The New York Liberty will face off against the Minnesota Lynx in the Commissioner's Cup championship game on June 25 at UBS Arena in Long Island. This decision was made due to the NBA draft taking place the following night, rendering the Barclays Center unavailable for the game.
The Liberty have back-to-back games scheduled on June 22 and June 23, making it impractical to move the game up a day. The NBA spokesperson acknowledged the unavoidable conflict and expressed regret for any inconvenience caused to the Liberty's fans.
Liberty officials had foreseen this potential conflict and had informed the league in December. When the team secured home court advantage, they proposed playing their regular-season game against the Lynx on July 2 at Barclays Center as the Commissioner's Cup championship, but the Lynx declined this option.
The UBS Arena, primarily a hockey venue and home to the New York Islanders, will host the championship game. The arena, with a capacity of about 17,000, has seen limited basketball action since its opening in 2021.
New York, with the second-highest attendance in the league, averaging 12,586 fans, expressed excitement at the opportunity to defend their Commissioner's Cup title in New York. The defending champions are competing for a $500,000 cash prize pool, with additional cryptocurrency rewards from sponsor Coinbase.
Both teams have also raised funds for charity, with New York supporting Women Creating Change and Minnesota contributing to Gender Justice. The winning team on June 25 will receive an additional donation, emphasizing the charitable aspect of the event.
This year marks the fourth edition of the Commissioner's Cup, with the Liberty aiming to retain their title in a highly anticipated matchup against the Lynx.
