Ticket prices for Game 1 of the WNBA Finals between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream on Saturday at Chase Center weren’t just expensive, they were the most expensive in WNBA Finals history. Average ticket prices for that matchup were four times what fans shelled out for Game 1 of last year’s Finals, according to StubHub. But here’s the wild part: fans who were there are saying it was absolutely worth every single penny.
These Prices Aren’t Just High, They’re a Statement
Let’s talk numbers because they’re wild. Donald Taylor, a die-hard Dream fan who dropped $250 for a nosebleed seat, put it perfectly, saying, “No one wants to pay high prices for less quality seats. But for women’s basketball, just from where it was to where it is now, I think it’s a great thing.” Taylor, who hails from Oakland and lives in Vallejo, follows Angel Reese since her LSU days and has been riding with the Dream ever since. He remembers a time a decade ago when $250 might snag you a courtside seat to a WNBA game. Fast forward to Saturday, and while it was a big jump from the $50 upper-level tickets some fans got during the WNBA semifinals, everyone agrees these prices show exactly how much the sport has blown up.
The Resale Market Is Absolutely Bonkers
The Valkyries have over 12,000 season-ticket holders, and those loyal fans get first dibs on face-value playoff tickets. Plans for these season-ticket packages range from four-game deals all the way up to all 22 home games. Pete and Jody Cordova, who hold season tickets for every Valkyries home game, heard some fellow season-ticket holders were able to flip their seats for twice the original price. Jody Cordova perfectly described the feeling: “Those who aren’t season ticket holders look at the pricing and they go, ‘Oh, my god, it’s astronomical! People are reselling for such a high price.’” She’s not wrong, the prices are high, but she also pointed out that season-ticket holders who put out thousands of dollars all season are trying to recoup some of that investment. The Cordovas themselves paid $350 each for club level seats for all four potential Finals home games, which could total $2,800 if the series goes the distance. Even at that cost, Jody felt it was a “great deal” but admitted, “it’s still expensive.” Liza Culick and Geri Migielicz, a couple from Santa Cruz, said they’d paid between $250 and $450 per game throughout the playoffs. Their lower bowl season ticket seats were reportedly selling for $1,000 or more on the resale market, which Culick called “a bummer for people who want to come.”
Why Fans Are Splurging on History
Despite the sticker shock, fans like Cyrus Thomas and Sonia Serna, celebrating their one-year anniversary at Saturday’s game, didn’t hesitate. As soon as the Valkyries-Dream Finals was confirmed, Thomas hit Gametime, a resale platform, and snagged two nosebleed seats for $678. Thomas, originally from Atlanta but living in San Jose since 1989, proudly wore a Dream jersey but also sported both a Dream and a Valkyries necklace. He even said if the Dream weren’t in the Finals, he’d be rocking violet for the Valkyries. His reasoning for the splurge? “I’m big on firsts. There will never be another first game for the Valkyries in the WNBA Finals,” he explained. “So I’m like, ‘Hey, man, splurge, splurge, splurge.’” The passion is real, and the desire to be part of history is clearly driving these record-breaking prices.
Game 1 went down on Saturday, and with the kind of energy and investment we saw from fans, you know the rest of this Valkyries-Dream WNBA Finals is going to be absolutely wild. Every single game matters from here on out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply