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Line 1: {{Short description\|Mascot for the New York Liberty}} {{About\|the NY Liberty mascot\|other entities\|Ellie (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox mascot \| name = Ellie the Elephant \| image = Ellie The Elephant.png ~~[[File:Ellie~~\| ~~The~~caption = ~~Elephant.png\|thumb\|~~Ellie The Elephant, WNBA's New York Liberty Mascot in 2024]]▼ \| team = [[New York Liberty]] \| description = [[Female]] [[elephant]] \| first_seen = May 6, 2021<ref name="Introduced"/> \| website = {{URL\|https://liberty.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]].<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/ellie-the-elephant-new-york-liberty-mascot\|title=The Most Fashionable Person in the WNBA Isn't a Person At All\|first=Hannah\|last=Jackson\|date=May 21, 2024\|website=[[Vogue (magazine)\|Vogue]]\|access-date=July 20, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|last=Beach \|first=Charlotte \|date=2024-09-16 \|title=The NY Liberty's "Big Ellie" Takes the Big Apple By Storm \|url=https://www.printmag.com/culturally-related-design/ellie-the-elephant-ny-liberty/ \|access-date=2024-10-23 \|website=PRINT Magazine \|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|last=Kotak \|first=Yash \|date=2024-10-13 \|title=Unseen Details About Ellie the Elephant's Identity Come to Light: A Brief History of NY ~~Liberty’s~~Liberty's Iconic Mascot \|url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/wnba-basketball-news-unseen-details-about-ellie-the-elephants-identity-come-to-light-a-brief-history-of-new-york-liberty-s-iconic-mascot/ \|access-date=2024-10-23 \|website=EssentiallySports \|language=en}}</ref> ▼ Ellie ~~originated~~was inintroduced ~~the~~on ~~year~~May 6, 2021, with the team's change in ownership and move to the [[Barclays Center]], replacing the previous mascot Maddie, a dog.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/new-york-libertys-ellie-the-elephant-on-how-to-have-a-hot-girl-summer\|title=Who is Ellie the Elephant, the New York Liberty Mascot?\|first=Rossilynne Skena\|last=Culgan\|date=July 11, 2024\|website=[[Time Out (magazine)\|Time Out]]\|access-date=July 20, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Introduced">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/passing-the-torch-first-look-at-ellie/\|title=Passing the torch: First look at Ellie, new Liberty mascot\|first=Howard\|last=Megdal\|date=May 6, 2021\|website=TheNextHoops\|access-date=July 20, 2024}}</ref>▼ ▲[[File:Ellie The Elephant.png\|thumb\|Ellie The Elephant, WNBA's New York Liberty Mascot in 2024]] ▲'''Ellie the Elephant''', also known as '''Big Ellie''' and '''Big Ellie Liberty''', is the mascot for the [[New York Liberty]] of the [[WNBA]].<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/ellie-the-elephant-new-york-liberty-mascot\|title=The Most Fashionable Person in the WNBA Isn't a Person At All\|first=Hannah\|last=Jackson\|date=May 21, 2024\|website=[[Vogue (magazine)\|Vogue]]\|access-date=July 20, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|last=Beach \|first=Charlotte \|date=2024-09-16 \|title=The NY Liberty's "Big Ellie" Takes the Big Apple By Storm \|url=https://www.printmag.com/culturally-related-design/ellie-the-elephant-ny-liberty/ \|access-date=2024-10-23 \|website=PRINT Magazine \|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|last=Kotak \|first=Yash \|date=2024-10-13 \|title=Unseen Details About Ellie the Elephant's Identity Come to Light: A Brief History of NY Liberty’s Iconic Mascot \|url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/wnba-basketball-news-unseen-details-about-ellie-the-elephants-identity-come-to-light-a-brief-history-of-new-york-liberty-s-iconic-mascot/ \|access-date=2024-10-23 \|website=EssentiallySports \|language=en}}</ref> The character is known for her sass and dance moves.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web \|last=Covington \|first=Abigail \|date=October 13, 2023 \|title=Have You Ever Seen an Elephant Twerk? \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/style/ellie-elephant-ny-liberty-wnba.html \|access-date=July 20, 2024 \|website=[[NY Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|date=2024-05-24 \|title=Who is Ellie the Elephant? Meet the New York Liberty's sassy mascot taking over WNBA games \|url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2024/05/liberty-ellie-the-elephant-mascot \|access-date=2024-07-20 \|website=For The Win \|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|date=2024-07-23 \|title=A Mascot Skeptic Warns Of What Comes After Ellie The Elephant {{!