It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … Violet the raven.
The Golden State Valkyries unveiled (or should we say unhatched) their new mascot on Birdwatchers Night at Chase Center during Monday night’s game against the Connecticut Sun. Violet confidently strutted onto the court in front of a sold-out crowd at halftime to ‘Best Friend’ by Bay-area artist Saweetie.
Violet donned a white and black cheerleader outfit that featured the Valkyries’ logo on the front and her name on the back as she executed a perfect cartwheel to much applause. Violet’s outfit was complete with a pair of yellow glasses, striped socks and a pair of white sneakers.
‘heyyyyy besties,’ Violet wrote on her new social media account.
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Violet just so happens to be named after the team’s official color, Valkyrie Violet, which ‘symbolizes power, ambition, nobility, and women’s empowerment, much like purple has been used symbolically in modern history,’ the team previously announced.
‘Something’s hatching’
Golden State hinted at Violet’s arrival and dropped Easter Eggs leading up to Monday’s announcement on Birdwatchers Night. A mysterious violet egg was first spotted outside of the Chase Center on Aug. 7 and a wildlife expert hired by the team predicted there’s a ‘bird species’ inside. Violet feathers also turned up near the egg.
‘I got called by the Valkyries to come and take a look at this big egg that showed up on campus. It’s a violet color which we don’t usually see and it’s got very bright gold speckles on it,’ wildlife management expert Kenny Elvin said in a video shared on social media. ‘It’s far larger than anything else that I’ve seen before. …
‘There are violet feathers. I don’t know any birds that are quite that color. We’ll see as it evolves. This egg could hatch very soon.’
Elvin was on to something. The Valkyries brought the egg inside Chase Center for closer inspection and even built a nest for the egg to feel at home. Each fan in attendance for the Valkyries’ matchup against the Connecticut Sun even received a pair of Valkyries Binoculars to spot the egg’s hatching.
Leading up to tipoff on Monday, the Valkyries released a video showing the mysterious violet feathers all over Chase Center as forward Monique Billings warmed up, another clue hinting at Violet’s color and origin.
Violet is sure to have a cult following. The Valkyries, the league’s first expansion team since 2008, have sold out every game at Chase Center this season.
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