New York Liberty refunds fan after altering paid halftime scoreboard message

A New York Liberty fan who bought a $100 halftime scoreboard advertisement for the Aug. 22 game against the Indiana Fever was refunded after the team altered the message. Julie Potter, who purchased 25 tickets for the game, submitted the text “Thank you Jennifer Sey! XX-XY Athletics will Save the Day!!” and said the team initially approved it. One day before the game, the Liberty’s sales department emailed her a revised version that read, “Thank you Jennifer Sey, thank you for all you do for XX-XY Athletics,” and later refunded the payment.

The team explained that its scoreboard messages must be “positive, celebratory content” and that submissions that could violate that spirit are not eligible for display. Potter described the change as censorship, noting that her original wording did not contain derogatory language or explicit references to the “Save Women’s Sports” movement.

XX-XY Athletics, founded by former gymnast and Levi Strauss executive Jennifer Sey, promotes policies that exclude transgender athletes from women’s sports categories. Potter said she deliberately avoided mentioning Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham by name to prevent triggering a response.

The incident adds to recent controversies involving fans supporting Cunningham, including confrontations over apparel at other WNBA venues. Potter said she will direct future support to teams and events that welcome her viewpoint, though she remains a fan of the Liberty.

The Liberty have not responded to requests for clarification on the date discrepancy in the refund email or the specific content standards applied to scoreboard messages.