Commissioner's Cup title game moved to UBS Arena due to NBA draft

The 2024 WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship Game has been moved from Brooklyn's Barclays Center to UBS Arena on Long Island, the league announced Monday.

With Barclays Center hosting the NBA draft on June 26, the arena cannot hold the in-season tournament's final there as scheduled the day prior. The New York Liberty earned the right to host the Minnesota Lynx in the championship as the Liberty hold the better regular-season winning percentage between the two teams.

"We are excited for the opportunity to defend our Commissioner's Cup title in New York, and we appreciate our fans' unwavering support of our team," Liberty CEO Keia Clarke said in a statement about the move to the home venue of the NHL's New York Islanders. "While we wish we could have brought this game to our fans in our home arena, we are grateful to UBS Arena for accommodating us and providing a world-class venue in New York."

"All you can do is control the controllables -- it's cliché like coaches say all the time, but it's true," Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said over the weekend prior to the official announcement. "You just need to focus on what you're supposed to do, and that's go out there and play great basketball. Regardless of where it is, it doesn't matter. Barclays is great, but if it's not available, we go somewhere else."

The game will take place on June 25 at 8 p.m. ET and will air on Amazon Prime Video.

Now in its fourth year, the Commissioner's Cup featured a revamped format this season with each team playing five games, one against each of their in-conference rivals, while the squads in the final will duel for a $500,000 cash prize pool. A charitable component throughout the tournament allows participating teams to earn donations for a local organization of their choosing.

The Liberty -- winners of the 2023 Commissioner's Cup -- are second in the WNBA standings with a 12-2 record. Their last loss came to the third-place, 10-3 Lynx.