}} Defector \|url=https://defector.com/a-mascot-skeptic-warns-of-what-comes-after-ellie-the-elephant \|access-date=2024-07-27 \|website=defector.com \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|last=Settembre \|first=Jeanette \|date=2024-08-27 \|title=NY Liberty mascot Ellie has two stylists, big brands dressing her \|url=https://nypost.com/2024/08/27/lifestyle/ny-liberty-mascot-ellie-has-two-stylists-big-brands-dressing-her/ \|access-date=2024-08-27 \|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|date=2024-09-19 \|title=The Most Popular Woman In Sports Is A ~~5’10”~~5'10" Elephant Who Trains Like An Elite Athlete \|url=https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a62231035/ellie-the-elephant-new-york-liberty-wnba-mascot/ \|access-date=2024-09-25 \|website=Women's Health \|language=en-US}}</ref> ▼ ▲Ellie originated in the year 2021, with the team's change in ownership and move to the [[Barclays Center]], replacing the previous mascot Maddie, a dog.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/new-york-libertys-ellie-the-elephant-on-how-to-have-a-hot-girl-summer\|title=Who is Ellie the Elephant, the New York Liberty Mascot?\|first=Rossilynne Skena\|last=Culgan\|date=July 11, 2024\|website=[[Time Out (magazine)\|Time Out]]\|access-date=July 20, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/passing-the-torch-first-look-at-ellie/\|title=Passing the torch: First look at Ellie, new Liberty mascot\|first=Howard\|last=Megdal\|date=May 6, 2021\|website=TheNextHoops\|access-date=July 20, 2024}}</ref> ▲The character is known for her sass and dance moves.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web \|last=Covington \|first=Abigail \|date=October 13, 2023 \|title=Have You Ever Seen an Elephant Twerk? \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/style/ellie-elephant-ny-liberty-wnba.html \|access-date=July 20, 2024 \|website=[[NY Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|date=2024-05-24 \|title=Who is Ellie the Elephant? Meet the New York Liberty's sassy mascot taking over WNBA games \|url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2024/05/liberty-ellie-the-elephant-mascot \|access-date=2024-07-20 \|website=For The Win \|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|date=2024-07-23 \|title=A Mascot Skeptic Warns Of What Comes After Ellie The Elephant {{!}} Defector \|url=https://defector.com/a-mascot-skeptic-warns-of-what-comes-after-ellie-the-elephant \|access-date=2024-07-27 \|website=defector.com \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|last=Settembre \|first=Jeanette \|date=2024-08-27 \|title=NY Liberty mascot Ellie has two stylists, big brands dressing her \|url=https://nypost.com/2024/08/27/lifestyle/ny-liberty-mascot-ellie-has-two-stylists-big-brands-dressing-her/ \|access-date=2024-08-27 \|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|date=2024-09-19 \|title=The Most Popular Woman In Sports Is A 5’10” Elephant Who Trains Like An Elite Athlete \|url=https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a62231035/ellie-the-elephant-new-york-liberty-wnba-mascot/ \|access-date=2024-09-25 \|website=Women's Health \|language=en-US}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Powell \|first=Jackie \|date=2024-07-03 \|title=Ellie the Elephant waves, stomps and puts on the most entertaining show in Brooklyn \|url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/ellie-the-elephant-waves-stomps-and-puts-on-the-most-entertaining-show-in-brooklyn/ \|access-date=2024-07-27 \|website=The Next \|language=en-US}}</ref> 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. <ref>{{Cite web \|last=Oler \|first=Kiri \|date=2024-07-22 \|title=Ellie is putting the rest of the WNBA's mascots on notice \|url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/ellie-is-putting-the-rest-of-the-wnbas-mascots-on-notice/ \|access-date=2024-07-27 \|website=The Next \|language=en-US}}</ref> Line 18 ⟶ 25: == Creative Team == [[File:Ellie the Elephant in heart Glasses 01.png\|thumb\|Ellie during a special halftime performance, May 2023]] The performer who embodies the Ellie costume remains anonymous,<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Covington \|first=Abigail \|date=2023-10-13 \|title=Have You Ever Seen an Elephant Twerk? \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/style/ellie-elephant-ny-liberty-wnba.html \|access-date=2024-07-27 \|work=The New York Times \|language=en-US \|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> 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,<ref name=":0" /> but as of 2024 features first-person voiceover narration on her TikTok.