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The New York Liberty will kick off a new season on May 14, following a remarkable run to the WNBA Finals last season. In a unique twist, WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart unveiled the Liberty's schedule on a special edition of “Hot Ones,” on Monday.
“Hot Ones” is the popular web series where celebrities are interviewed while eating increasingly spicy chicken wings. Conducted by renowned WNBA media personality Ari Chambers, the segment was a nod to the Liberty's fanbase, as “Hot Ones” host Sean Evans is a regular at Barclays Center during Liberty games.
The Liberty's journey will start against the Washington Mystics in what promises to be a thrilling season opener, marking their second consecutive season debut in the nation's capital. This matchup offers a chance for the teams to revisit their intense battle from the last postseason's opening round.
The WNBA revealed its 28th season schedule on Monday, setting the stage for all 12 teams to begin play on May 14. The Liberty's season opener against the Mystics is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET tip-off, kicking-off a series of highlight-worthy games. The Liberty's first home game is on May 18 against the Indiana Fever. A special moment is expected on May 23 when Liberty legend Teresa Weatherspoon, now leading the Chicago Sky, makes her coaching debut at Barclays. Additionally, the first of three Finals rematches against the Las Vegas Aces is scheduled for June 15.
This season also introduces a new format for the Commissioner's Cup. The in-season tournament's preliminary phase is reduced to five games per team over two weeks (June 1-13), compared to the 10 games of previous editions. The championship game is slated for June 25 at the court of the higher-seeded team. The Liberty, fresh off their in-season triumph last summer, look forward to defending their title under this new structure.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert highlighted the excitement added by the revamped Commissioner's Cup, aiming to increase engagement for fans, teams, players, and associated community organizations.
“The newly designed, concentrated structure for this in-season tournament adds an increased sense of urgency and excitement as we place a particular spotlight on Eastern and Western Conference Commissioner’s Cup play in a two-week window near the tip-off of our regular season,” Engelbert said in a league statement on Monday. “The focus is on making the Commissioner’s Cup … even more engaging for all our stakeholders, including fans, teams, players, and the community organizations that collaborate with our teams.”
Furthermore, the 2024 season includes a monthlong break from July 19 to Aug. 11, for the WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix and players' participation in the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
