Golden State Valkyries' Maria Valdehueza Named to Sports Business Journal's Forty Under 40 List
WNBA Golden State Valkyries

Golden State Valkyries' Maria Valdehueza Named to Sports Business Journal's Forty Under 40 List

Published on June 1, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Golden State Valkyries News Release


OAKLAND, Calif. - Golden State Valkyries Senior Vice President of Ticketing and Events Maria Valdehueza has been named to the Sports Business Journal's Forty Under 40 Class of 2026. The annual award recognizes the best young talent in sports business. The Forty Under 40 Class of 2026 will be honored during an awards ceremony on Friday, November 20, at Pier Sixty in New York City.

Valdehueza is in her 17th season with Golden State, having started as a sales intern for the Warriors in 2007 and rising to Vice President of Ticketing in 2021. An integral leader in Golden State's WNBA expansion team efforts, she was named Senior Vice President of Ticketing and Events for the Valkyries in 2024, implementing ticketing and event strategies that would set numerous WNBA attendance records in the team's inaugural season. Valdehueza's strategic planning and execution surrounding season tickets, group sales, single game initiatives and customer service drove record-breaking crowds to Chase Center and created an unparalleled home-court advantage for the Valkyries, successfully transforming the venue into "Ballhalla."

Under Valdehueza's leadership, the Valkyries secured multiple WNBA ticketing and sales milestones, including:

Unprecedented Attendance: Became the first WNBA franchise to draw 18,000+ fans to each of its first three home games, ultimately selling out all 22 regular-season home games and setting all-time league records for both average attendance (18,064) and total attendance (397,408).

Record-Breaking Deposits: Became the first franchise in WNBA history to surpass 15,000 season ticket deposits.

The "Founding Guard": Became the first WNBA team to secure over 10,000 season ticket holders (dubbed the "Founding Guard") in the Valkyries' first season, growing to 12,000 in the team's sophomore season at a 90% renewal rate.

Revenue Growth: Led the entire WNBA in overall ticketing revenue for the 2025 season.

In addition to noteworthy accomplishments that shattered the ceiling for WNBA ticketing benchmarks, Valdehueza has a proven track record of driving revenue and community engagement beyond the Valkyries. As the Warriors VP of Ticketing, she was instrumental in maintaining the organization's historic 518-game sellout streak, revolutionizing its group sales strategy and transforming Filipino Heritage Night into the franchise's most successful group ticket event. She was also pivotal in creating the "Dub Hub," a groundbreaking virtual fan platform that provided unprecedented behind-the-scenes access during the COVID-19 pandemic and connected fans globally when in-person attendance was not possible.

Valdehueza also spearheads internal and external initiatives that amplify and support diverse communities and uses her platform to give back to the AAPI community that has shaped her life and career. A Bay Area native, she has championed local communities, the Golden State organization, and the WNBA, cementing a foundation for the long-term growth and success of Bay Area women's sports.

For more information on the Valkyries, please visit valkyries.com.

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