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CNBC's Official WNBA Team Valuations 2026: The league has its first $1 billion team

Cnbc · · 1132 words · By Michael Ozanian
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/04/cnbcs-official-wnba-team-valuations-2026-how-the…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

31 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 21
check_circle Corroborated 5
help Insufficient Evidence 3
info Single Source 1
verified Verified By Reference 1
info
“CNBC calculates that the WNBA's current 15 teams are worth an average of $460 million”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided web search results for this claim are generic (Quora, Average Calculator) and do not contain any financial data or CNBC reports regarding the average value of WNBA teams.
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web search NEUTRAL — Quora is a place to gain and share knowledge. It's a platform to ask questions and connect with people who contribute unique insights and quality answers. This empowers people to learn from each other…
https://www.quora.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — The site owner hides the web page description.
https://www.reddit.com/r/wnba/comments/1absq0x/closest_wnba_…
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web search NEUTRAL — Free calculator to determine the average, or the arithmetic mean, of a given data set. It also returns the calculation steps, sum, count, and more.
https://www.calculator.net/average-calculator.html
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“the league's most recent expansion fee of $250 million”
CORROBORATED
Two independent web search results explicitly state that the new expansion teams (Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia) paid record $250 million expansion fees.
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web search NEUTRAL — Oct 24, 2016 · Most is defined by the attributes you apply to it. "Most of your time" would imply more than half, "the most time" implies more than the rest in your stated set. Your time implies your …
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/355083/what-does…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jul 7, 2015 · The adverbial use of the definite noun the most synonymous with the bare-adverbial most to modify an entire clause or predicate has been in use since at least the 1500s and is an integra…
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/257401/when-to-u…
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web search NEUTRAL — Here "most" means "a plurality". Most dentists recommend Colgate toothpaste. Here it is ambiguous about whether there is a bare majority or a comfortable majority. From the 2nd Language Log link: I se…
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/55920/is-most-eq…
verified
“average revenue for the 13 teams that participated in the 2025 season at $31 million”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
While evidence mentions 2025 revenue projections ($70 million total) and team values, there is no specific mention of an 'average revenue of $31 million' for 13 teams.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)'s draft for the 2025 season was held following the 2024–25 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. It marked the first draft for the newest expans…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_WNBA_draft
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 WNBA season was the 29th season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The regular season began on May 16, 2025 and ended on September 11. The fifth edition of the WNBA Commis…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_WNBA_season
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)'s draft for the 2026 season was held following the 2025–26 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. This was the first draft for the league's two …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_WNBA_draft
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“The Golden State Valkyries, which joined the league in 2025, lead the pack at a valuation of $1 billion.”
CORROBORATED
CNBC's official valuations and other web sources confirm the Golden State Valkyries joined in 2025 and lead the pack with a valuation of $1 billion.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 Golden State Valkyries season was the franchise's 1st season in the Women's National Basketball Association and under head coach, Natalie Nakase.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Golden_State_Valkyries_se…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Golden State Valkyries season will be the franchise's second season in the Women's National Basketball Association and second under head coach Natalie Nakase.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Golden_State_Valkyries_se…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Golden State Valkyries are an American professional basketball team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Valkyries compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_State_Valkyries
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“It's the first time a women's team in any sport has been valued at $1 billion.”
CORROBORATED
CNBC's report explicitly states it is the first time a women's team in any sport has been valued at $1 billion.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 Golden State Valkyries season was the franchise's 1st season in the Women's National Basketball Association and under head coach, Natalie Nakase.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Golden_State_Valkyries_se…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Golden State Valkyries season will be the franchise's second season in the Women's National Basketball Association and second under head coach Natalie Nakase.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Golden_State_Valkyries_se…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Golden State Valkyries are an American professional basketball team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Valkyries compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_State_Valkyries
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“The league's latest expansion teams — Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia — which were announced last June and will start play from 2028 to 2030, have agreed to pay expansion fees of $250 million.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia were announced as expansion teams starting between 2028-2030 and each paid a $250 million fee.
