Everyone Watches Women’s Sports. As I glanced at the fans sitting in Barclays Stadium, I saw this phrase everywhere. People were wearing it on hats, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. Fans were also decked head to toe in Statue-of-Liberty green and the more enthusiastic spectators were carrying signs or torches. I turned to my sister and said, “Wow! I didn’t realize the New York Liberty was a big deal.” I know that sounds bad, but I was genuinely surprised about how crowded the stadium was and the overwhelming roar of excitement that filled the air as the players made their way onto the court. It was not always like this.
Historically, female professional sports receive far less attention than male professional sports. The WNBA was formed in 1977, and eight teams were included in the league during its debut season. The New York Liberty was one the four original franchises in the eastern conference, along with the Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, and Houston Comets. In the early days, the New York Liberty was a moderately popular and successful team. They played at Madison Square Garden, sharing a stadium with the New York Knicks. However, for the 2018 season, the owner of the team, James Dolan, moved the Liberty from the world’s most famous arena to the Westchester County Center in White Plains, N.Y.—closer to Connecticut than Brooklyn. Instead of sharing a home with the New York Knicks, they played their games at a county center that also hosted tattoo conventions and minor-league men’s basketball games. Few fans made the long trek from Manhattan to watch games; 3,000 fans became known as a “banner night” in terms of audience attendance.
So, what has changed in recent years? Younger generations and modern social movements have made significant progress in terms of gender equality and representation. There has been more pressure on news outlets and TV programs to showcase women’s sports and discuss the games after they have been played. Social media has also helped spread awareness about female professional sports. For example, Ellie the Elephant (New York Liberty’s mascot) has become a Tik Tok sensation over the past couple of years. She is famous for her enormous attitude and stellar sense of fashion. Ellie is sassy, high energy, and a beloved honorary member of the team. Ellie the Elephant has drawn more attention to the New York Liberty this season as they dominated the court and won the WNBA championship!
But don’t be too devastated that you missed out on the Liberty’s fantastic season because the Columbia Women’s Basketball team has their first game in only 14 days. Similar to the New York Liberty, the Columbia Lions absolutely dominate on the court. They were the number one team in the Ivy League division last season, with 13 wins and only 1 loss. Senior Abbey Hsu even became the 4th player in the history of Ivy League Women’s Basketball to make over 2,000 points in her career.
As the Lions gear up for another amazing season, they definitely need all their fans to show up and support them. Their first home game is November 4th against the Stony Brook Seawolves. And remember, everyone watches women’s sports.