30 years ago, the New York Liberty emerged out of a city that was on the cusp of transformation, culturally and politically. At this year’s Pride Night game, the Liberty spotlighted the intersection of women’s sports and LGBTQ+ equality through special community partnerships and, of course, a much-anticipated halftime performance from legendary diva and Liberty mascot Ellie the Elephant.
“For three decades, this franchise has been shaped by the energy, passion, and advocacy of LGBTQ+ fans and athletes, and that connection is an important part of who we are today,” Liberty’s chief brand officer, Shana Stephenson, said to Gay City News over email. “We’re proud of the role the Liberty has played in supporting queer fans, players, and employees throughout our history.”
The centerpiece of the season’s throwback branding debuted on Pride Night with an iconic illustration from Jess Goldsmith, with “Pride Night” typed in a 90’s-era TV font, and, most importantly — a carabiner dangling from the “H.”
“I carry one around all the time and a bunch of my friends carry them around,” Goldsmith said about the use of carabiners as a symbol for the LGBTQ community in an interview with Gay City News. “I didn’t want to do something that was so fully rainbow, but something that was more just, like, queer-coded.”
The Liberty partnered with the NYC LGBTQ Historic Sites Project to install “30 Years of Impact,” an educational installation on the concourse taking viewers on a tour of LGBTQ+ women’s history with the Liberty and women’s sports at the forefront.
“We wanted to weave in Liberty connections at each of the sites to show that the history is intertwined and still playing out today,” NYC LGBTQ Historic Sites Project executive director Amanda Davis said in an interview with Gay City News.
In their seventh game of the regular season, the Liberty held a steady lead over the Phoenix Mercury as the latter fought to redeem their May 27 loss. With the Liberty leading by 3 points at the end of the first half, the team unleashed their not-so-secret halftime weapon: Ellie.
Ellie’s prerogative is to be a diva, and Pride Night’s halftime show did not disappoint as Ellie emerged from the Torch Patrol as one of the foremost divas of the ’90s, Madonna, or, “Ellie-Donna.” She danced to a medley of Madonna songs, including “Like a Prayer” and “Hung Up.”
“I try to bring a sense of joy to everything I do and that feels very important because Liberty games have become a space where so many people — especially queer fans — feel celebrated and connected!” Ellie told Gay City News.
The Liberty maintained their lead in the second half and cinched a 75-68 win over the Mercury, and their fifth win of the season.
