The New York Liberty have partnered with a new sponsor, and it’s one that has a familiar ring to it.
Once you hear it, you can’t unhear it! Liberty Mutual has been a staple as far back as I can remember, and now they’re coming even closer to home.
On May 1, the New York Liberty and Liberty Mutual Insurance announced a brand new, multiyear partnership. The partnership will feature:
- social media content
- a Liberty Mutual patch in the abdomen section of the Liberty’s jerseys
- Liberty mutual branding at Barclays Center on the court and the team’s seatbacks and kickplates
- Celebrity row at Barclays will be renamed Ce-Liberty Row.
There will also be in-arena entertainment at Barclays Center, which means we are in store for collaborations between Ellie the Elephant and Limu Emu (and Doug)! The team released a video highlighting the new partnership.
Financial terms of the arrangement were not released, but Sportico, the sports business site called it “one of the biggest partnerships in the team’s history.” A recent multi-year deal between the Phoenix Mercury and venture capital firm Cleveland Avenue was reportedly worth $3 million per WNBA season.
“At Liberty Mutual, our purpose is to help people embrace today and confidently pursue tomorrow,” Jenna Lebel, Liberty Mutual Insurance’s Chief Marketing Officer for US Retail Markets told NetsDaily. “The New York Liberty share this vision through their dedication to excellence, empowerment, and community engagement. They embody resilience and determination, empowering athletes and fans alike to live life to the fullest and create a vibrant community of champions.”
New York Liberty
Liberty Mutual and the Liberty have made community work big parts of their mission, both sides noted in their releases announcing the partnership. The two Liberty’s invest time and resources on meaningful work to improve the environments they work in and lift up those around them. In a world where things are becoming more fraught and challenging, organizations and institutions that answer the call and step up for the community are more important than ever.
“When you have two brands that have the same thoughtfulness and desire to be part of the community,” Catherine Carlson, Executive Vice President of Global Partnerships for BSE Global told NetsDaily, “I think that really means it’s going to be a great synergy. We’ll provide Liberty Mutual with various opportunities throughout the year, and we’ll continue to evolve and work on that. When you have two brands that have such similar, like-minded thoughts around the community,
“I think there’s just so many things we can do together, and we’re only scratching the surface by starting this partnership. The Liberty is so engaged in the community [and] in so many different ways. We want to engage with partners that want to do the same, so we’re really excited about this partnership.”
Carlson told Sportico that the WNBA team had initially approached the insurance company, that the Liberty had always wanted to build a relationship with the similarly named Liberty Mutual. Indeed, she said that Liberty Mutual executives were in the New York Liberty executive suite when the team won the championship in October.
Keep building
Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
Everything has been trending upwards for the Liberty in recent years. The team has steadily improved since Joe and Clara Wu Tsai purchased the team in January 2019 and they finished the story with their first WNBA championship last fall. From the players to the fans, the work being done by the Liberty organization has their fans and the city excited for what’s coming next.
“We had so many people come to our games and and it was a real event,” Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello told the media at practice on April 28. “Everyone’s talking about it. How do we level up on that? What kind of sponsors are they connecting to that align with how we wanna be seen? What’s the legacy we want to leave when we look back in 20 years?”
As Natasha Cloud recently noted, the Liberty were one of the first WNBA teams to really push for more investments and providing players with the first class supports that they deserve. On the organizational side, their success has paid off in numerous ways. Per Carlson, they have seen a 64% increase in attendance year-over-year, an 80% year-over-year increase in corporate partners, and have secured an additional 25 new corporate partners. Success begets success, and when you provide ample amounts of joy and fun, it makes everybody want to join what you’re doing.
Carlson said a big part of that success has been driven by Ellie the Elephant, the team’s organic and omnipresent mascot. The connection with LiMu Emu was as natural a fit as the organization’s similar names.
“Ellie became a sensation,” she added. “People know Libeerty Mutual for Dough and LiMu. so bringing the two together is actually fun. I think people will get a kick out of it.”
“As the WNBA continues to grow,” Lebel said, “we are thrilled to be part of this momentum and to connect with fans who share our values of community and empowerment.”
New York Liberty
It’s an exciting time for the New York Liberty. The team is feeling confident as they prepare for their championship defense. The league is continuing to head in the right direction and with greater television access, fans won’t have to jump through as many hurdles to watch their favorite players. And now that they’re partnering with Liberty Mutual, they have a chance to expand their horizons even further.
And who doesn’t want to see what elephants and emus have in common!
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