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Ellie the Elephant

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This article is about the NY Liberty mascot. For other entities, see Ellie (disambiguation).
Ellie the Elephant
Ellie The Elephant, WNBA's New York Liberty Mascot in 2024
TeamNew York Liberty
DescriptionFemale elephant
First seenMay 6, 2021[1]
Websiteliberty.wnba.com

Ellie the Elephant, also known as Big Ellie and Big Ellie Liberty, is the mascot for the New York Liberty of the WNBA.[2][3][4]

Ellie was introduced on May 6, 2021, with the team's change in ownership and move to the Barclays Center, replacing the previous mascot Maddie, a dog.[5][1]

The character is known for her sass, and dance moves.[6][7][8][9][10]. Her skillfulness at twerking has been noted in the New York Times.[6][11][12]

Ellie has been a runaway success, referred to by players and fans alike as a vital part of the team and the vibe at the Barclays Center.[13] Her pop culture dominance has gotten noticed throughout the WNBA and beyond, and the creative team is on the record as being surprised and delighted at her resonance in the sport.[14]

Origins

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When the ownership of the New York Liberty changed hands from James Dolan (owner of Madison Square Garden and the New York Knicks) to Clara Wu Tsai and Joe Tsai (owners of the Brooklyn Nets), the team moved to Barclays Center. The prior mascot for the Liberty, a dog called Maddie, was named after Madison Square Garden.[15]

Ellie jogs the sideline at a New York Liberty game in her 2023 uniform.

For their move to Brooklyn Liberty CEO Keia Clarke researched animals that were commonly associated with New York City, and learned that when construction was completed on the Brooklyn Bridge, there was a parade of P. T. Barnum's elephants (including Jumbo) to show people that the bridge was strong enough, held for its first anniversary on May 17, 1884. Clarke thus thought an elephant could symbolize the team's own move to Brooklyn. The name Ellie is after Ellis Island, the historic welcome center for new immigrants, next door to Liberty Island, the home of the Statue of Liberty.[16] The mascot wears a radiate crown in the style of the Statue of Liberty, as was also worn by the prior mascot Maddie.

Creative Team

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Ellie during a special halftime performance, May 2023

The performer who embodies the Ellie costume remains anonymous,[17] but they are a Brooklyn native. As a mascot, Ellie does not use her voice with fans during games, or to the press during interviews,[6] but as of 2024 features first-person voiceover narration on her TikTok.[18][19] Ellie's main creative team are NY Liberty Chief Brand Officer Shana Stephenson, senior director of entertainment Criscia Long and senior entertainment manager Shenay Rivers, who are all black women. They oversee Ellie in addition to the Timeless Torches, the Torch Patrol, The Lil Torches, along with any outside performers.[20] Ellie's personality reflects the Black and LatinX culture of Brooklyn, and the dominance of the team on the floor. Her creative team looked to New York hip-hop personalities for inspiration. The performer who embodies Ellie tried out at an open audition.[21] Long and Rivers act as Ellie's Stylists, working with costumes Manager Alexis Leatherwood to customize her outfits with extras like Rhinestones or custom pieces. Ellie's purse has become a notable accessory, and she has brand deals with fashion houses like Telfar, Rare Breed, and UGG. The team has a special rate card for brand partnerships with Ellie, akin to the influencer deals in social media writ large.[22] In 2024, Ellie released her own colorway of the Nike Sabrina 2.[21]

Ellie the Elephant's Character suit has evolved since her first season, when she featured oversized shoes and gloves, which were later swapped out for hands and footwear with better grip for dancing. The braid was also a later edition, whereas her original hair was just a curl that wouldn't stay curled.
Ellie the Elephant's Character suit from her first season, Pictured here June 3, 2023
Ellie's assistants The Stompaz (in white) celebrate on the floor after the Liberty's 2024 WNBA Championship

Ellie's Character suit was built by Randy Carfagno of Randy Carfagno Productions[23] In her first season, she had a hair bang and a typical mascot style shoes, with anatomically incorrect hand paws[24] Her suit has evolved towards a more danceable shoe with traction pads on her hand so that she is able to perform more advanced dance moves. These modifications were at the request of the performer. Her hair has gone from a simple curl to a floor-length, seafoam-infused braid. The 2024 season saw Ellie wearing into a Jersey Dress and a wide array of designer handbags and Nike shoes.[25] She has "lush eyelashes" and she frequently incorporates wigs and advanced costume changes.[26][19]

Ellie's escorts who hold her bag and support her during game day are called The Stompaz.[27]

Ellie the Elephant with Flavor Flav at the New York Liberty game on September 5, 2024

Notable performances and dance moves

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In addition to her court-side antics,[28] and dance moves she is famous for,[19] Ellie has several signature crowd participation moments, including the Ellie Stomp, The Ellie Wave, and the "Gotta Get Up" song that plays during the late game t-shirt toss.[27][19]Her skillfulness at twerking has been noted in the New York Times.[6][11][12]

Ellie has performed notable halftime tributes to such artists as Lil Kim, Missy Elliot, Beyonce, Tyga, Mary J Blige, and others.[29][27]

During the media tour after the Liberty's 2024 WNBA Championship win, Ellie graced the stage with Stephen Colbert, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver,[30] New York Attorney General Leticia James, and Rappers Lil Mama, Fat Joe, and Remy Ma. Disgraced New York City Mayor Eric Adams[31] was made to hold her purse during a ceremony at New York City Hall while Ellie performed a dance breakdown.[32]