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2024-06-14 \|title=They Call Her Big Ellie: Meet the New York Liberty's viral mascot - ESPN Video \|url=https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/40346197 \|access-date=2024-09-06 \|website=ESPN.com \|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite ~~web~~news \|date=2024-09-22 \|title=Sports mascots were very dude-coded. Then came Ellie the Elephant. \|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2024/09/22/ellie-elephant-liberty-new-york-wnba-mascots-basketball/ \|access-date=2024-09-27 \|~~website~~newspaper=Washington Post \|language=en}}</ref> 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. <ref>{{Cite web \|last=Hurd \|first=Sean \|date=2024-06-14 \|title=New York Liberty mascot Ellie brings Black creativity to WNBA \|url=https://andscape.com/features/new-york-liberty-mascot-ellie-brings-black-creativity-to-wnba/ \|access-date=2024-07-26 \|website=Andscape \|language=en-US}}</ref> 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. <ref name=":2">{{Cite news \|last=Hess \|first=AJ \|date=October 18, 2024 \|title=The business of Ellie the Elephant, the ~~WNBA’s~~WNBA's most valuable mascot \|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91210856/the-business-of-ellie-the-elephant-the-wnbas-most-valuable-mascot ~~\|url-status=live~~ \|work=Fast Company}}</ref> 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 (brand)\|UGG]]. The team has a special rate card for brand partnerships with Ellie, akin to the ~~Influencer~~influencer deals in social media writ large. <ref>{{Cite web \|last=Settembre \|first=Jeanette \|date=2024-08-27 \|title=NY Liberty mascot Ellie has two stylists, big brands dressing her \|url=https://nypost.com/2024/08/27/lifestyle/ny-liberty-mascot-ellie-has-two-stylists-big-brands-dressing-her/ \|access-date=2024-08-27 \|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2024, ~~she~~Ellie released her own colorway of the [[Nike, Inc.\|Nike]] Sabrina 2.<ref name=":2" /> [[File:Ellie The Elephant on June 3, 2021, during her debut season.png\|alt=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.\|left\|thumb\|Ellie the Elephant's Character suit from her first season, Pictured here June 3, 2023]] [[File:The Stompahz celebrate after the NY Liberty's 2024 WNBA Championship.jpg\|left\|thumb\|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<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Chicago Sky Introduce New Mascot, Skye the Lioness – Chicago Sky \|url=https://sky.wnba.com/news/chicago-sky-introduce-new-mascot-skye-the-lioness/ \|access-date=2024-08-26 \|website=sky.wnba.com}}</ref> In her first season, she had a hair bang and a typical mascot style shoes, with anatomically incorrect hand paws<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Evans \|first=Dayna \|date=2024-08-28 \|title=The Best Party in New York Is Only Getting Bigger \|url=https://www.thecut.com/article/wnba-liberty-games-best-crowd-party-new-york.html \|access-date=2024-09-06 \|website=The Cut \|language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Jackson \|first=Hannah \|date=2024-10-14 \|title=Ellie the Elephant, the New York ~~Liberty’s~~Liberty's Mascot, Is Ready to Bring Home the WNBA Championship \|url=https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/ellie-the-elephant-new-york-liberty-wnba-championship-diary \|access-date=2024-10-15 \|website=Vogue \|language=en-US}}</ref> She has "lush eyelashes" and she frequently incorporates wigs and advanced costume changes.