THE CONSTANT: Liberty fans show up and show out as team goes for it all
Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
The New York Liberty begin their journey to the WNBA Championship. With homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, their fans will look to bring the energy to help bring the ‘chip back to New York. The story of the New York Liberty is one of resilience. They have been in the WNBA since 1997 and have seen their share of ups and downs over the years. Between being forced out of New York City by previous ownership, to 2-20, and everything in between, the franchise has weathered various storms. Something that’s been consistent however has been the presence of Liberty fans. Liberty fans have stuck with the team throughout everything and as we enter the 2024 WNBA playoffs, the fans are gearing up for something special.
And as the fan base is getting larger and the team getting better, the enthusiasm is growing across generations as our Shara Talia Taylor learned at last week’s Fan Appreciation Night...
The WNBA has been steadily growing for years, and we saw it pay off in a big way this year. This season has been one in which the league has seen its footprint grow in pop culture, developed a greater presence in sports discussions, welcomed a bevy of new fans to the league, and most importantly, were a major draw on TV and in person.
Attendance was up across the league and for Liberty fans in particular, it allowed for a moment to reflect on the journey to this point
Games at Westchester keep popping up in my memories ➡️ from less than 2k fans in 2018 to last night’s 17,758, the largest crowd ever for a Liberty game at Barclays pic.twitter.com/VAEfNlgjrs— Ella Morrissey (@emorr1360) July 12, 2024
“It means a lot to be here and have everybody come out to support us the way that they have,” Betnijah Laney-Hamilton said during last year’s playoffs against the Connecticut Sun. “I think it’s changing the game for us, especially women’s basketball as people want to say “No one pays attention.” I think that our crowd speaks for itself and it goes against that narrative. We really appreciate the support and we just want to come out every night and give them a show.”
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton warms up for the first time since injury (questionable to play tonight), and the early-arriving fans applaud her return to the court. B smiles through her first couple warmup shots. Such an awesome moment. pic.twitter.com/AKAKmqmCTz— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) August 24, 2024
The Liberty have given their fans a tremendous show, and in the fans in turn have made the ‘clays one of the most raucous arenas in basketball...
Ask and you shall receive! Here is a compilation of Liberty crowd pops from last year’s playoffs and some from this season. #WNBATwitter https://t.co/3Ze8fIr9Ys pic.twitter.com/BZizR4hn3F— Alford Corriette (@alfcorriette) September 10, 2024
“If you give up transition threes, especially in this building, you’ll have an uphill battle,” Washington Mystics head coach Eric Thibault said during last year’s Liberty vs. Mystics playoff matchup.
Liberty players have mentioned how the crowd has given them energy and the extra boost to get to the finish line. When you’re in person at Barclays or watching at home, you can feel the joy and energy from the fanbase on every possession.
“It gives you butterflies,” Kayla Thornton said after a recent win over the Las Vegas Aces. “For me, it gives me that energy. When things are not really going well for me, I just look out into the crowd and it gives me that boost to do those extra hustle plays [and] get myself going. The crowd plays a big part for me and I appreciate them."
Photo by Mike Lawrence/NBAE via Getty Images
The Liberty have one mission this season: Win the WNBA championship. After falling short in the Finals, they came back with renewed focus and energy. 2024 has been one for the books as they finished the regular season with a 32-8 record and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs.
“It was important for us as one of our goals,” Sandy Brondello said after clinching the one seed. “We set out trying to get that home-court advantage. Now, obviously, we still have to take care of our business in the playoffs, the first round, the second round. We know it’s going to be extremely hard, but getting home court, we have a great arena, we have great fans. We want to play in front of our fans as much as we can.”
They opened the playoffs on Sunday afternoon against the Atlanta Dream. It was a picture perfect start to this journey as Leonie Fiebich wowed the Brooklyn faithful with a spectacular playoff debut as New York jumped out to a 1-0 series lead.
Barclays Center is absolutely rocking this afternoon as the NY Liberty have the lead over the Atlanta Dream. #WNBA pic.twitter.com/HdbST8L2PX— The Local W (@TheLocalW) September 22, 2024
The energy was tremendous as usual, but the building wasn’t as full as it usually is. The announced attendance was 12,115, a shade less than their usual attendance. As the playoffs continue, that number should surely rise, but it speaks to a big problem the organization might have created for themselves.
Due to increased fan interest and increased demand, the Liberty have risen prices going forward. It was a big, sudden jump that caught a lot of fans off guard especially as the playoffs begin. The Liberty run the risk of diminishing the connection they’ve built with their fans over generations as they continue to be one of the hottest tickets in town. It’s something Liberty CEO Keia Clarke is mindful of:
“We wouldn’t be where we are today without our loudest and most fervent, loyal fans. I think we have some of the best fans in the league. They have shown up for us everywhere that we’ve been and we try to repay them with that in terms of bringing them the best, both on and off the court. That’s really what the capping of the percentage increase is about. We wanted to honor that loyalty that they’ve shown us and in addition to just price, there are many more reasons aside from what you pay for your seat why people choose to follow the New York Liberty.”
Like a lot of leagues, the WNBA has to find the right balance to ensure that fans of all economic backgrounds can continue to enjoy the games in person. Having every type of fan in the arena makes it even more fun and turns an already amazing Barclays Center crowd up even more notches.
Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
Through it all, Liberty fans have continued to bond with the team at the arena and in the community. The players feel the love when they’re out in the community and working on causes that are near and dear to their hearts. In the arena, fans show their appreciation by creating a dynamic, fun atmosphere that the building has missed when their main tenants are there during the Winter. As the playoffs roll on, the Liberty will look to make history and capture their first WNBA championship. With the amazing Liberty fans behind them all the way, there’s a great chance New York finishes the story and brings the gold home. And for a team and fanbase that’s been through everything imaginable, this victory would be extra sweet.
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