It was a beautiful return to the Barclays Center for Pride Night, this time with The New York Liberty vs. Phoenix Mercury game, played in front of a near sell-out crowd of 17,515 fans presented by LYFT. TENz Magazine was invited back to guest host the evening and curate a mini history lesson on the significance of the hand fan. With themes of queer culture, chosen family, and celebration, the night was truly one for the books and the community.
TENz founder Sailey Williams took the court as Guest Host and Cultural Analyst, co-hosting alongside the electric Maria Clifton (@riaria5). Together, they made sure every break and timeout was louder, prouder, and more joyful than the last.
Glaad (@glaad) opened the night by presenting Liberty’s president, Keia Clarke (@keiaclarke), with a special recognition award for their commitment to inclusion in sports.
The game itself was a nail-biter at first, with the Liberty and Mercury going neck-and-neck through the first half. But the Liberty turned up the heat after halftime, pulling ahead to seal the win 89–76, their fifth victory in a row. Let’s go Liberty!
Halftime entertainment was nothing short of gag worthy as NY Liberty mascot and social media sensation Big Ellie (@bigellieliberty), or should we say Ellie Gaga, delivering a high-energy Lady Gaga tribute complete with costume changes and a medley of Gaga’s biggest hits (choreographed by Arturo Lyons @arturo_thaengineer). The Timeless Torches (@timeless_tourches) followed with a Pride-themed routine that had the crowd in awe.
No Shade, speaking of costume changes, our host Sailey wasn’t about to be outdone, serving four different looks throughout the night. Special thanks to Nike (@nikenyc) for providing the fresh kicks for the courtside catwalk.
