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SAN FRANCISCO — If the Valkyries reach the postseason in their inaugural year, one of the biggest questions will be where they will actually play.
A scheduling conflict with the Laver Cup — an international tennis tournament that includes stars Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz as well as legend Andre Agassi as a coach — presents Chase Center’s biggest hurdle in trying to accommodate a Valkyries playoff game.
In all likelihood, the Valkyries will not get a Top 4 seed in order to host two games in the first round, meaning their possible lone postseason game will take place either on Sept. 16 or 17.
The Laver Cup runs from Sept. 19-21, but setting up the state-of-the-art tennis court and allowing players time to practice before the tournament starts is the biggest challenge. The event was booked before the Valkyries became a franchise.
Golden State officials said an update on a decision on where the team will play will be coming in the next few days.
“We are finalizing details regarding our potential playoff venue and will share a comprehensive update with fans and season ticket holders in the coming days,” the Valkyries said in a statement sent to this news organization on Thursday. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work through the logistics of the possibility of a historic inaugural playoff run and pre-existing scheduling conflict at Chase Center.”
The Valkyries’ issues with scheduling their playoff game hasn’t gone unnoticed by the rest of the league.
“You want to think that you’re past it,” Stewart told SFGATE on Monday. “We want to think that we’re, like, better than this. Listen, sometimes it’s out of the control of everyone involved. But it’s just … You don’t see it happening with the NBA.”
The Valkyries will have other venues to consider should Chase Center not be available.
Oakland Arena, formerly known as Oracle Arena, would be an easy option as it was the Golden State Warriors’ former home. The venue does not have anything on its schedule the week of Sept. 15. SAP Center in San Jose has a concert scheduled on Sept. 15, but will have openings in the four days after.
Seating capacity won’t be a problem for Oakland Arena (19,200) and SAP Center (17,562) as they both seat over 17,000 fans.
Some reports have floated Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, home of the Sacramento Kings, as a possible venue as it is a current NBA Arena, though it would be the farthest trek for Bay Area fans.
When reached for comment last week, Sacramento officials did not respond to questions about if Golden 1 Center would welcome the Valkyries for a home playoff game.
The Laver Cup is a relatively new tennis tournament, holding its inaugural event in 2017. The tournament pits some of the best international players against the best players from the United States.
According to the Laver Cup website, the unique black playing surface is the largest known court in the world at 49 meters long and 23 meters wide. The website claims the court is portable and can be set up in tight time frames.
Golden State has exceeded expectations this season.
BetMGM had their win total odds at 8.5 before the season started, finishing last in the league. The Valkyries eclipsed the previous highest win total set by an expansion team, previously held by the 1998 Detroit Shock, who had 17 wins in their inaugural season.
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Nathan Canilao
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