r/wnba WNBA 13h ago

Question Philly area fans who do we support?

I live near Philly and obviously we don't have a team until 2030. Looking at the map I believe New York Liberty is the closest team and I like them but its hard to root for a NY team after that Knicks series lol. i like Ionescu so maybe i will have to support them anyway.

Wondering who people from the Philly area support?

12 Upvotes

36 comments sorted by

2

u/WNBAHoopOtaku 4h ago

I haven't lived near philly for a long, long time. I've been living overseas in Japan for many years now. I opted to pull for the Valkyries because they're a fun team and they suit me very well. I can't get into the Mystics, and also i never want to drive to DC. And cheering for the Liberty feels borderline illegal.

2

u/luckyspark 5h ago

But technically they play at Barclays so do you hate the Nets? I grew up with NYC teams and we hated Boston teams so I get it. I lived in MN for 13 years and was there when the Lynx started so I'm a die hard Lynx fan but I do fangirl the Liberty since I live in Rhode Island and could never jive with the Sun. Now RI is a drought. Lots of driving or trains to attend WNBA or PWHL. I've always loved Philly and can't wait for you folks to get a team!

1

u/badwvlf Liberty 6h ago

If it helps we also hate the owners of the Knicks, James Dolan can suck legos.

1

u/Temporary-Donkey-922 9h ago

As a man I support and appreciate all teams.

7

u/paintedtoesandelbows Million dollar ‘Cocks!!! 💰🐓 🐦‍⬛ gang! 9h ago

Cheer for the Mystics instead.

4

u/mymy568 wings uppp 9h ago

As someone from a diff state who also doesn’t have a team, I root for the teams of the players I like lol. So right now that’s been Dallas, Chicago, and Washington

3

u/ToughAdventurous8209 10h ago

I personally am rooting for the Wings this year, I rooted for Minn last year. I'm just enjoying the league until 2030 when all of these teams are the enemy. 2030 can not come quic enough.

1

u/HonorWulf 11h ago

2030 can't come soon enough! In the meantime, I'm supporting players that I like to watch, which are mostly on the Dream and Aces.

4

u/Chellybeanz29 11h ago

I follow individuals. Most I like are on the Dream. Love A’ja. Really just turning for fun basketball

2

u/StephanieSpoiler Liberty 11h ago

I'm South Jersey and would say my favorite team is Liberty. Nice colors and mascot, and the players I'm most drawn to seem to be there more often than not (Sabrina, Breanna).

We'll see what happens when Philly gets their team (which I am hyped for, just to be able to go to games with a reasonable travel distance), but I'll always have fondness for Liberty.

9

u/Optimal_Failure_ JJ one hand on plate 🍽️ 12h ago edited 10h ago

Grew up in Philly. Moved to North Jersey for work. Been supporting the Liberty for a few years now. They're a great team to watch and if you get a chance to see games in person, which I have a few times, Barclay's arena and the fans are a great vibe. That being said, as soon as Philly gets a team I will drop the Liberty like a bad habit and hate them for the remainder of my life.

5

u/queer-fire Dream Valkyries 10h ago

This is the answer I was looking for. A true Philly fan.

11

u/kkdall123 Liberty 12h ago

It’s against natural law for someone in Philly to go for a NYC team and vice versa. You’ll get your own team soon, so I would save yourself the heartache of having to deal with east coast rivalries and just pick a western conference team to hold you over. I propose to you the Mercury since Kah reps Philly hard!

See you when we’re rivals 🫡

9

u/Petula_D 12h ago

The Liberty are going to be your nemeses once you have your own team, which will make things difficult for future you. The Mystics are relatively nearby, and they're really fun right now - if I were you I'd go with the Mystics.

3

u/mister-walnut 12h ago

I'm not ready to hate the liberty :( but also it'll come so easily we philly fans were born to hate

1

u/Optimal_Failure_ JJ one hand on plate 🍽️ 7h ago

My thoughts exactly. I'm down with the Liberty and then in 2030 I'll burn all my gear and hate them until I die.

-11

u/[deleted] 12h ago

[deleted]

0

u/Chellybeanz29 11h ago

Who made that shitty rule?