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2024-06-14 \|title=They Call Her Big Ellie: Meet the New York Liberty's viral mascot - ESPN Video \|url=https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/40346197 \|access-date=2024-09-06 \|website=ESPN.com \|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Ellie's escorts who hold her bag and support her during game day are called The Stompaz. <ref name="auto">{{Cite web \|last=Powell \|first=Jackie \|date=2024-07-03 \|title=Ellie the Elephant waves, stomps and puts on the most entertaining show in Brooklyn \|url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/ellie-the-elephant-waves-stomps-and-puts-on-the-most-entertaining-show-in-brooklyn/ \|access-date=2024-07-26 \|website=The Next \|language=en-US}}</ref> Line 27 ⟶ 34: == Notable performances and dance moves == In addition to her court-side antics,<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Camille \|first=Jada \|date=2024-09-24 \|title=Ellie on the Aux: The pump-up playlist behind NY ~~Liberty’s~~Liberty's viral mascot • Brooklyn Paper \|url=https://www.brooklynpaper.com/ellie-the-elephant-pump-up-playlist/ \|access-date=2024-09-25 \|website=www.brooklynpaper.com \|language=en-US}}</ref> and dance moves she is famous for,<ref name=":1" /> 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.<ref name="auto"/> <ref name=":1" />Her skillfulness at [[twerking]] has been noted in [[the New York Times]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web \|last=Allen \|first=Samantha \|date=2024-05-02 \|title=The New York ~~Liberty’s~~Liberty's Twerking Elephant Mascot Is My New Gay Obsession \|url=https://www.them.us/story/new-york-liberty-mascot-ellie-the-elephant-twerking \|access-date=2024-09-06 \|website=Them \|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|date=2024-10-16 \|title=How Do You Dress an Elephant? One Fit at a Time \|url=https://www.si.com/wnba/liberty-mascot-ellie-the-elephant-new-york-fashion \|access-date=2024-10-16 \|website=SI \|language=en-US}}</ref> Ellie has performed notable halftime tributes to such artists as [[Lil' Kim\|Lil Kim]], [[Missy Elliott\|Missy Elliot]], [[Beyoncé\|Beyonce]], [[Tyga]], [[Mary J. Blige\|Mary J Blige]], and others.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2024-06-30 \|title=Lil Ellie-Kim, Elliyoncé and more of Ellie the Elephant's best moments \|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/40446242/new-york-liberty-mascot-ellie-elephant-best-moments \|access-date=2024-07-26 \|website=ESPN.com \|language=en}}</ref><ref name="auto"/> During ~~After~~the media tour after the Liberty's ~~2024~~[[2004 WNBA ~~world~~Championship\|2024 WNBA Championship]] win, Ellie graced the stage with [[Stephen Colbert]], NBA Commissioner [[Adam Silver]],<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Cobb \|first=Kayla \|date=2024-10-23 \|title=Stephen Colbert Celebrates New York Liberty's WNBA Championship by Dancing With Ellie the Elephant {{!}} Video \|url=https://www.thewrap.com/new-york-liberty-wnba-ellie-the-elephant-stephen-colbert-late-show/ \|access-date=2024-10-29 \|website=TheWrap \|language=en-US}}</ref> ~~NBA Commissioner David Silver,~~ New York Attorney General [[Letitia ~~Tish~~James\|Leticia James]], and Rappers [[Lil Mama]], [[Fat Joe]], and [[Remy Ma]]. Disgraced New York City Mayor [[Eric Adams]]<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2024-10-24 \|title=Eric Adams Gets Brutally Booed at New York Liberty Championship Parade \|url=https://www.mediaite.com/sports/eric-adams-gets-brutally-booed-at-new-york-liberty-championship-parade/ \|access-date=2024-10-29 \|website=Mediaite \|language=en}}</ref> ~~New York City Mayor Eric Adams~~ was made to hold her purse during a ceremony at [[New York's City Hall]] while Ellie performed a dance breakdown.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Ardrey \|first=Taylor \|title=Watch WNBA mascot Ellie the Elephant hand Mayor Eric Adams her purse for a dance break \|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/10/25/watch-video-wnba-mascot-ellie-the-elephant-adams/75839408007/ \|access-date=2024-10-29 \|website=USA TODAY \|language=en-US}}</ref> == References == Line 49 ⟶ 58: {{New York Liberty}} [[Category:~~Sports~~Basketball mascots]] [[Category:New York Liberty]] [[Category:~~Fictional~~Elephant ~~elephants~~mascots]] [[Category:Mascots introduced in 2021]] [[Category:Anthropomorphic ~~mammals~~elephants]] [[Category:Fictional elephants]]