Becky Hammon and the Liberty take on Radio City Music Hall. (MSG Photos)

NEW YORK, Jan. 21 -- The New York Liberty announced today its 2004 regular season schedule. The schedule, which opens on the road on May 21 and includes 17 home games, is highlighted with six games at the historic Radio City Music Hall.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW COMPLETE LIBERTY 2004 SCHEDULE

Looking to regain its prominence in the Eastern Conference, the Liberty will begin the 2004 campaign with a road game on May 21st against the Indiana Fever, followed by the team’s 4:00 p.m. home opener against Western Conference nemesis, the Houston Comets, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, May 23rd. New York native Sue Bird makes her East Coast return when Seattle invades The Garden on June 15th. Opening night at Radio City Music Hall is scheduled for Saturday, July 24th when the Liberty welcomes Finals MVP Ruth Riley and the defending WNBA Champion Detroit Shock.

“Our goal remains to compete for the WNBA championship – and to provide our fans with an overall in-arena experience that is second to none – that is particularly true this year, when we make history by playing at Radio City Music Hall,” said Carol Blazejowski, New York Liberty Senior Vice President and General Manager. “As one of the WNBA’s first franchises, we have been involved with many league milestones, this season’s unprecedented opportunity to greet our competitors with two home court advantages– at the World’s Most Famous Arena and the Showplace of the Nation – we hope will take the Liberty and our fans to a whole new level."

Due to the requirements of the Republican National Convention, scheduled to be held in August at Madison Square Garden, the New York Liberty will play a portion of the 2004 season on the Great Stage at Radio City Music Hall. The New York Liberty will become part of history on Saturday, July 24th, making them the first sports team to hold a competition in a historic landmark. The Liberty will play a total of six games at Radio City Music Hall and will return to The Garden for its final regular season contest on Sunday, September 19th against Chamique Holdsclaw and the Washington Mystics.

In order to accommodate WNBA players who are expected to represent their individual countries during the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, the WNBA will not play regular season games from August 2 – 31. The New York Liberty will resume its season on Thursday, September 2 against the Charlotte Sting at Radio City Music Hall.

Ticket plans for the 2004 Liberty season are currently available by calling 212-465-6073. Individual tickets for the 2004 New York Liberty season will be available for purchase in the spring at the Madison Square Garden Box Office or by calling 1-877-WNBA-TIX. In addition, tickets will be available at all Ticketmaster outlets and online at nyliberty.com.

The New York Liberty basketball team, in its eighth year of operation with the 2004 season, is part of the Madison Square Garden, L.P. Cablevision Systems Corporation owns a controlling interest in the MSG L.P., which also includes the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL), the Hartford Wolfpack (American Hockey League), the MSG Network, Fox Sports New York and the Madison Square Garden arena complex, located in the heart of the New York metropolitan area.

2004 NEW YORK LIBERTY SCHEDULE

Date		Opponent	Time	Venue
May	21 Fri	@ Indiana	8:00 pm	--
	23 Sun	Houston	4:00 pm	MSG
	26 Wed	Detroit	7:30 pm	MSG
	30 Sun	@ Minnesota	6:00 pm	--
Jun	1 Tue	@ Charlotte	7:00 pm	--
	3 Thu	@ Houston	8:30 pm	--
	5 Sat	@ San Antonio	8:00 pm	--
	11 Fri	Indiana	7:30 pm	MSG
	13 Sun	@ Washington	2:00 pm	--
	15 Tue	Seattle	7:30 pm	MSG
	19 Sat	@ Indiana	8:00 pm	--
	22 Tue	Los Angeles	7:30 pm	MSG
	24 Thu	@ Phoenix	10:00 pm	--
	26 Sat	@ Seattle	10:00 pm	--
	29 Tue	@ Los Angeles	10:30 pm	--
Jul	1 Thu	@ Sacramento	10:00 pm	--
	6 Tue	Sacramento	7:30 pm	MSG
	8 Thu	Washington	8:00 pm	MSG
	11 Sun	Phoenix	4:00 pm	MSG
	15 Thu	Minnesota	7:30 pm	MSG
	18 Sun	Charlotte	4:00 pm	MSG
	20 Tue	@ Charlotte	12:00 pm	--
	24 Sat	Detroit	7:30 pm	RCMH
	30 Fri	@ Detroit	7:30 pm	--
	31 Sat	Connecticut	7:30 pm	RCMH
Sep	2 Thu	Charlotte	7:30 pm	RCMH
	3 Fri	@ Connecticut	7:00 pm	--
	9 Thu	@ Washington	7:00 pm	--
	10 Fri	Connecticut	7:30 pm	RCMH
	12 Sun	San Antonio	4:00 pm	RCMH
	14 Tue	@ Detroit	7:30 pm	--
	16 Thu	Indiana	7:30 pm	RCMH
	17 Fri	@ Connecticut	7:00 pm	--
	19 Sun	Washington	4:00 pm	MSG

MSG = Madison Square Garden RCMH = Radio City Music Hall