Hype around NY Knicks Finals run energizes national fanbase, brands as NYC women’s teams position themselves similarly

The GIST: It’s been a minute since the NBA’s NY Knicks have been this close to a championship — 53 years, to be exact. All that waiting has energized a famously avid fanbase, one that the NYPD (and bedtimes) can’t restrain.

• That’s because the Knicks have managed to build a massive, global following that stays loyal in tough times. But the Knicks aren’t the only game in town — let’s go over its recent wins, and how the WNBA’s Liberty and NWSL’s Gotham FC can build from them. Bing bong.

The activations: Team partner DoorDash is cashing in on the hype with community-based activations, while Nike and Jordan Brand are catering to the excitement with orange and blue colorways. Additionally, brands like Kith, Saie Beauty, and New York Or Nowhere are releasing Knicks-inspired items to deck fans out in style.

Why it works: NYC teams are often perceived as national brands: They tend to draw fans from all over, and it’s not just the Knicks. Through its partnership with the team, Luggage brand Away seized the opportunity to connect with the Liberty’s 10M-strong fanbase spanning the U.S. — having that kind of reach beyond a local market is highly appealing to brands, especially those new to sports.

• That helps explain why Fenty, Essie, and Offwhite are a few of the trendy brands that entered the WNBA chat through Liberty partnerships. And they don’t always wait for Finals runs: Essie offered a free product giveaway to help the Liberty kick off its 30th season, while New York Or Nowhere just dropped a Liberty collection.

Zooming out: Right now, the Knicks are enjoying the unique combo of a national sports brand on a championship run, but those aren’t all the ingredients necessary to capitalize on fan hype. The more important element is establishing staying power: Once NYC teams do that, it truly doesn’t matter if a team is good or bad because enough people will show up and care regardless.

• After the Liberty and Gotham won their first-ever championships, the floodgates opened, commercially-speaking. The Knicks managed to carry its title momentum for 53 years and now that the on-court success is there, fans need little to get excited. And for NYC teams, truly any brand can meet that moment. This is where dreams are made, after all.