Fresh off a WNBA championship and riding high with a booming fan base, the New York Liberty didn’t hold back this weekend when a Boston-based account tried to drag New York sports. After the Knicks were eliminated from the NBA Eastern Conference Finals by the Indiana Pacers, the account posted: “New York hasn’t won a major sports championship since 2011.”
Cue the Liberty’s clapback-just a single yawning emoji, but the message was crystal clear: don’t erase women’s accomplishments.
The post ignored not only the Liberty’s 2024 WNBA title but also NYCFC’s 2022MLSCup victory. The phrase “major championship” was doing some heavy gatekeeping-implying that women’s basketball and soccer don’t count. But the Liberty and their growing fanbase are proving that kind of thinking is long outdated.
Pinterest reinforced Liberty’s point
As if to punctuate their rising influence, the Liberty just inked a landmark partnership with Pinterest. It marks the first time the social platform has stepped into the sports world, and they chose the Liberty as their debut partner.
The deal includes exclusive content, in-game experiences, and community outreach designed to uplift women’s sports and the vibrant energy of New York.
Searches for “WNBA aesthetic” have spiked over 1,200% on Pinterest, with “New York Liberty” searches also up 216%-a clear sign that the team isn’t just winning games; they’re becoming a cultural movement.
The WNBA doesn’t stop to listen to the trolls
Meanwhile, the WNBA continues its meteoric rise, fueled in part by Caitlin Clark’s entry into the league. The 2024 season is already the most-watched in league history on ESPN platforms, with viewership up 155% and attendance seeing a 48% jump-its best average since 1999.
So go ahead, call it “not major.” The Liberty-and the WNBA-are redefining what major really means.
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