In today’s Netflix–Disney+ world, fandom is on-demand, interactive, and always online. As ticket prices soar and access narrows, sports franchises are rethinking what it means to ‘belong’. The New York Liberty may be the first WNBA team to fully embrace that shift — and they might just set the standard for the rest of the league.

WNBA teams have seen significant growth in the past year and a half. Caitlin Clark’s emergence has certainly helped boost viewership and ticket sales. Despite the momentum, the league isn’t profitable just yet. It reportedly lost around $40 million last year.

That means teams need to get creative when it comes to generating revenue. The New York Liberty is doing just that. Recognizing the value of fan engagement, they rolled out the “New York Liberty” app, a move that shows they’re thinking beyond the court when it comes to building their brand and business.

“One thing is that the New York Liberty has a highly engaged fan base. Our overall digital strategy is building on the engagement of that fan base. We want to deliver personalized experiences that bring the fans closer to the team,” said Keia Cole, Chief Digital Officer at BSE Global, in a 2024 interview.

Before we delve into how the Liberty is setting new standards in fan engagement, let’s take a step back and examine what inspired the change.

The rapid rise of the New York Liberty fanbase

It all started back in 2023 when the Liberty decided it was time to go all-in after years of being stuck in mediocrity. Their new owners, Jo Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, had already shown that they were never afraid of spending. That Brooklyn Nets team with Kyrie, KD, and Harden is a prime example of that!

In came 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones in a blockbuster three-team deal, which also brought in Kayla Thornton from the Dallas Wings. But they didn’t stop there! The Liberty went big in free agency, too, signing two legends of this game in Breanna Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot.

The results spoke for themselves. The Liberty clinched the Commissioner’s Cup and made it all the way to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2002. As expected, fan excitement around the franchise skyrocketed. The Barclays Center has since become a packed house for every home game. It’s worth noting that the spike in popularity began even before Caitlin Clark set foot on a WNBA court.

New York has always been home to some of the most passionate and vocal fans in the country, but maintaining brand loyalty in the W takes more than just wins on the court! The Liberty knew it was time to tap into that energy with deeper, more meaningful fan engagement efforts.

Breaking down the Liberty’s Digital Playbook

Once again, the whole process began in 2023 when Liberty partnered with Deloitte Digital to design an app custom-built for the franchise. Now, you might think, what’s the big deal? Don’t most teams already have apps? Sure, they do. Even the Liberty did! But this was a complete digital refresh!

In the words of Cole, “As our fans come back to it, we’ve significantly increased downloads. We’ve had triple-digit growth in monthly active users because of this refreshed app.” So what was so special in the app that perhaps no other WNBA team was offering?

It’s ground groundbreaking partnership with the content management platform Storyteller. The Liberty integrated Storyteller’s software to roll out app-exclusive content during their playoff media day in early September 2024. Fans suddenly had a front-row seat to behind-the-scenes moments! From player entrances and celebrity row snapshots to game highlights and candid locker room clips! You could get access to all!

The developers neatly sorted everything under tabs like “Top Stories” and “Fire Moments,” making it easy for fans to dive into the action. The interface was clean and visually pleasing to the eye. Precisely how fans like it. Whether you were checking scores, browsing the latest roster moves, or grabbing tickets to the next game, the app had it all in one place.

But that wasn’t all! The Liberty became one of the first franchises to launch their streaming service for local games-Liberty Live. Fans could catch every locally broadcast Liberty game, right from the app, and the best part? It came at just $4.49 a month. And the cherry on top? Season ticket holders also got access to My Brooklyn Rewards!

It is a point-based loyalty program that rewards fans for attending games and engaging in team activities. Fans could then redeem those points for exclusive memorabilia, autograph sessions, and special on- and off-court experiences. Now that’s how you build a fanbase!

While these are all great moves by the Liberty, we have a few suggestions to take things to the next level. With the solid foundation they’ve already built, the Liberty are in a prime position to lead the charge and revolutionize fan engagement across the WNBA.

Can the Liberty Lead a Micro-Membership Movement?

The Liberty could set itself apart from the rest of the W by shifting its current app model to a more Patreon-style engagement model. Not sure what that means? Think of it as a subscription-based system where fans pay a small fee(say $9.99 per month) to unlock exclusive perks! What perks, you may ask?

• The team could offer subscribers a chance to get priority access to limited edition drops. Now, who doesn’t love limited edition merch?
• Subscribers could get access to exclusive behind-the-scenes content! Everything from locker room moments to travel day vlogs. On top of that, a lucky few each week could be given to meet-and-greet invites with the players!
• Imagine players going live on the app after practice or before games just to chat with fans, answer questions, or even give a quick tour of the facility. It’s a simple way to make fans feel like they’re part of the team and could all be included in the subscription model!
• One more thing that they could add to their subscription model is to give fans direct access to Liberty Live.

Why does this subscription model work?

This model should work for both parties involved:

Why it works for fans:

• Affordable access to the team year-round

• Exclusive perks without full-season ticket commitments

• Personalized experiences that feel closer to the action

For the franchise, too, this model has lots of benefits!

Why it works for the team:

• New revenue streams in a still-unprofitable league

• Higher digital engagement = better sponsor value

• Seamless brand integration, like Bumble’s dating-tip series featuring Liberty players and mascot Ellie.

This model paves the way for any franchise, be it the Liberty, the Fever, or any other franchise, to build their own team-driven ecosystem.

The Liberty’s digital push shows that fan engagement doesn’t end at the buzzer — and it doesn’t have to start with a ticket purchase. If the WNBA wants to build sustainable fandom, micro-memberships might be the way forward. And if that’s the future, New York’s already got the playbook.

(This piece includes contributions and edits from the EssentiallySports Think Tank editor, Mallika Singh)