THE WNBA HAS entered a landmark financial phase in 2026, with franchise valuations surging across the league underscored by surging expansion fees and rising sale prices.
CNBC estimates that the league’s 15 teams now carry an average valuation of about $460 million, roughly 84% higher than the most recent $250 million expansion fee. Meanwhile, the 13 teams that competed in the 2025 season generated average revenues of around $31 million.
At the top end, the Golden State Valkyries, an expansion team that debuted in 2025, valued at $1 billion, marking the first time any women’s sports franchise has reached that milestone. That benchmark may soon become the norm rather than the exception.
The rapid rise signals a structural shift in how women’s sports assets are valued globally. Just a few years ago, top WNBA teams were valued below $200–300 million. Now, multiple franchises are approaching or exceeding the half-billion-dollar mark.
