The defending champions started their title defense in style. The New York Liberty raised their championship banner and received their rings in front of a packed Barclays Center crowd of 17,344. Then it was back to business! They handled the Las Vegas Aces with poise, pulling away in the fourth quarter for a solid season-opening win. Up next? A showdown against a bruised Chicago Sky team. It’s last season’s Finals MVP Jonquel Jones going head-to-head with DPOY favorite Angel Reese. Fans are buzzing about the matchup– and for good reason. But that’s not all. Liberty fans have even more good on the way!

Back in March, the Liberty made a major announcement. After winning their first-ever title in October, the team revealed plans for a state-of-the-art, 75,000-square-foot practice facility in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood.

Slated to open in 2027, the new facility will include two full courts, private suites for each player instead of standard lockers, a full recovery center, a two-story strength room, and even an in-house hair and makeup studio. Designed “by players, for players,” it’s set to be the first of its kind in the WNBA. A project like this was definitely going to cost a lot of money– $80m to be precise.

One of the biggest questions fans had was: how would the Liberty fund it all? Well, now we finally have the answer! As per a recent report by Boardroom, the New York Liberty have sold a stake in the team to help fund their state-of-the-art training facility!

The report reveals that the Liberty have sold a minority stake at a whopping $450 million valuation — the highest ever for a women’s sports team. It’s over 30 times what Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai paid when they bought the team back in 2019. While the exact terms haven’t been disclosed, the deal is expected to represent around 10% to 20% of the franchise.

Clara Wu Tsai and her husband, Joe Tsai, took over the Liberty in January 2019. Before that, the team was owned by James Dolan, who put it up for sale in late 2017 and moved it out of Madison Square Garden to Westchester County Center — where they played for two seasons. Since the Tsais stepped in, everything changed. The franchise moved to Brooklyn, revamped its roster by adding stars like Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones, and took major strides off the court too.

By the end of last season, the Liberty had more than 50 sponsors — a 61% jump from the year before — and partnership revenue was up 68%. They also finished second in league attendance, just behind the Indiana Fever. The Tsais have done a phenomenal job, and if history is any indication, there’s a lot more success coming soon.

Liberty fans are hoping the team can build on last season’s success and bring home another championship. But that journey starts one game at a time. Up next? A matchup against the Chicago Sky. Can New York keep rolling against the Windy City franchise? Let’s break it down.

New York Liberty favorites to win against the Chicago Sky

There’s no doubt the Liberty will enter the matchup as strong favorites. The Sky are coming off a tough 35-point loss to the Indiana Fever, and momentum clearly favors New York. Here’s a look at the latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook:

Spread

Liberty -11 (-110)
Sky +11 (-110)

Moneyline

Liberty: -650
Sky: +440

Total

162.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

This matchup shapes up to be a classic battle of defense vs offense. The Sky have added experienced players like Courtney Vandersloot, Ariel Atkins, Kia Nurse, and Rebecca Allen–but none of them are known for their scoring. Letting go of top scorer Chennedy Carter raised some eyebrows, and now Chicago will once again lean heavily on their frontcourt duo: Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese. Both are strong in the paint and will be key on both ends.

But they’re up against a Liberty squad with arguably the best offensive firepower in the league. Led by Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones, New York topped the WNBA in offensive rating last season. Chicago simply can’t match that kind of firepower–unless Cardoso or Reese takes over the game completely. Will the Sky be able to pull off an upset? Stay tuned to find out!