Honors and Awards

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At the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Ellie became the first professional sports mascot with a dedicated float in the annual spectacle, riding with The Timeless Torches, Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Nyara Sabally, and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton.[33][34] In addition to winning a Glamour Women of the Year award, Ellie the Elephant was named one of 2024's 63 most stylish people by the New York Times, the only anthropomorphic character to make the list.[35] New York Magazine's 2024 Year-End Approval Matrix featured Ellie all the way in the lower right corner, at the apex of "Lowbrow" and "Brilliant"[36]

References

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  1. ^ a b Megdal, Howard (May 6, 2021). "Passing the torch: First look at Ellie, new Liberty mascot". TheNextHoops. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  2. ^ Jackson, Hannah (May 21, 2024). "The Most Fashionable Person in the WNBA Isn't a Person At All". Vogue. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  3. ^ Beach, Charlotte (2024-09-16). "The NY Liberty's "Big Ellie" Takes the Big Apple By Storm". PRINT Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  4. ^ Kotak, Yash (2024-10-13). "Unseen Details About Ellie the Elephant's Identity Come to Light: A Brief History of NY Liberty's Iconic Mascot". EssentiallySports. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  5. ^ Culgan, Rossilynne Skena (July 11, 2024). "Who is Ellie the Elephant, the New York Liberty Mascot?". Time Out. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d Covington, Abigail (October 13, 2023). "Have You Ever Seen an Elephant Twerk?". NY Times. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  7. ^ "Who is Ellie the Elephant? Meet the New York Liberty's sassy mascot taking over WNBA games". For The Win. 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
  8. ^ "A Mascot Skeptic Warns Of What Comes After Ellie The Elephant | Defector". defector.com. 2024-07-23. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  9. ^ Settembre, Jeanette (2024-08-27). "NY Liberty mascot Ellie has two stylists, big brands dressing her". Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  10. ^ "The Most Popular Woman In Sports Is A 5'10" Elephant Who Trains Like An Elite Athlete". Women's Health. 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  11. ^ a b Allen, Samantha (2024-05-02). "The New York Liberty's Twerking Elephant Mascot Is My New Gay Obsession". Them. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  12. ^ a b "How Do You Dress an Elephant? One Fit at a Time". SI. 2024-10-16. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  13. ^ Powell, Jackie (2024-07-03). "Ellie the Elephant waves, stomps and puts on the most entertaining show in Brooklyn". The Next. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  14. ^ Oler, Kiri (2024-07-22). "Ellie is putting the rest of the WNBA's mascots on notice". The Next. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  15. ^ Covington, Abigail (2023-10-13). "Have You Ever Seen an Elephant Twerk?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  16. ^ Megdal, Howard (2021-05-06). "Passing the torch: First look at Ellie, new Liberty mascot". The Next. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
  17. ^ Covington, Abigail (2023-10-13). "Have You Ever Seen an Elephant Twerk?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  18. ^ "They Call Her Big Ellie: Meet the New York Liberty's viral mascot - ESPN Video". ESPN.com. 2024-06-14. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  19. ^ a b c d "Sports mascots were very dude-coded. Then came Ellie the Elephant". Washington Post. 2024-09-22. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
  20. ^ Hurd, Sean (2024-06-14). "New York Liberty mascot Ellie brings Black creativity to WNBA". Andscape. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
  21. ^ a b Hess, AJ (October 18, 2024). "The business of Ellie the Elephant, the WNBA's most valuable mascot". Fast Company.
  22. ^ Settembre, Jeanette (2024-08-27). "NY Liberty mascot Ellie has two stylists, big brands dressing her". Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  23. ^ "Chicago Sky Introduce New Mascot, Skye the Lioness – Chicago Sky". sky.wnba.com. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  24. ^ Evans, Dayna (2024-08-28). "The Best Party in New York Is Only Getting Bigger". The Cut. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  25. ^ Jackson, Hannah (2024-10-14). "Ellie the Elephant, the New York Liberty's Mascot, Is Ready to Bring Home the WNBA Championship". Vogue. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  26. ^ "They Call Her Big Ellie: Meet the New York Liberty's viral mascot - ESPN Video". ESPN.com. 2024-06-14. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  27. ^ a b c Powell, Jackie (2024-07-03). "Ellie the Elephant waves, stomps and puts on the most entertaining show in Brooklyn". The Next. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
  28. ^ Camille, Jada (2024-09-24). "Ellie on the Aux: The pump-up playlist behind NY Liberty's viral mascot • Brooklyn Paper". www.brooklynpaper.com. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  29. ^ "Lil Ellie-Kim, Elliyoncé and more of Ellie the Elephant's best moments". ESPN.com. 2024-06-30. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
  30. ^ Cobb, Kayla (2024-10-23). "Stephen Colbert Celebrates New York Liberty's WNBA Championship by Dancing With Ellie the Elephant | Video". TheWrap. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  31. ^ "Eric Adams Gets Brutally Booed at New York Liberty Championship Parade". Mediaite. 2024-10-24. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  32. ^ Ardrey, Taylor. "Watch WNBA mascot Ellie the Elephant hand Mayor Eric Adams her purse for a dance break". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  33. ^ "New York Liberty's Mascot Ellie Makes Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade History". SI. 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  34. ^ "New York Liberty and mascot Ellie The Elephant attend rainy Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade". Yahoo Entertainment. 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  35. ^ The Styles Desk (December 5, 2024). "The 63 Most Stylish People of 2024". The New York Times. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  36. ^ Pariso, Dominique; Stanton, Chris (2024-12-25). "The Approval Matrix: Good Luck in 2025, Babe!". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-27.

See also

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