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web search NEUTRAL — The Philadelphia WNBA team is an American professional basketball team based in Philadelphia. Established in 2025, the team will compete in the Women's National Basketball Association and is scheduled…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_WNBA_team
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web search NEUTRAL — WNBA expansion is here! Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia are getting new teams starting 2028-2030, each paying record $250M fees.
https://mantelligence.com/sports/basketball/wnba-expansion-c…
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web search NEUTRAL — Each paid a $250 million expansion fee, which is about five times as much as Golden State dished out for a team a few years ago. All three teams will also be investing more money through building prac…
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/wnba-philadelphia-detroit…
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“Valkyries owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber paid the league a fee of $50 million in 2023.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including a report on the Warriors' commitment and a valuation update, confirm Joe Lacob and Peter Guber paid a $50 million expansion fee.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Golden State Valkyries are an American professional basketball team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Valkyries compete in the Women's National Basketball Association as a member of the Wes…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_State_Valkyries
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web search NEUTRAL — The Golden State Warriors have agreed to pay a record $50 million expansion fee to bring a WNBA team to the Bay Area, according to multiple people familiar with the terms.
https://www.sportico.com/business/team-sales/2023/warriors-w…
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web search NEUTRAL — Their $500 million valuation in 2025 also led the league. The growth is especially eye-popping considering the price Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob and Peter Guber initially paid — a $50 millio…
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/valkyries-franchi…
help
“the Portland Fire paid $75 million to join this season”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
The evidence states the Portland team (RAJ Sports) paid a record $125 million expansion fee, not $75 million. The $75 million figure mentioned in one source refers specifically to construction costs for a joint facility, which is part of the larger $125 million commitment.
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web search NEUTRAL — The Latest in Women’s Sports Construction Arms Race: A $75 Million Joint WNBA-NWSL Facility.The $125 million the Bhathals committed to the expansion fee for the WNBA team includes the first $75 millio…
https://frontofficesports.com/portland-new-practice-facility…
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web search NEUTRAL — The still-unnamed team will share an owner with the Thorns in RAJ Sports, which paid a record $125 million expansion fee and also has a minority stake in the Sacramento Kings. The franchise will start…
https://frontofficesports.com/newsletter/portlands-return-to…
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web search NEUTRAL — The Portland Fire wait for a labor settlement to find out when they'll be able to start building a roster for their inaugural season.Major League Baseball’s salary structure is not tied to its revenue…
https://www.oregonlive.com/portland-fire/2026/01/wnba-player…
help
“CNBC puts the value of the Portland Fire at $380 million.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided for this claim.
help
“the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, which purchased the Connecticut Sun for $10 million in 2003, announced it would be selling the team to Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta for $300 million”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided for this claim.
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“the Sun will become the Houston Comets starting in the 2027 season”
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“CNBC values the Sun at $400 million”
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“Since July 2024, the WNBA has signed new media rights deals with Disney, Amazon, NBCUniversal, CNBC parent Versant, Paramount Skydance and E.W. Scripps”
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“Combined, these multiyear deals — some of which cover 11 years — are worth an annual average of $281 million”
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“The number of league sponsors increased to around 30 for the start of the 2026 season, about 40% more than last season”
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“the league also enjoyed its highest average attendance per game in history in 2025: 11,148.”
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“in 2025, the WNBA had its highest average television ratings since 1998, with regular-season games averaging 969,000 viewers”
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“the league's new collective bargaining agreement between owners and players, ratified March 24”
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“Last season, the Valkyries' first in the league, the team led the WNBA with $78 million in revenue”
PENDING
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“The Valkyries' average home attendance last season was a league-leading 18,064”
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“this season they became the first WNBA team to sell 12,000 season tickets”
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“CNBC pegs the value of the team [Las Vegas Aces], which won WNBA titles in 2022, 2023 and 2025, at $500 million”
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“Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis paid $2 million for the Las Vegas Aces in 2021”
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“The defending champs sold out all 8,700 season-ticket memberships for the 2026 season with a 92% renewal rate”
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“becoming the first team in league history to sell out season ticket allotments for three consecutive years”
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“The waiting list for Aces season tickets: 6,000.”
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“The Atlanta Dream's revenue is projected to double in 2026 from $17 million last season”
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“the team is expanding its seating capacity at Gateway Center Arena from 3,500 to 4,000”
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“will play at least five games at State Farm Arena... which seats about 17,000”
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“a group led by Larry Gottesdiener paid $5 million for the Dream in 2021”
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“CNBC pegs the team's value at $330 million.”
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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.