maya goldberg-safir

Ballhalla has become a nationally-celebrated phenomenon, but something's missing from the headlines: GSV's founding support by queer fans like Cheryl & Deb Espinosa-Jones, who embraced the WNBA as Deb battled terminal cancer. I wrote about her legacy & the "full blown lesbian history" of Ballhalla:

shout it baby

Veronica Burton’s four blocks tie Diana Taurasi (2009) as the most blocks by a guard in a WNBA Finals game. Burton also set her postseason career high in blocks. (Per WNBA)

A gorgeous story and the incarnation about what so many of us love about this team and its fans. It’s everything that’s great about the Bay in one loud, passionate, joyful space

our first points were scored by kiah stokes and veronica burton is ON ONE... both good things

I can say on good authority (I talked to them!) that BOTH of Natalie Nakase's sisters - Nicola & Norie - are in Ballhalla tonight to cheer her on.

thank you to @alexsimonsports.bsky.social & @sfgate.com for the opportunity to write this piece. to me, the heart & soul of valkyries fandom - FOR THE GAYS - includes thousands of queer people filling the seats of ballhalla now, and the extraordinary lives of those no longer with us:

Just an incredible story from @roughnotes.bsky.social and so honored to have it here at @sfgate.com: Love and grief turned a sports skeptic into a lifelong Valkyries fan www.sfgate.com/sports/artic...

ok fam im about to watch the game for the first time LMAO (but the people's block party in oakland was the greatest thing i've ever witnessed fr)

i love when the valkyries defense bonk bonk bonks to each other for a group steal

okay so i like the vibe in atlanta sooooooooo much better than vegas so far

🗣️🗣️🗣️Meet us @ the white ho iykyk ✌️🏽💜

sometimes i worry about distinguishing my wnba stuff from everyone else. then i write this lol

ok, you only live once, so queer valks fans: LETS DO VALKYRIES QUEERAOKE TOMORROW?! i'll have stickers for you + free swag + all the violet/lavender outfits:

off to atlanta tomorrow to keep reporting on the finals, you can support my work by subscribing or donate directly via venmo :) details on the post!

people keep introducing themselves and saying that they read rough notes. this has NEVER EVER HAPPENED TO ME before. i am so touched and grateful. also, i have no words to describe this game. something special is happening.

I’ll def be checking out the games at one of these places!!!!!

Bay Area! Here's your ultimate guide to watching the Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA Finals, without all the corporate marketing muck:

the nakases will be at today's game, watching their daughter/sister natalie as a head coach in the wnba finals for the first time. their family history - and the legacy of incarceration (while playing basketball) for japanese american communities during WWII - is so, so, so, so, so important.

This Defector article is one of the best pieces of sports journalism I've ever read. Let's have a thread about some of the best bits + my (probably suspect and valueless) thoughts.

I refuse "to admit" bc I'm convinced that the moment I think the Valks are a team of destiny I'm gonna jinx them.

Thank you, have been looking for a guide for where to watch!!

Hi! I've started updating the Ultimate Map of Valkyries Fandom with watch parties & bars specifically showing the WNBA FINALS, WOO! Please add your recs & share. I want everything VETTED BY FANS bc I think the Valks Bar Network can sometimes, actually, lead people astray: bit.ly/UltimateMapo...

today is the valkyries' rest day but @ashmeremedia.bsky.social and i have for you a behind-the-scenes of the championship-bound VALKYRIES VIBES DURING FINALS WEEK

I made you a present! Video analysis of some key plays in 3 crazy game endings on the Valkyries Road to the Finals. Sep 24 vs Los Angeles Sep 30 at Dallas, Game 2 Oct 2 vs Dallas, Game 3 Plus bonus micro video at the end about the Kaitlyn Chen vs Veronica Burton height feud.

2/ Those policies are frustrating and spoil the fun/inclusive vibes but expecting hourly staff who work every different league/event to keep up enough to know when a sign is positive v discriminatory is hard. (Think: “protect women’s sports” or “let’s go Brandon”) I’ll see if Aces have a comment.

Really fun first half about the joy of the road trip & the win, bummer second half about the sign. I wonder if Chaz meant “arena policy” not “wnba policy?” We’ve talked on the show before about how arenas have policies independent of current tenant, impacting things like PWHL Takeover Tour games 1/

guys @valkyriesbeat.bsky.social could hit 1,000 subscribers this week before the WNBA Finals which would be really really cool. www.valkyriesbeat.com/upgrade

Help Marisa get to Atlanta! And please use my referral code, I believe at a certain level she will tell me which Pokemon I resemble most www.valkyriesbeat.com/subscribe?re...

THE GOOD STUFF

👉💜 #gsv #valkyries

This is nuts. I can’t imagine this is any kind of arena or team policy and it’s obviously not a WNBA policy. I really hope the arena/Aces respond.

Thank you for this reporting. Chaz is making up rules. @lvaces.bsky.social @wnba.com you owe these fans and all of your lgbtq+ fans an answer. His bigotry is not acceptable

tbh i almost didn't want to believe it - like what is this, 1982?

On Friday, Golden State stunned the world by sweeping the Aces... but that night in Las Vegas, something else shocked me even more - arena security taking a "GAYS" sign from Valks fans, claiming it was "against league rules... due to verbiage." Here's my report on what really happened in Vegas:

This was great

“The franchise has done a great job of reflecting the Bay Area’s best qualities, namely queerness and the incredible cultural footprint of Oakland.” -Maya Goldberg-Safir

a missive from the lobby of mandalay bay! space the seconds out. valkyries fans: we still have a few more hours until everything changes, once again. #wnba #valkyries

IM GOING TO VEGAS TO COVER THE VALKYRIES! i'm a queer indie journalist & my beat is valks fandom - for the people, by the people. i'll be sharing game day outfits, deep lore, behind-the-scenes on press row and shenanigans of all kinds. if you want to support my coverage, you can find me on venmo:

One win away from the finals …. Whoah

We play the long game around here

so this is holding up

some of my favorite signs in ballhalla tonight :)

For many of us in the bay - WE chose las Vegas and never LAS-before we got our own... I had to cover the giant A'ja painting in my home office this week... This shit is REAL outchea. #wnbaplayoffs #wnba #gsv #allinlv