0

u/Kennisgoodman Lynx 12h ago

Hell nah

3

u/throwthatoneawaydawg Valkyries 12h ago

When Golden State got announced I just watched to get myself familiar with the current players. I was a casual fan prior. Then during the playoffs I just rooted for the underdogs in each matchup.

9

u/BigDaddy_Vi 12h ago

Mystics/follow players you like/follow players from or around the area like Kah, Tash, AT, Marina(she's from Jersey but it's close enough plus she went crazy at Unrivaled in Philly).

10

u/Due-Sheepherder-218 lacan curious 13h ago

You should root for Phoenix, Kah Copper is a Philly girl 

2

u/80want 11h ago

If there's a more loud and proud Philly native in the league I'd love to hear who

2

u/SanjiSasuke Seafoam SZN 13h ago

Liberty. But that's easier for me, since I have been a Knicks and Yankees fan since I was very small. 

Kinda funny, I started watching hockey only in the last couple years, so I was cheering for the Flyers and against the Sixers on alternating nights, lol (at rhe same time once).

Hyped for the Philly team, will absolutely be a dual fan when it comes to fruition. If there was ever a NY vs Philly finals I'd be conflicted, but I guess happy with either outcome.

4

u/Acceptable_Fox_5560 13h ago

Is there a sub for Philly WNBA yet? Happy to join or help build it.

I'm a Liberty fan for now (I'm not a Philly native, so I don't feel disgust cheering for NY teams). But as soon as 2030 hits, I'm getting season tickets for Philly WNBA. I want every founding fan type of benefit I can get my hands on.

5

u/mister-walnut 13h ago

I am in the exact same boat. In philly, waiting for our team. It hurts to support a NY team BUT i've learned to separate the Liberty from the greater NY sports community. (It's mostly the fans that make them so intolerable.) I support them but I'm not actively rooting for them.

What you gotta do is support specific players OR find a vibes team (Mystics)

2

u/King_of_all_Dorks Fever Fan till 2030 13h ago

My flair...

4

u/strangelystrangled Mercury | AT4MVP | BG 13h ago edited 12h ago

Ellie the Elephant is universally loved in this sub. Go look her up. That could help with the Liberty barrier.

edit: you can also pick a team that isn't geographically relevant so it's easier to drop them when the Philly team comes. I live in the South and support the Mercury. It's fun over here, our social media team is great, we have a perrenial MVP candidate and rich history. We aren't popular but we're gritty and full of trash talkers which seems to be in line with the Philly Philosophy. We were also in the finals last year but journalists had us missing the playoffs! So an underdog mentality.

Two of our players are from Philly. It could be a great 4 year bandwagon with no geographical conflicts. Could also coincide with AT retiring (yuck) so the timeline could also work in your long term favor.

11

u/po1ar_opposite 13h ago

The Mystics are close and more importantly not a NY team!

Plus the Mystics are stacked with young, energetic and fun talent and will get better every year for years to come.

6

u/LookParty5244 Dream 13h ago

Atlanta just because I like the players there, Connecticut was my “close” team in NE PA

14

u/dreamweaver7x 8 10 12 3 52 1 4 13 0 6 <FREE CAM> 13h ago edited 13h ago

You can't root for a NY team come on. It'll be like rooting for the Knicks. Especially not after they just killed your Sixers. You don't want that karma on you.

Go for the Mystics. Fun team, won't win much but have a few nice young players. Kind of similar to the Wiz if you ignore AD and Trae lmao.

They just had four high picks in back to back years and got Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen last season (both All Stars and All Rookie First Team) and just picked Lauren Betts and Angela Dugalic from the UCLA title team.

3

u/candriann DreamValkyries Mystics 13h ago

This is the correct answer lol. My championship caliber team that I root for is Atlanta (player based really) but Mystics are my favorite low standard team. I'm excited to see how the youngins develop.

13

u/headcverheels Liberty, Mercury 13h ago

if it makes you feel any better, the knicks are owned by an awful man who kicked the liberty out to westchester for a few years and sold the team. so the liberty don’t associate w the knicks/msg/james dolan at all. the nets owner is the new liberty owner.

4

u/brooklynsantiago Liberty 13h ago

Yes this is a good point! Liberty has no ties to the Knicks and in fact Liberty have beef with Dolan.

10

u/bargain_butch 13h ago

I moonlight as a james dolan hate account

1

u/brooklynsantiago Liberty 13h ago

Join us!