WNBA: Golden State Valkyries, report viewership and extra information

Atone for the off-court WNBA information you might need missed whereas tuning into the season opening stretch of on-court motion.

Put together for the Valkyries

The 2024 WNBA season is right here, however the Valkyries are coming in 2025.

On Tuesday, Golden State’s growth franchise introduced the crew’s model and identification: the Valkyries. Łukasz Muniowski coated the preliminary particulars of the reveal.

A record-breaking opener

Tuesday night time’s season opener between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Solar was the most-viewed WNBA recreation on an ESPN platform, with a median 2.1 million, and a peak of two.3 million, tuning in.

Swish Enchantment’s Noa Dalzell was there, detailing on how a disciplined and decided defensive effort from the Connecticut Solar, spearheaded by DiJonai Carrington, spoiled Caitlin Clark’s anticipated WNBA coronation and propelled the Solar to a 92-71 win over the Fever.

Constitution flights in full impact on Might 21

The implementation of the WNBA’s constitution flight program has been uneven, with some groups benefitting from non-public air journey for his or her first away video games whereas others have been compelled to endure one more industrial trek or two. Based on a league spokesperson, all groups will likely be flying constitution starting Tuesday, Might 21.

In an announcement to ESPN, the spokesperson mentioned, “Because the league beforehand introduced, we’d be phasing in this system firstly of the season and might share that starting Might 21 all groups will likely be flying constitution to video games.”

For shorter distance journeys, between Chicago and Indiana and between Connecticut and New York, groups will take constitution bus rides.

Aces keep profitable (possibly)

On Friday, the Las Vegas Conference and Guests Authority introduced all members of the Aces a $100,000 sponsorship for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, rewarding the gamers for a way they’ve represented the town.

If it appears too good to be true, it could be. Based on The Subsequent’s Howard Megdal, the WNBA has opened an investigation into the funds.

Las Vegas’ tourism bureau selecting to put money into the Aces is what the WNBA and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert declare to need: an establishment each recognizing and amplifying the social and cultural worth of girls’s basketball gamers.

Howard injured, Billings signed

Already with out Satou Sabally, the Dallas Wings now will likely be with out Natasha Howard for the following three to 6 weeks. Howard suffered a foot fracture within the Wings’ opening win.

Dallas subsequently signed Monique Billings to a hardship contract.

WNBA GMs share 2024 predictions

Because the 2024 season started, the WNBA launched the 2024 GM survey, with the league’s 12 common managers offering their predictions for the season. The final managers responded to a 45-question survey, and have been prohibited from voting for his or her franchises’ gamers, crew or personnel.

A few of the highlights embrace:

• The Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson obtained 67 p.c of MVP votes, adopted by the Connecticut Solar’s Alyssa Thomas at 25 p.c and the New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart at eight p.c.
• Wilson and Thomas additionally dominated the voting for the league’s greatest defender, with Wilson incomes 42 p.c of votes and Thomas at 25 p.c.
• Thomas was chosen because the participant with the best starvation to win championship, receiving 40 p.c of the vote share. The Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith was second at 30 p.c.
• Stewart was voted because the league’s most versatile participant (58 p.c), the perfect energy ahead (42 p.c) and the participant who forces opposing coaches to take advantage of changes (42 p.c).
• The Aces’ Chelsea Grey claimed the highest spot in six classes: greatest level guard (75 p.c), greatest passer (67 p.c), participant who would make the perfect coach (42 p.c), participant with the perfect basketball IQ (36 p.c) and greatest chief (25 p.c). She tied with the Dallas Wings’ Arike Ogunbowale because the participant GMs would most wish to take the final shot with a recreation on the road (25 p.c).
• The Indiana Fever topped the Seattle Storm because the league’s most improved crew, with the Fever receiving 58 p.c of votes and the Storm at 33 p.c. Nonetheless, the Storm’s signing of free agent Nneka Ogwumike was seen because the participant acquisition that may make the largest influence with 58 p.c of votes.
• The Fever’s Caitlin Clark obtained 92 p.c of Rookie of the 12 months votes. She additionally was voted because the participant GMs would choose to start out of franchise with, edging out Wilson 50 p.c to 42 p.c.

Take a look at the remainder of the outcomes right here.

SKIMS introduces WNBA marketing campaign

Final November, the WNBA introduced it’s partnership with SKIMS, the underwear model based by Kim Kardashian. We now know who the faces of the partnership will likely be, with recently-retired legend Candace Parker, the Los Angeles Sparks’ Cameron Brink, the Las Vegas Aces’ Kelsey Plum, the Connecticut Solar’s DiJonai Carrington and Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith featured within the inaugural marketing campaign.

WNBA companions with Mortgage Matchup

Mortgage Matchup, the consumer-facing model of United Wholesale Mortgage, is the first-ever mortgage companion of the WNBA. On the partnership, WNBA Chief Progress Officer Colie Edison mentioned:

The WNBA is happy to companion with United Wholesale Mortgage, an organization that shares our imaginative and prescient for rising girls’s sports activities and supporting girls’s basketball on all phases. Our partnership is a chance to amplify the attain of girls’s sports activities alongside the Mortgage Matchup model.

WNBA, NBRA comply with new CBA

On Tuesday, the WNBA and Nationwide Basketball Referees Affiliation (NBRA) agreed to a brand new, four-year collective bargaining settlement. No phrases of the settlement have been disclosed.