Brooklyn roared with passion as the New York Liberty triumphed over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday. With fans pouring in to rally behind their team, who were looking to bounce back from a previous loss, New York secured an impressive 82-66 win, shattering both records and hearts in the process.

Notably, this win marked a historic first for the Barclays Center. According to an X post by acclaimed WNBA writer Myles Ehrlich, “Reached out to the team, who confirmed that this was the first time ever that the New York Liberty sold standing room tickets at Barclays for overflow capacity.”

Sports analyst Sarah Spain also highlighted this landmark moment in a recent episode of her podcast, Good Game with Sarah Spain. She stated, “And actually eighteen hundred forty fans for Sunday’s game. That is a Liberty record at Barclays most fans they’ve had at that facility for a game.”

In fact, according to the Barclays Center website, the arena typically accommodates 17,732 seats for basketball and can host up to 19,000 for concerts. The attendance during this weekend’s game exceeded the former capacity, indicating that additional seating options were likely utilized, such as suites or standing-room arrangements.

This accomplishment is significant not just for the team but also for the WNBA as a whole, showcasing a growing interest and enthusiasm for women’s basketball. 

Home crowd expected to work in Lynx’s favor next

This surge in attendance not only created an electrifying moment where the whole stadium was reverberating with the roars of fans but it also marked a significant moment in the franchise’s history.

Now that the Finals are tied 1-1, Game 3 will be held at the Target Center where Minnesota might look forward to replicating Liberty’s success and provide the much-needed crowd boost to Minnesota to swing the series in their favor.

In fact, Former D1 player and producer Misha Jones, who appeared on “Good Game with Sarah Spain,” expressed optimism about the impact of the home crowd. “I think the defensive energy will be at a high. They’re going to be feeding off the energy in that Target Center crowd,” Jones remarked.

Jones also highlighted the crucial point of winning a home game for Minnesota and stated, “They stole one from New York at Barclays. They don’t want New York stealing one from them on their home court. “ The Lynx will be eager to leverage their home court, knowing that a victory in front of their fans not only solidifies their home advantage but also shifts the momentum back in their favor. It remains to be seen whether the home-court advantage will be enough for the Lynx to reclaim their footing or if the Liberty will capture their first championship trophy.