The New York Liberty expressed dissatisfaction with the WNBA for scheduling the Commissioner’s Cup championship game on June 25 despite a conflict with their home venue, Barclays Center. The league ignored the Liberty’s concerns and forced them to relocate the game to UBS Arena in Queens. The Liberty had informed the WNBA in December that a game on June 25 would not work for them, but the league did not take their concerns into consideration.
The Liberty, who are the defending Eastern Conference champions, had tried to resolve the scheduling conflict earlier this month, suggesting that their July 2 home game against the Lynx be re-designated as the championship game. However, the final decision was left to the Lynx, who ultimately had the authority to determine when the game would take place. The Liberty were prepared to play away in Minnesota for the championship game, despite earning home court advantage.
The NBA Draft has been held at Barclays Center annually since 2013, with the exception of 2020 due to the pandemic. The setup for an event like the draft can take several days, which likely led to the conflict with the Liberty’s game. The NBA issued a statement apologizing for any inconvenience caused to the Liberty’s season ticket holders and loyal fans, and stated that they were working closely with the team to relocate the game to UBS Arena for the best possible experience for all attendees and participants.
UBS Arena, home to the Islanders and host of various college basketball games, stepped in to accommodate the Liberty for the championship game. Despite the team’s preference to play in their home arena, Liberty CEO Keia Clarke expressed her gratitude to UBS Arena for providing a world-class venue in New York. The Liberty are looking to repeat as champions in the Commissioner’s Cup, having won the title last year against the Aces in Las Vegas.
This season marks the second consecutive year that the New York Liberty have made it to the championship game of the Commissioner’s Cup, the WNBA’s in-season tournament. The team is determined to defend their title as champions and secure another victory. Despite the challenges faced due to scheduling conflicts, the Liberty remain focused on their goal of winning the Commissioner’s Cup for a second year in a row and bringing home the championship.
