Finding exactly where to watch New York Liberty vs Golden State Valkyries has become a bit of a puzzle lately. Honestly, with the WNBA’s massive expansion and the sheer volume of new broadcast deals, you can’t just flip on one channel and hope for the best anymore. The Valkyries are no longer the "new kids" just happy to be here. After a historic 2025 run where they basically rewrote the expansion team playbook, their matchups against the defending-champ-tier New York Liberty have become must-see TV.
If you're trying to catch Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu facing off against the gritty, defensive-minded Valkyries squad at the Chase Center (or Barclays), you’ve got options. But they vary. A lot.
The Big Networks: National TV Spots
Most of the high-stakes games between these two land on national television. Because the Liberty are a global brand and the Valkyries have that "Bay Area magic," Disney and Scripps usually fight over the rights.
ABC and ESPN are your primary destinations for the "Game of the Week" vibes. If it’s a weekend afternoon, check ABC first. If it's a weeknight showdown, ESPN or ESPN2 is the likely culprit.
Then there's ION. If you haven't discovered WNBA Fridays on ION yet, you're missing out. They’ve locked in Friday nights for the long haul. It's free over-the-air, which is kinda rare these days. You just need a digital antenna or a basic cable package.
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The Streaming Reality
Streaming is where most fans live now. If you’re a cord-cutter, Amazon Prime Video has become a massive player. In 2026, they upped their game significantly, streaming 30 exclusive regular-season games. If the Liberty and Valkyries are playing on a Thursday, there is a very high chance it’s an Amazon exclusive.
- WNBA League Pass: The holy grail for out-of-market fans. If you live in, say, Chicago, and want to watch the Liberty vs the Valkyries, this is your best friend.
- The Blackout Catch: If you live in Brooklyn or San Francisco, League Pass will block you out of the live feed. It's annoying. I know. You'll have to wait until the game is over to watch the replay, or go local.
- YouTube TV & Fubo: These are the best "all-in-one" substitutes for cable. They carry ESPN, ABC, and usually ION and CBS Sports Network.
Local Coverage: Watching in the Bay vs. the City
Where to watch New York Liberty vs Golden State Valkyries changes if you’re actually sitting in the home market. Local TV deals are the lifeblood of the "die-hard" fan experience.
In the Bay Area, the Valkyries have a deep partnership with KPIX (CBS Bay Area) and KPIX+. They even expanded coverage recently to KION for fans in Monterey and Salinas. If you're local, you get the hometown announcers—like Jacob Tobey and Morgan Ragan—who actually know the bench players' backstories.
For the New York crowd, YES Network is still the king. Watching the Liberty on YES feels like a premium experience, mostly because they treat the production with the same gravity as a Yankees game. If the game isn't on a national "exclusive" like Amazon or ABC, it’s probably on YES.
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Why This Matchup Matters Now
It’s not just about the stars. It’s about the clash of styles. The Liberty play this high-octane, space-and-pace offense that can bury you in three minutes. The Valkyries, under Coach Natalie Nakase, have built an identity around being "tenacious and gritty."
Last season, the Valkyries actually pushed New York to the brink in May, losing a heartbreaker 77-82 at Barclays. People realized then that the expansion team wasn't a fluke. They play a defensive style that makes even elite scorers like Ionescu work for every single inch of hardwood.
Digital Hacks and Radio
Sometimes you’re stuck in the car. Or at work. It happens.
If you can’t get to a screen, 95.7 The Game in the Bay Area carries the Valkyries’ audio. They have a multiyear deal that includes a dedicated stream on the Audacy app. It’s a great way to follow the action without burning through your data plan on a video stream.
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For the tech-savvy, keep an eye on the WNBA App. They’ve integrated "Game Center" features that give you real-time advanced stats. It doesn't replace the video, but if you're stuck watching a grainy stream or just following the box score, the shot charts are surprisingly addictive.
Critical Viewing Checklist
Before tip-off, run through this quick mental list so you aren't scrambling:
- Check the Tip-Off Time: Remember, a 7:00 PM start in San Francisco is 10:00 PM in New York. Don't be the person who tunes in just as the buzzer sounds.
- Verify the Platform: Is it an "Amazon Exclusive"? If so, it won't be on League Pass or your local cable.
- App Updates: Make sure your WNBA or Prime Video app is updated. There is nothing worse than a forced 5-minute update when the game is tied in the fourth.
- Local Blackouts: If you're in the home market, skip the national streaming apps and go straight to your local affiliate (KPIX/YES).
Actionable Steps for the Next Tip-Off
To make sure you never miss a minute of the action between the New York Liberty and the Golden State Valkyries, start by syncing the official team schedules to your digital calendar via the WNBA website. This automatically updates for time changes or network shifts.
If you are a regular viewer, subscribing to WNBA League Pass at the start of the season is usually the most cost-effective move, even with the local blackouts, simply for the on-demand access to every single game in the archive. For those without cable, a combination of an over-the-air antenna (for ION and ABC) and a Prime Video membership covers about 80% of the season's "big" matchups.
Finally, if you're planning to watch a specific rivalry game like this one, check the "National Broadcast Schedule" on the Valkyries' official news page about 48 hours before the game. Networks sometimes flex high-performing matchups into better time slots or different channels based on the standings.