On July 19, New York City Sports Commissioner Kenneth J. Podziba will welcome the New York Liberty Outdoor Classic to Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, Queens. The Liberty will take on the Indiana Fever, in what will be the first regular season outdoor game in professional basketball history. The event will also be the first non-tennis sporting event to take place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center--the largest public outdoor tennis facility in the world. The evening will begin with a free pre-game fan festival outside the stadium. The festival is open to the public and runs from 5:00pm until tip-off at 7:30pm.

"Over 10 years ago the New York Liberty played in the first official WNBA game and now they will once again be a part of another historic basketball milestone," said Commissioner Podziba. "It is fitting that such a special occasion should take place at Arthur Ashe Stadium, which coincidently made its grand debut in the same year that the Liberty played their inaugural game back in 1997. This day marks a celebration of women and sports, and is a great chance for sports fans to come out and partake in a day of games, music and of course, basketball."

"The New York Liberty is extremely proud to once again make history as a franchise with the first regular season outdoor game in the history of professional basketball," said Carol Blazejowski, president and general manager, New York Liberty. "The Liberty Outdoor Classic will be an extraordinary experience for everyone in attendance - it will bring all of us back to our roots, celebrate the enormous growth and interest in the women's game and provide an opportunity to gain unprecedented exposure for Liberty basketball and the WNBA. That the game is taking place in a venue named after one of the greatest pioneers in women's sports makes the event particularly meaningful."

Long-time WNBA veteran Katie Douglas will lead the Indiana Fever against the Liberty and their leading scorer, guard Shameka Christon. The two teams split games in their two meetings this season. The most recent game ended in a thrilling 102-96 triple overtime victory for New York at Madison Square Garden, where Janel McCarville of the Liberty scored a career-high 31 points. Indiana Fever star Tamika Catchings is recovering from an injury sustained late last season, but is expected to contribute in what is sure to be an intense, high-energy match-up.

The pre-game festival will feature New York Knicks stars David Lee and Nate Robinson alongside Knicks and Liberty greats John Starks, Kym Hampton, Teresa Weatherspoon and Sue Wicks. Children will have the opportunity to enjoy carnival rides, interactive games and the chance to win special Liberty prizes. The historic evening of entertainment will continue after the game with a live concert featuring Menudo and V-Factory.

A portion of the proceeds from the game's ticket sales, as well as various fundraising activities throughout the evening, will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). This will be the second year in a row the New York Liberty has teamed up with BCRF for Breast Health Awareness Night.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.nyliberty.com.

The New York City Sports Commission is the mayoral agency charged with attracting, facilitating and promoting professional, amateur and scholastic sports events in New York City. The Sports Commission has played an integral role in creating or developing many new sporting events, including the NFL Kickoff Live from Times Square, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series™ Champions Week, the BMC Software NYC Cycling Championship, the AVP Brooklyn Open, the NAUTICA NYC Triathlon, the NYC Half-Marathon, the Union Square Street Sessions presented by Jeep®, the Wild Onion Urban Adventure Race, and the Men's Health Urbanathlon.