Keia Clarke and the WNBA New York Liberty Are Ready to Conquer All

If you haven’t felt the roar of 17,700 fans shaking the rafters of Barclays Center, then you clearly haven’t been to one of the New York Liberty’s basketball games. But, says the WNBA team’s CEO Keia Clarke, it was a hard-won triumph: “Shepherding this team from a 2,000 seat arena, 20 miles outside the city and then to the heart of Brooklyn, felt daunting, but it was something we needed to do.”

Now, the New York Liberty are so much more than a basketball team—they’re the pulse of a city, chasing down their championship dream. For years, they’ve been close, watching the title slip through their fingers. But this season? It feels different. They could be just days away from clinching the title as they face off against the Minnesota Lynx.

With Breanna Stewart’s electric agility, Sabrina Ionescu’s sniper-like precision, and Jonquel Jones’s sheer dominance, the Liberty have transformed into a powerhouse. They’re not just playing the game—they’re building a legacy, stitched into the very fabric of Brooklyn. At the helm of this transformation is Keia Clarke, the CEO. From an early career at the Basketball Hall of Fame to leading the Liberty, Clarke’s journey is one of patience, purpose, and a fierce commitment to community. She knows that success isn’t just measured in wins—it’s in building a culture. Under her watch, the Liberty are a shining example of what women’s sports can be: celebrated, sustainable, and unapologetically bold.

“This momentum we’re seeing now feels validating for many,” Clarke says. “I even joke that for years my own family wasn’t convinced people would support women’s sports on this scale—but I always believed in it. I knew we had something special.”

But success for Clarke has never been just about winning games—although of course that’s key. She’s running a business and filling stadiums, as well as growing fan bases and revenue. And her work is paying off. Game after game, they fill the stands, sell out tickets, and in October this year, the Mayor’s Office announced that the team had generated $18 million in economic impact for New York City—with tens of thousands of fans flocking to each game, and a tourism boost too.

And yes, fans want to see the players. But the team’s mascot, Ellie the Elephant, with a swagger that’s pure New York, is as beloved and iconic as those she represents (she even recently made an appearance on the Glamour Women of the Year red carpet).