Liberty To Host First Regular-Season Pro Hoops Outdoor Game

The WNBA Liberty will host the Fever Saturday night, July 19 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center's Arthur Ashe Stadium in the first regular season outdoor game in pro basketball history. The game, titled the Liberty Outdoor Classic, will be sponsored by American Express and The Hallmark Channel. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation will serve as the beneficiary of the event, as a portion of the proceeds from the game’s ticket sales and fundraising activities will benefit the organization (Liberty). In N.Y., Marc Berman reports the Liberty "approached the WNBA'' about playing in an outdoor venue, and both Shea and Yankee stadiums were considered before the team and league ultimately chose the tennis complex. The team will "transfer the same court used” at MSG to the tennis facility, and in the event of inclement weather, the game will be "moved inside [MSG] the following afternoon"  (N.Y. POST, 4/9).