases in salaries for even the “middle class” players, improved benefits and working conditions (facilities and sports medicine), and measure to pay-it-back to the hooper elders, with up to $100,000 bonuses for the retired players that built the league. It even includes evidence that we are learning from the pains of the past: consent to trade if a player is pregnant, guaranteed free housing provided by the league, charter jets for all teams, and an effort to improve refereeing (or at least make it more transparent).   

The CBA is also a reminder that progress doesn’t happen automatically or magically. The negotiations extended five months beyond the original deadline, and it took unity and collective pressure from the players and fans to move things forward. The players’ willingness to stand together and possibly strike, and the growing proof that investing in women’s sports is both culturally and financially valuable (hello, Unrivaled), made the difference.

This moment didn’t happen by chance. It happened because the players and fans pushed for it, together. And it’s a clear signal that the future of women’s sports is not just bright, but being actively built in real time.

With this in mind as we started this article, we reached out to a select group of women. From a current high school basketball player, to an original San Francisco Pioneers basketball player, to the owner of a thriving women’s sports bar in San Francisco, to the District 1 Supervisor running for Congress, each of these women echoed the sentiments that rang true in our hearts: excitement and pride in what was achieved through this collective bargaining agreement.

Read their words firsthand:

Anna played for the historic WBL’s San Francisco Pioneers and later coached at Oakland Tech, Bishop O’Dowd, and Berkeley High, shaping the next generation of athletes.

As Gen X high school and D3 athletes, we never imagined careers connected to the sports world, so this moment feels especially meaningful. To see women getting closer to the pay and visibility they deserve, to have people for our kids to look up to that look like them, to be able to tell a room full of 3rd graders, “Now girls can grow up and be millionaires just for being good at basketball!” is all incredibly powerful.

As we move forward together, in joyful fandom and the real work of spotlighting whatever Coach Nat has up her genius sleeve for Season 2, let’s keep investing in women’s sports, growing youth leagues, and supporting our professional athletes. May the next collective bargaining agreement come closer to true equity!

Progress has been made, but the gap remains for players (and for teachers, nurses, tech workers, and beyond). It’s on all of us to ride this wave of strength and momentum toward real gender parity.

Come find us in the nosebleeds at Ballhalla and check out our upcoming Notes from the Nosebleeds segment, written specially for BAS! Ballhalla is, once again, about to become the best place to be in the Bay so don’t snooze on getting tickets. Special discounted tickets are here with $30 options for the Memorial Day game on 5/25 that’s also a fundraiser for our schools, if you purchase before 5/1. V’s up!

”Valkyries, Say Less” Podcast: The first fan-created San Francisco–based podcast celebrating women’s basketball, community, and the cultural moment surrounding the Golden State Valkyries. Brought to you by Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely & Raina Mast. 

Available on all podcast platforms. Listen on Apple here.