For small business owners in the shadow of Chase Center and Oracle Park, the difference between thriving and surviving can be found in the standings and box scores of the neighborhood teams.
Good teams translate to fatter bottom lines.
Advertisement
With the Giants having recently completed their worst season since 2017, and the Warriors navigating a tricky generational transition between Stephen Curry’s championship era and whatever comes next, the emergence of the Valkyries and their improbable run to the WNBA Finals could not have come at a better time, according to business owners.
“The level of support the team has generated and the community they have created is incredible,” said Andy Chun, co-owner of the 30,000 square-foot Splash sports bar in Thrive City, the plaza surrounding Chase Center.
A full house at Splash Bar after Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Monday in San Francisco. (Clara Shuku Mokri)
He compared the energy to the Warriors in 2014-15, the first of four championships they won with a core of Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson and a “Strength in Numbers” mantra.
Advertisement
“There is nothing like that first big run. The Valks fans are like, ‘Hey, this is all about representing the Bay and what we stand for,'” said Chun. “They have created that same community and that same vibe and energy as those strength in numbers teams.”
Business owners near Chase Center say Valkyries fans are spending as much, or more, as their NBA counterparts.
“Certainly Valks fans are bringing in similar numbers of what the Warriors fans do,” said Chun. “Warriors fans drink more. Valkyries fans eat more.”
Shae Inglin, a veteran of San Francisco’s brewery industry who has worked at Harmonic Brewing since it opened in 2021 at Thrive City, said Valkyries games have become the most sought-after shifts, both for financial and other reasons. Harmonic was one of the first of the restaurants and bars to open at Thrive City, which now has a dozen such establishments.
Fans celebrate the Valkyries’ win in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals at Splash Bar in San Francisco. (Clara Shuku Mokri)
“Honestly the Valkyrie fans – and we all say it – are amazing: kind, patient, happy. I know we all talk about vibe, but the vibe that the Valkyries fans bring is incredible,” said Inglin. “They are family oriented. They are excited to be here. They appreciate women in sports. They spend more money. We love them here at the brewery.”
Advertisement
Mission Bay is bounded by Oracle Park to the north and Chase Center to the south. Dave O’Keefe, owner of the Via Hotel and Candlestick sports bar – both within steps of Oracle Park – said the Valkyries’ run has been uplifting for the city but has not brought in a ton of business on his end of the neighborhood.
His businesses are a little bit of a hike from the arena and with so many eating and drinking options at Thrive City, there is less spillover to the north.
“They have done a really good job of keeping business on their side of the turf,” said O’Keefe.
But he said the playoff run is still great for both the neighborhood and the city.
Advertisement
“It does move the needle for sure but it’s nothing like a baseball game for us,” he said. “Every drop fills the bucket.”
Fans celebrate the Valkyries’ win in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals at Splash Bar in San Francisco. (Clara Shuku Mokri)
Ballhalla fever is having much more impact to the south of Chase Center, where violet-clad fans jump off the T-Third Muni line and head toward the arena. A good number of them find a reason to make a pitstop at the Ramp, a historic restaurant, bar and boatyard near the arena on Terry Francois Boulevard, according to owner Arvind Patel.
“We are seeing a lot of fans and we love that they are doing so well. They are a magical team and have been a boost to our revenue,” he said. “It’s a different crowd. More diverse, younger, less raucous.”
Advertisement
Meanwhile, with the Valkyries triumphing in Game 5 Monday night to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series, business owners are scrambling to figure out how to handle Game 6, which will be played Thursday in Atlanta at 9:30 a.m. Pacific.
Fans celebrate the Valkyries’ win in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals at Splash Bar in San Francisco. (Clara Shuku Mokri)
Outside of some European soccer nuts, that is not a time many sports fans are accustomed to heading to a watering hole on a work day. It will be more breakfast burrito than Bacardi and Coke.
“We are going to open at 8:30, try to get people in there – we will serve breakfast – but I don’t know what that is going to feel like or how to staff up,” Chun said. “We could win the WNBA title and it could be over by 11:30 in the morning.”
Advertisement
On the other hand a Valkyries loss – and none of the business owners said they are rooting for that – would lead to an epic Halloween home Game 7 on Saturday night.
“That would make for an exceptionally good Halloween weekend,” said Patel. “A night people would remember for a long time.”
Subscribe
There’s more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.
This article originally published at Valkyries’ WNBA Finals run brings business and ‘incredible’ vibe to Mission Bay.
