Liberty Redefine Women's Sports: Historic Performance and Record
- Mia Nuñez
- May 22
- 3 min read
In true championship form, the New York Liberty dominated the Chicago Sky with a 99–74 victory. The win came on the heels of a report from The Athletic that the Liberty have reached a record valuation of $450 million — the highest ever for a women's sports franchise.
During Wednesday's game at Wintrust Arena, the game remained close early on. The Liberty were up 28 to 23 going into the second quarter. The tides quickly turned as the Sky scored just nine points and faced a 21-point deficit by the end of the second quarter. In the second half, the Liberty ran away with the game and never looked back.
Not only did this game break the WNBA regular-season record with 19 made 3-pointers, but it also underscored that the Liberty aren't settling for just one title. They're playing to dominate—one reason investors value the franchise at $450 million through their recent minority stake purchase.
The valuation came as a surprise to head coach Sandy Brondello and the rest of the Liberty team.
"To be honest we haven't spoken about it," Brondello said. "I think we all read it, and it was like, wow, that's pretty cool."
When Liberty owners Clara Wu Tsai and Joe Tsai bought the team in January 2019, the Liberty were playing at Westchester County Center, a 2,000-seat arena. Since then, they've moved to the Barclays Center, which holds over 18,000. Their reach is nationwide, bringing crowds with them wherever they go.
More than 19,000 fans packed the arena for the Sky's home opener, but many wore Liberty teal.
New York is the reigning champion from last year after preventing the Las Vegas Aces from a three-peat. A lot of the Aces' success has been credited to the investment poured into them, and it is the same for the Liberty.
“We feel something,” Brondello said. “It’s a real movement at the moment.”
The Liberty announced plans for a new practice facility earlier this year, and The Athletic reported that the team raised capital in part to fund it.
The "movement” includes a new 75,000-square-foot practice facility loaded with everything players need, from courts to a gym to a makeup studio.
“This is a facility that was, you know, player led and that's pretty cool because it really is about the players,” Brondello said.
Although the facility is projected to open in 2027, the Tsais have consistently treated the Liberty like a true professional team — something many argue is still lacking across the WNBA.
From creating the fan-favorite mascot, Ellie the Elephant, to moving to a real arena, the players are treated like a professional team and, in turn, are performing like one.
“I’ve been in this league for so long, and it’s great that we’re going to another level because these players deserve it,” Borello said.
Expansion teams are now required to have practice facilities, and with the Liberty being the latest existing team to announce, the question becomes: Who is next?
“They're [players] the product, and the players continue to get better and better, and so does everything around it,” Borello said.
The Liberty continues to prove that the results are extraordinary when women's sports receive real investment. Time and again, they rise to the occasion—not just winning games, but pushing the entire WNBA forward.
With every performance, they challenge the league to evolve and redefine what's possible in women's sports.
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