Brandin Podziemski Boldly Compares Valkyries Crowd to Warriors
The Golden State Valkyries' unprecedented run during their inaugural WNBA season wasn't just limited to their record-setting success on the court. The fanbase that packed "Ballhalla" each game also established itself as the most loyal in the WNBA, shattering the league record for attendance with an average of 18,064 fans across 22 home games.
Perhaps the most prominent Valkyries superfan is none other than Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski, who was a regular courtside figure at games and would show up decked out in Valkyries gear. Podziemski had plenty of viral moments from his court-side seat this year, often drawing the ire of opposing fanbases for chirping at some of the Valkyries' opponents.
One moment in particular that drew plenty of attention to Podziemski's courtside support occurred in June when Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever were in town. After one of Clark's 3-point attempts was waived off due to a traveling violation, Podziemski re-enacted the referee's signal while high-stepping up the court and pointing toward the other end.
No good😂 we goin the other way with it💜 Love my Valkyries❤️ https://t.co/RZoI0CTFCy
— Brandin Podziemski (@brandinpodziem2) June 20, 2025
More Praise from Podz
Podziemski frequently praises the Valkyries team, fanbase, and atmosphere when given an opportunity to talk about the team, and he did so again on Monday, as his Valkyries' support was something reporters were sure to ask him about at Warriors Media Day. He revealed that he has every player's jersey and even went so far as to say that Valkyries games are louder than Warriors games.
"For sure, a different group of fans, definitely louder than our games, for sure," Podziemski said. "It was cool to see them sell out all home games, but I was happy to be a part of it as a fan."
"A different environment for sure. Different group of fans. Definitely louder than our fans. Cool to see them sell out every home game. I was just happy to be a part of it."
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 29, 2025
Podz on the Valkyries first season pic.twitter.com/n7pglK8Hzi
While such a comparison would have been unthinkable back in the days when the Warriors fans were haunting their opponents with echoing chants at an Oracle Arena that was aptly nicknamed "Roaracle", the environment for Warriors games at the Chase Center has often been criticized as too corporate and not nearly as passionate as the fanbase that populated Oracle Arena in its prime.
Part of the reason why the Valkyries' games became so popular and attracted more passionate fans is that the tickets were at a price point that was far more affordable for the average purchaser than your typical Warriors game. The environment at "Ballhalla" has been compared to the one at Oracle in the past, for this reason, among a few others, and the Valkyries were better off for it this season.
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Will Despart is a Las Vegas-based sportswriter who covers the WNBA for OnSI. He also writes for Ballislife and handles multiple beats for The Sporting Tribune, including the Las Vegas Aces and Las Vegas Raiders. His reporting has been featured in newspapers across the country through the Field Level Media news wire.