The New York Liberty refunded a fan's payment for a paid scoreboard message after attempting to alter its wording, according to claims made by the fan, Julie Potter. Potter stated she purchased tickets for a New York Liberty vs. Indiana Fever game at Barclays Center and paid $100 to display a message on the arena's scoreboard during halftime. The message she submitted read, "Thank you Jennifer Sey! XX-XY Athletics will Save the Day!!"
Potter alleges that the Liberty's sales department contacted her the day before the game, stating the message had been modified to: "Thank you Jennifer Sey, thank you for all you do for XX-XY Athletics." The team's stated reason for the attempted change was that "scoreboard messages are limited to positive, celebratory content, and submissions that may intentionally or unintentionally violate that spirit are not eligible for display."
Potter accused the team of censorship, emphasizing that her original message was approved and payment accepted. She stated that the refund and attempted alteration occurred within the team's own 48-hour submission window, leaving her no opportunity to revise or respond. "Why would I pay to let you speak for me?" Potter questioned.
XX-XY Athletics is an apparel company founded by Jennifer Sey, which advocates for the exclusion of transgender athletes from women's sports categories. Potter indicated that her original wording aimed to broadly support female sports without explicitly naming any individuals or movements that might trigger the team.
This incident adds to a series of controversies involving the WNBA and fans expressing views on women's sports. Recently, the WNBA acknowledged that security personnel were wrong to ask a mother and daughter to cover their XX-XY Athletics shirts during a Fever game in Atlanta. The league also suspended a Seattle Storm co-owner for confronting fans holding signs supporting Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who has been vocal against transgender athletes competing in women's sports.
Potter, a longtime WNBA fan who attended the league's inaugural games, stated she would redirect her support to the Indiana Fever and organizations that align with her views on women's sports. She expressed continued support for the WNBA's players but stated her money would be directed towards teams and events that welcome her perspective.
Alliance Defending Freedom has sent a letter to WNBA leadership addressing recent incidents involving Cunningham supporters, citing these events as undermining the league's claim to stand for female athletes. The organization noted that fans have been "silenced or berated when they tried to peacefully express their viewpoint."