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October 19, 2026

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The Golden State Valkyries are in the WNBA Finals in just their second season, and a major reason is their success at Ballhalla, their nickname for the Chase Center. I went to San Francisco for Game 1 of the WNBA Finals to see the league’s best home-court advantage, and it delivered again, giving the Valks a win in their Finals debut.

— Colin Salao

First Up

The NFL says it is full steam ahead for its first-ever game in Paris despite increasingly intense student protests.
Another Eagles reset could be coming, with Jalen Hurts on injured reserve with a blood clot and much of his $255 million contract coming off the books.
The Chiefs’ revival has given the NFL its top TV draw back.

Ballhalla Lays Out the Blueprint For the WNBA

Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

SAN FRANCISCO — With the Golden State Valkyries trailing by seven early in the fourth quarter of Game 1, the Chase Center crowd started to sing.

“I said hey! What’s going on?” the crowd at Ballhalla, the Valkyries’ nickname for their home arena, responded as the 1993 hit “What’s Up?” rang out.

It’s not uncommon for a crowd to perform karaoke classics midgame. It might be less so to sing and do the wave at the same time.

The moment, which came right before Golden State outscored the Atlanta Dream 17–6 to escape with Game 1, was a glimpse into the atmosphere at Ballhalla. The arena has turned into the best atmosphere in the WNBA—and perhaps all of sports.

Even NFL stars have noticed.

“Probably the best basketball game I’ve ever been to, honestly,” 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans said after attending Game 2 of the Valkyries semifinal against the Las Vegas Aces. “I’ve been to the Finals games. I’m a huge Rockets fan. I lived in Houston, so I guess I’m a Rockets fan. Went to a lot of games, and it’s hard to beat that atmosphere.”

It’s an open secret around the league that Ballhalla provides the league’s best home court advantage. The team finished the regular-season with a league-best 17–5 record at Chase Center, and they have yet to drop a home game in the playoffs.

The arena is always packed. Golden State has sold out every single home game since entering the WNBA last year, leading the league in total and average home attendance.

But it’s clear that the team’s owners—Joe Lacob and Peter Guber’s Golden State Group, which also own the NBA’s Warriors—have invested in all aspects of the team, from roster construction to marketing and overall fan experience, creating an environment akin to their successful NBA franchise.

Valkyries logos are plastered on billboards and trains all over the city, despite the Warriors regular-season set to tip off Tuesday. The team stores outside the arena advertise both teams equally.

The team’s early success on and off the court has turned them into the first WNBA franchise to reach $100 million in annual revenue. They’re also the first team to be worth $1 billion, according to CNBC.

“The level of investment from the jump was huge,” guard Veronica Burton said Friday. “From our ownership, to our front office, to our coaching staff, I think they’ve set us up for a position to be successful. And from the fans too. … All of that plays a role.”

And head coach Natalie Nakase is acutely aware of her team’s home advantage, calling for “hostility” from Ballhalla ahead of Game 1. She wants even more in Game 2.

“Great job!” Nakase said after the game. “But hey, level up, right? We got Game 2, it has to be better. We’re going to ask more from our players. So, I would say, check for Game 1, let’s get a better Game 2. So rest and recover, Ballhalla.”

Microsoft’s Trusted Sports Experiences Run On Real-Time Data From Sportradar

Every day, Microsoft serves scores, stats, and play-by-play to millions of fans across Windows, MSN, Bing, and Copilot.

“Users expect Microsoft to be perfect in everything that they do,” says Lane Shipley, enterprise client partner at Sportradar.

That means fast. That means right. Every time.

Sportradar delivers. Official data is captured on the court, processed, and sent to Microsoft in seconds, if not milliseconds, at global scale.

See how Sportradar keeps one of the world’s biggest brands running in real time.

Watch Sportradar’s newest partnership story with Microsoft.

DAILY SPORTS TRIVIA

Can you rank the top five NFL players by most career yards from scrimmage?

LOUD AND CLEAR

London No Longer Calling?

Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union

“If there’s a natural year where you probably want to play every home game in Jacksonville, it would be the year you open a new stadium.”

— Jaguars president Mark Lamping. Jacksonville has played a game in London every year since 2013, and in recent years has had a deal with the NFL to have an annual “home” game at Wembley Stadium where the Jags run the game and keep the revenue. The team is likely to play most of its home games in Orlando in 2027 before moving back into a renovated EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville in 2028, when Lamping suggests the London tradition may stop for a least a year.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS LIVE

Meet the Moment in Vegas

This November, we’re bringing together leaders from across sports, media, and entertainment in the heart of Las Vegas during the city’s fastest weekend for Tastemakers.

From the evolution of sports operations and new business models to emerging audiences, markets, and fan experiences, we’ll explore how the industry is transforming—and where the biggest opportunities for growth are taking shape.

Join us Nov. 20 for thoughtful conversations, fresh perspectives, and meaningful connections in an atmosphere that’s distinctly Vegas.

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STATUS REPORT

Three Up, One Push

Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Brighton ⬆ Seven games into the Premier League season, the Seagulls have scored the most goals in the league, a whopping 23, and conceded the fewest with five. They burnished those totals with a 5–0 blowout over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Big 12 ⬆⬇ The conference has three teams in the top 10 of the latest AP poll, led by BYU at No. 2, but it admitted early Sunday morning that its officials erroneously ended Saturday night’s BYU-Notre Dame game with a second still left on the clock.

J.J McCarthy ⬆ McCarthy passed for 243 yards and a touchdown as the Giants rallied from a 34-10 deficit to make it close but still lost to the Saints, 34-27. McCarthy replaced veteran backup Jameis Winston during the fourth quarter Sunday. Coach John Harbaugh declined to say after the game whether McCarthy or Winston will be the Giants’ starter moving forward.

Maja Chwalińska ⬆ The Polish women’s tennis star won her first WTA 1000 tournament, defeating Sonay Kartal in the final of the Wuhan Open on Sunday. The win validated the 25-year-old’s surprise run to the Roland-Garros final in May, when had yet to crack the top 100, made under $1 million in career earnings, and said she struggled to pay for her hotels in Paris. She’s now up to $3.6 million in career earnings after winning $665,000 in Wuhan, with $2.8 million coming this calendar year.

FOS NEWS

Blades Brown on Earning His Tour Card

Nadia DeMarinis-Front Office Sports

Blades Brown joined David Rumsey of Front Office Sports to discuss becoming the youngest Korn Ferry Tour graduate at 19, why skipping college was a gamble that paid off, balancing PGA Tour sponsor exemptions with Korn Ferry events, advice from veterans like Brandt Snedeker and Scott Piercy, and his outlook on the PGA Tour’s 2028 changes.