As the Chicago Sky ushered into a new era of basketball with the signing of WNBA rookies Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, they saw it fit to build a practice facility worth $38 million at Bedford Park. And now to mark the beginning of the new phase, in a series of changes, the latest is bidding goodbye to their 18-year-old mascot, the Sky Guy. The news of the same was announced in a press release by the Chicago Sky on Monday as they introduced a new mascot- Skye the Lioness.

The Lioness has been designed by Tom Sapp of Real Characters, Inc. who worked in planning the Denver Nuggets‘ Rocky. Plus, the costume has been worked upon by Randy Carfagno of Randy Carfagno Productions, who had made New York Liberty’s Ellie the Elephant. Skye the Lioness will make her debut on Wednesday when the Sky takes the court against the Washington Mystics at Wintrust Arena.

The lioness has been selected to reflect on the strength, and feminine power of the Sky in the league: “qualities that the Chicago Sky consistently showcase.” The lioness walks with courage and authority that add to the qualities of the Sky. Plus, it also has a connection with Chicago as they can be seen outside the Art Institute of Chicago and had worn the Sky jerseys when the Sky won the National Championship in 2021. And now when the Sky is in its rebuilding phase, the franchise has decided to change its mascot.

One of the major changes this season started with drafting Reese as the seventh overall pick. The 22-year-old has been a vital player for Chicago not only through her performances and skills but also by drawing in supporters for the franchise. The Sky’s projected revenue this season is estimated to be $95 million which is an exponential increase from their revenue of $12.5 million in 2023. As per StubHub, the sales of the Sky games have tripled from last season. All of this has resulted in the Sky planning to invest in new facilities.

Chicago Sky to invest $38 million in a new training facility

The increase in fanbase, revenue, and rebuilding of the team under Teresa Weatherspoon collectively contributed to the Sky announcing to invest $38 in a new training facility in July this year. Expected to be fit for use from December 2025, the construction of the facility will begin in the fall of this year next to the Wintrust Arena in Bedford Park.

The training ground will have two full-sized WNBA courts including a locker room, a content creation studio to garner social media attention, lounges for the athletes to relax, and film rooms to prep their strategies for their upcoming games. Thus, it will help in the comprehensive development of players.

And now with the announcement of a mascot change, the Sky have made clear their plans of developing their franchise not only on the court but also off the court with marketing plans. Hopefully, Reese can breathe a sigh of relief after contributing so much to Chicago.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.