The WNBA’s New York Liberty, currently owned by the Madison Square Garden Company, are for sale. The company is the controlling entity of the New York Knicks and their D-League team, the Westchester Knicks, as well as Madison Square Garden and the New York Rangers.
New York Liberty are for sale, James Dolan announces
The Liberty are one of the WNBA’s three franchises still operating in its original market.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
“This was a difficult decision for us, which we made after carefully assessing the needs of our business,” said James Dolan, who runs the company. “We are confident that new ownership can build on the foundation we established over these last 21 years and steward this incredible franchise into an even more successful future.”
Since Dolan has decided to sell the Liberty, though, they won’t be under his purview much longer.
The Liberty were one of the original eight teams that began when the WNBA was founded in 1997, and they’ve played at Madison Square Garden ever since. Of those original eight, only three teams still exist and continue to operate in their original city: the Liberty, the Phoenix Mercury, and the Los Angeles Sparks.
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Last season, the Liberty made the playoffs, led by Tina Charles, and lost to the Mercury in the second round. They’ve made the playoffs in 15 of their 21 seasons.
After the Liberty are sold, only half of the teams in the WNBA will be owned by NBA teams. However, because of the New York media market, the Liberty presumably would not be moved by any purchasing entity.
The Liberty’s average attendance last season was 9,724, the second most in the league. In 2010, they averaged nearly 11,000 fans per contest, the most in the league and a figure that hasn’t been matched by any team since.
The full press release is below.
New York, NY (November 14, 2017) – The Madison Square Garden Company (NYSE:MSG) today announced that it intends to sell its original WNBA franchise, the New York Liberty. MSG is committed to identifying new ownership that will continue to grow the team, and is actively seeking a buyer to take over immediate operations of the franchise.
“We have been a strong and vocal advocate for the Liberty and the WNBA since the beginning. As the last original owner, I am proud of how far the league has come, and the role we have played in its growth,” said Jim Dolan, executive chairman and chief executive officer of The Madison Square Garden Company. “This was a difficult decision for us, which we made after carefully assessing the needs of our business. We are confident that new ownership can build on the foundation we established over these last 21 years, and steward this incredible franchise into an even more successful future.”
Established in 1996 as one of the WNBA’s original eight franchises, the Liberty has been at the center of women’s professional basketball since the start, becoming one of the league’s most enduring and popular teams. With its compelling historical association with the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty has embodied the relentless spirit of New York City since its inception. Over its history, the team has showcased some of the league’s biggest stars, who displayed athleticism, professionalism and a commitment to the community that has won legions of loyal fans. And with a home that is also the world’s largest media market, it is expected that new ownership will realize the benefits of having the team remain in New York.
Mr. Dolan continued: “I would like to thank Isiah, and the Liberty players and coaching staff, who have made great progress in strengthening and growing the franchise. Under Isiah’s leadership, the team has broadened its roster of top sponsors, increased its passionate fan base, and developed a solid team built for long-term competitiveness. The Liberty now presents a tremendous opportunity for a new owner to bring new resources, creativity and focus to ensure the team becomes an enduring success.”
The Liberty has been a strong franchise in the league throughout its history. It is second in the league in all-time wins. The Liberty has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in 15 of its 21 seasons, and has made four trips to the WNBA Finals. With an all-time regular season record of 371-325 (.533), the team has had some of its most successful results over the last three regular seasons, when it finished first in the Eastern Conference and netted more than 20 wins three years in a row.
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