How to watch Sue Bird’s statue unveiling and where to celebrate
SEATTLE – Sue Bird will become the first WNBA player to be immortalized in bronze Sunday as the Seattle Storm unveil a statue dedicated to the sports legend at Climate Pledge Arena.
The unveiling will kick off a day of festivities dedicated to Bird, including a fan fest, the Storm’s game against the Phoenix Mercury and a queer-centered afterparty.
Bird, who will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September, earned four WNBA championships, five Olympic gold medals and a wealth of other accolades throughout the 21 years of her professional career, every single one of which was spent with the Storm.
“Sue’s legacy isn’t just written in championships – it’s woven into the fabric of Seattle,” said Storm president and CEO Alisha Valavanis in a statement. “Her leadership transcended basketball and helped shape a cultural shift – one that expanded who gets to lead, who gets seen and who gets celebrated.”
How to watch and celebrate
The Storm will unveil the statue at 10 a.m. Sunday in front of Climate Pledge Arena after hosting a news conference featuring Bird, Storm franchise leadership, city officials, and other WNBA legends.
The party will start after at the arena with a free Sue Bird Fan Fest at noon full of activities, giveaways and tributes to Bird.
Then, the Storm will face off against the Phoenix Mercury at 3 p.m. in a dedicated “Forever Sue” game, also at Climate Pledge Arena. BECU will offer its members a 62% discount on lower bowl tickets for $40, while supplies last. The first 7,500 fans to enter will also be gifted a drawing of Bird by Seattle artist Keegan Hall.
For those who want to keep the party going, Rough & Tumble Pub in Ballard will host a dance party with beats from DJ Summersoft and entertainment by Queen Sativa from 6 to 10 p.m. There will be giveaways from the Storm and queer clothing line Peau de Loup, and fans can get a free drink ticket if they show their ticket from the game.
The sports bar, which opened in 2022, is the first of its kind in Seattle to emphasize showing women’s sports.
Fans should also be on the lookout for tributes to Bird across Seattle. Washington State Ferries will fly special “Forever Sue” flags on all of its vessels over the weekend and fans are advised to keep their eyes peeled toward the Space Needle, Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park and the Seattle Great Wheel.
What to know about the statue
Storm commissioned Rotblatt Amrany Studios for the 8-foot, 650-pound statue. Seattle fans may recognize the studio’s work at T-Mobile Park in statues of Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez and Dave Niehaus or at Climate Pledge Arena in a monument of Lenny Wilkens.
As she was pouring over hundreds of photos of Bird’s face to craft her likeness, sculptor Julie Rotblatt Amrany began to recognize Bird’s “spark.” The sculptor said she aimed to capture “the femininity, the energetic quality of how she played” in the motion of the statue.
“It’s more about women being recognized for their success in their careers and being remembered for their high excellence in what they choose to do in their lives,” Rotblatt Amrany said. “I feel really good about being part of creating that opportunity for women to grow and for young women to say, ‘yeah, I can do that.’”
Rotblatt Amrany got to give Bird a sneak peek of the statue. In a social media post shared by Storm and the studio Thursday, the renowned athlete smiled, nodded and gave her approval as she circled the statue that stood just out of frame.