Valkyries Set Championship Parade Route in San Francisco

San Francisco will host a championship celebration for the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday, November 4, following the team's victory over the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA Finals. The parade will begin at noon near the Ferry Building and travel along the Embarcadero before finishing at Second and King around 2 p.m., according to Mayor Daniel Lurie.

The Valkyries secured their first WNBA championship in just their second season with a 68-63 victory in Game 7 on Saturday at Chase Center. The win completed a closely contested series against Atlanta and triggered plans for a citywide celebration.

According to the mayor's office, spectators can begin gathering along the parade route at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Designated viewing areas will extend along the bay side of the Embarcadero, from Mission Street to Second Street.

City officials are encouraging attendees to use public transportation because of expected crowds and road restrictions. BART will operate additional trains and increase security to accommodate the celebration, according to the mayor's announcement.

The parade will also affect local transportation services. San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's F and N lines will be suspended from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Wednesday, while several streets around the route will be closed to vehicles.

Autonomous vehicles will also face restrictions in the affected area for much of the day. The mayor's office said the measure aims to:

"Reduce congestion in dense, high-foot traffic zones," the San Francisco mayor's office said.

The scheduling decision followed several logistical considerations. The Golden State ownership group already had Warriors games scheduled at Chase Center on Sunday and Monday, creating potential staffing challenges for a parade on either day. Tuesday was also unsuitable because of Election Day and the demand it places on city resources.

The championship itself required a decisive seventh game after Atlanta kept the series alive with an 80-69 victory in Game 6 on Thursday. That matchup began at 9:30 a.m. Pacific time because of arena-related issues in Atlanta, prompting some Valkyries supporters to adjust their work schedules to watch the game.

Golden State eventually delivered the title in front of a large Halloween-night crowd at Chase Center, an atmosphere associated with the team's home-court nickname, Ballhalla.

Gabby Williams led the championship-clinching performance with 30 points, including 28 in the second half. Her scoring helped the Valkyries overcome a six-point halftime deficit and defeat Atlanta 68-63.

The championship parade is scheduled to begin at noon on Wednesday, November 4, at the Ferry Building near Mission Street, with the procession ending at King and Second Street approximately two hours later.