3 days ago
The NY Liberty is hosting WNBA watch parties at Ginger's, The Bush and more during Pride Month
You don't need a ticket to Barclays to feel the Liberty love this Pride Month.
The reigning WNBA champs are taking over Brooklyn's queerest watering holes with a series of official watch parties for their June away games—because when you're part of the Liberty Bar Network, every game is home court.
At Park Slope's iconic Ginger's Bar, Liberty fans will gather on Sunday, June 22, at 7 pm for the Seattle matchup, then again on June 25 (10 pm vs. Golden State), June 27 (10 pm vs. Phoenix) and June 29 (3 pm vs. Atlanta). And yes, Ginger's still keeps it charmingly old-school: cash only, killer patio and the kind of regulars who will gladly talk playoff math with you over pool.
Meanwhile, Bushwick's delightfully chaotic The Bush will keep the energy high on Saturday, June 14, when the Liberty face Indiana at 3 pm. Known for rowdy dance nights, drag shows and a proudly unpolished vibe, The Bush is where Liberty fandom meets Bushwick queer energy in all its chaotic glory.
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The watch parties are a natural extension of the WNBA's longstanding ties to the LGBTQIA+ community. The Liberty's upcoming July 25 Pride Night at Barclays is the official glitter-soaked centerpiece, but the league's queerness isn't confined to one game or one month. As Liberty coach Sandy Brondello told Sports Illustrated last year, 'We celebrate [Pride] every single day of the week … all season long.'
That ethos shows up in the stands, where fans like Deidree Golbourne (a.k.a. the 'Mayor of Barclays') make Liberty games a safe haven for Black, queer and gender-diverse New Yorkers. It shows up at bars like Ginger's and The Bush, where queer fans—new and old—find familiar faces, cold drinks and loud cheers for Breanna Stewart threes.
So skip the sports bar with the busted sound system and straight dudes yelling at baseball highlights. This June, pull up to a Liberty watch party where everyone actually knows the rules, nobody minds if you cry during player intros and the vibe is more queer family picnic than frat party.
