- Trump slams early voting, even while urging Pennsylvanians to do so
- Major Hurricane John hits Mexico's Pacific coast
- IMF says ready for talks with Sri Lanka's new leftist government
- Phillies clinch division title, eye top seed
- Bills trample Jaguars, Commanders claw Bengals
- Hong Kong, Shanghai rally on China stimulus on mixed day for markets
- Back to death row? Retrial verdict due in Japan murder saga
- Rare corruption trial of Singapore ex-minister begins
- Ghana a long way off from gender equality despite new law
- China unveils fresh stimulus to boost economy
- Hamas weakened, not crushed a year into war with Israel
- Israeli economy struggles under weight of Gaza war
- Israelis united in trauma, divided by war after October 7
- New York Liberty riding WNBA boom into playoffs
- Environmental groups urge EU 'high risk' label for Sarawak
- Argentina seeks Maduro's arrest for crimes against humanity
- Morales issues Bolivian president 24-hour ultimatum to shake up cabinet
- Armenia and Azerbaijan see progress, but peace treaty seems distant
- World leaders gather at UN as Mideast tensions explode
- Biden's UN goodbye aims to 'Trump-proof' legacy
- Singapore ex-minister set for high-profile corruption trial
- Man Utd, Spurs eye respite from domestic woes in Europa League
- Guatemala picks Supreme Court judges with focus on anti-graft fight
- Jill Biden announces $500 million for women's health research
- Injured All Blacks centre Jordie Barrett out of Australia Test
- 'Lead the future': youth challenge world leaders at UN
- Goosebumps and stars as Paris Fashion Week kicks off
- Boeing boosts pay offer in effort to end strike
- Man Utd stadium regeneration could add £7.3bn to British economy
- At COP16, Colombia seeks to lead by example on biodiversity
- Dupont caps off Olympic gold season with Top 14 player award
- Leeds to expand Elland Road to 53,000 capacity
- Mysterious 18th century diamond necklace set for auction
- World's oceans near critical acidification level: report
- California sues oil giant Exxon over plastic recycling 'myth'
- As wars rage, UN's critics say global body is failing its mission
- Amazon forest has lost an area the size of Germany and France
- Nadal, Alcaraz and Sinner in Davis Cup finals teams
- Telegram's Durov announces new crackdown on illegal content
- African players in Europe: Ice-cool Jackson strikes twice
- Man City's Rodri 'out for season' after ACL injury: reports
- Venezuelan court issues arrest warrant for Argentina's Milei
- Arsenal not yet a match for Man City-Liverpool rivalry, says Silva
- Black Eyed Peas star harnesses AI for novel radio product
- England cricket captain Knight reprimanded over 'blackface' photo
- Gunman revealed Trump plot months before golf course arrest: DOJ
- Iran president accuses Israel of seeking conflict, says opposes war
- Swedish battery maker Northvolt to slash 1,600 jobs, quarter of staff
- Joshua says boxing career 'far from over' after Dubois defeat
- Stock markets inch higher on rate hopes
New York Liberty riding WNBA boom into playoffs
Five years ago, the New York Liberty were used to playing games in a deserted, 2,100-capacity arena out in the suburbs, a world away from the bright lights of the Big Apple.
But when the star-studded WNBA team steps out at a packed Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Tuesday they will do so as one of the hottest tickets in town, as surging interest in women's basketball this season ushers in a new era for the sport.
"I go to a lot of sporting events, and nothing beats the energy here," longtime Liberty season ticket holder Lolita Beckwith told AFP.
Beckwith, a professional photographer, has been following the team since the WNBA was launched in 1997.
Her 27-year allegiance to the Liberty has encompassed the team's early days, when they played games at the legendary Madison Square Garden, to the bleak era when the team was exiled to the suburban city of White Plains, closer to Connecticut than Brooklyn.
"It's just great because for 27 years, it was looked down upon," Beckwith said as she reflected on a sea of green-shirted Liberty fans thronging the arena.
"No one watched, there weren't many fans. It was mostly women and kids. So to see it become what it is now is just absolutely amazing," she added.
"I wish I had a daughter so I could bring her to the games."
While the Liberty's success on the court has undoubtedly boosted the team's appeal, the jump in crowd sizes are part of a broader trend in a league that has enjoyed skyrocketing interest since the arrival of rookie phenomenon Caitlin Clark.
Indiana Fever star Clark has taken the WNBA by storm this year after a record-breaking US collegiate career.
This season the Liberty have rewarded the loyalty of fans such as Beckwith with the best regular season in the franchise's history.
The team, spearheaded by the likes of Olympic gold medallists Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart, finished top of the WNBA's Eastern Conference with 32 wins and only eight defeats.
With the playoffs under way, the team is perfectly positioned to end its long wait for a first ever WNBA championship.
On Sunday the Liberty demolished the Atlanta Dream 83-69 in game one of their opening playoff series.
"To have the crowd that we had here definitely made it a lot easier," US Olympic team star Stewart said after the win.
- Attendances surge -
During the regular season, New York averaged more than 12,000 fans per game, a whopping 64% increase on the 2023 average, which itself had surged 45% from the 2022 campaign.
Those kinds of ticket sales will be music to the ears of owner Joe Tsai, the Taiwanese-Canadian billionaire co-founder and chairman of Chinese multinational firm Alibaba, who purchased the team in 2019 with his wife Clara Wu Tsai, and who also owns the Brooklyn Nets NBA team as well as the Barclays Center itself.
"Two years ago, we could barely fill the lower bowl," said Liberty fan Justin Tartamella, 27.
These days, thousands of fans flock to the arena wearing sneakers in the Liberty's colors as well as T-shirts bearing the slogan "Everyone watches women's sports."
Other fans, meanwhile, line-up to take selfies with the team's mascot, Ellie the Elephant, whose TikTok account has nearly 180,000 followers.
For some fans, Liberty games are an increasingly attractive option in a New York sporting landscape already studded with iconic men's franchises. Baseball has the New York Yankees and the Mets, the NBA has the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets, while the NFL offers New York Giants and New York Jets.
Adam Reid, a 35-year-old computer programmer who recently opted for a Liberty game over a Mets fixture, explained the team's appeal.
"You can get very close-up seats for an affordable price, compared to a very high up seat to the baseball game," Reid told AFP. "And they've been a blast."
The inclusivity of the WNBA has also drawn in fans.
"Historically, it's been very LGBTQ+ friendly, which is really important," said David Smith, a 51-year-old consultant. "As a gay man, this is where I feel the most welcome."
Indiana's Clark, meanwhile, has helped boost the Fever's average crowds this season to more than 17,000 per game, with a record 20,000 fans turning out for one fixture.
Those kinds of figures are translating to big business off the court: in late July, the WNBA announced a new 11-year broadcast contract worth an estimated $200 million per season -- more than triple the previous amount.
The WNBA is also preparing to expand the league, with three new franchises joining the competition in coming seasons.
A.Santos--PC