WEBVTT - It Wasn’t Me with Rebecca Lobo 0:00:04.840 --> 0:00:08.200 Hey, everybody, welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where 0:00:08.360 --> 0:00:11.840 cam Brink just got a Flaunt cover. Asia Wilson got 0:00:11.840 --> 0:00:14.320 a Marie Claire cover, and we want to know who's 0:00:14.320 --> 0:00:17.720 putting us on the cover. On today's show, we're going 0:00:17.760 --> 0:00:20.400 to talk with ESPN analyst, Olympic gold medalist a Hall 0:00:20.440 --> 0:00:23.880 of Famer Rebecca Lobo about the WNBA season so far 0:00:24.000 --> 0:00:27.720 and this weekend's All Star festivities. But first, here's what 0:00:27.800 --> 0:00:33.160 you need to know today. Big news for the WNBA. 0:00:33.200 --> 0:00:35.919 They're signing a new broadcast rights deal that'll be worth 0:00:35.960 --> 0:00:39.480 an estimated two hundred million dollars a year. This first 0:00:39.479 --> 0:00:42.280 reported by The Athletic. That's a huge increase from the 0:00:42.320 --> 0:00:44.760 league's current deal, which is valued at just sixty million. 0:00:45.080 --> 0:00:48.600 The league will reportedly enter new agreements with ESPN, Amazon, 0:00:48.720 --> 0:00:52.040 and NBC, with the ability to sign with additional broadcast 0:00:52.080 --> 0:00:56.880 partners to bring in even more revenue cash money. We 0:00:56.960 --> 0:01:01.360 love this news. This is huge. Speaking of money, a 0:01:01.440 --> 0:01:05.000 whole lot of it is going to the NWSL's Angel City. 0:01:05.040 --> 0:01:08.080 The team announced on Wednesday that the club is being 0:01:08.120 --> 0:01:11.440 sold to Disney CEO Bob Iiger and his wife will Obey. 0:01:11.800 --> 0:01:14.959 Shouts to will Obey. I think original host of Inside 0:01:14.959 --> 0:01:17.280 Stuff before Summer Sanders, or it might be a flip, 0:01:17.400 --> 0:01:19.320 but either way, I watch that every day growing up. 0:01:19.360 --> 0:01:22.080 So shout out to Inside Stuff and will Obey Bob 0:01:22.120 --> 0:01:25.039 Iiger and will Obey new owners of Angel City. The 0:01:25.080 --> 0:01:30.120 deal values the team at two hundred fifty million, which 0:01:30.160 --> 0:01:32.760 will make angel City FC the world's highest valued women's 0:01:32.760 --> 0:01:36.120 sports team, assuming the NWSLS signed off on the sale. 0:01:36.480 --> 0:01:38.720 So many questions about that for all my Angel City 0:01:38.760 --> 0:01:41.199 owner friends. Are we still getting orange slices from Glennon 0:01:41.240 --> 0:01:44.959 Doyle and Jennifer Garner before games? All of those superstars 0:01:45.000 --> 0:01:46.960 that are part owners. Are they still in the mix here? 0:01:47.319 --> 0:01:49.240 Or are Bob and Willow taking over? Are they looking 0:01:49.240 --> 0:01:51.320 for new owners that have like zero money compared to 0:01:51.320 --> 0:01:52.600 the rest of their owners but just want to hang 0:01:52.600 --> 0:01:57.280 out asking for a friend. Simone Biles Doc. Are you 0:01:57.280 --> 0:02:00.320 guys watching it? Because Part one is out? Netflix doc 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:03.720 series on Simone Biles has dropped, and it details Simone's 0:02:03.720 --> 0:02:06.240 decision to withdraw from the team competition at the Tokyo 0:02:06.320 --> 0:02:09.840 Olympics due to the twisties. And if you never figured 0:02:09.840 --> 0:02:12.600 out during that whole thing, what the twisties. Are they 0:02:12.639 --> 0:02:15.600 get into it. You're gonna find out, and you're gonna 0:02:15.600 --> 0:02:18.480 follow her journey back into the gym as well. Part 0:02:18.480 --> 0:02:20.160 two of that series is going to be released in 0:02:20.200 --> 0:02:23.520 the fall. And first of all, we'll watch Simone Biles 0:02:23.560 --> 0:02:26.240 doing literally anything. And I couldn't be more excited that 0:02:26.280 --> 0:02:28.600 her husband is now a Chicago Bear, so she will 0:02:28.600 --> 0:02:30.280 be in Chicago and I can watch her just I 0:02:30.280 --> 0:02:32.440 don't know, like eat a hot dog and watch the Bears. 0:02:33.120 --> 0:02:35.880 But my favorite thing about Simone is is she's such 0:02:35.919 --> 0:02:39.480 a tiny powerhouse. Like I did a cover story with 0:02:39.520 --> 0:02:41.840 Simone for ESPN the magazine a couple of years ago, 0:02:42.080 --> 0:02:44.800 and she is so small and so sweet and so cute. 0:02:45.280 --> 0:02:47.720 But girl is a nightmare. Dressed like a daydream. She 0:02:47.760 --> 0:02:51.320 has got the sparkles on her leotard. She is cute 0:02:51.320 --> 0:02:52.960 as hell. And then she goes out there and she 0:02:53.040 --> 0:02:55.280 pulls off stuff that like even the men can't do 0:02:55.680 --> 0:02:58.280 in gymnastics, gets all the moves named after her, and 0:02:58.320 --> 0:03:01.160 like this behind the scenes look of that dichotomy is 0:03:02.320 --> 0:03:06.760 chef's kiss. So excited. You all know how it goes. 0:03:07.120 --> 0:03:10.560 In La they get crazy, in Miami they get crazy, 0:03:11.080 --> 0:03:14.200 and in Phoenix, they get crazy. Okay, I'm not trying 0:03:14.200 --> 0:03:15.680 to spit. I'm just telling you it's going to be lit. 0:03:15.720 --> 0:03:18.320 Because we learn that Pitbull is going to be performing 0:03:18.360 --> 0:03:21.320 halftime of the WNBA All Star Game this Saturday in Phoenix. 0:03:21.600 --> 0:03:24.280 I will be there. Shout out to my sister Katie, 0:03:24.280 --> 0:03:27.040 who is obsessed with Pitbull. I mean, I dig it, 0:03:27.200 --> 0:03:29.400 but not like she does, so I will be sending 0:03:29.400 --> 0:03:30.080 her all sorts of. 0:03:30.080 --> 0:03:30.680 Videos from that. 0:03:32.200 --> 0:03:35.120 The Chicago Sky announced yesterday that the team have acquired 0:03:35.200 --> 0:03:38.680 Rachel Bannam, Mariah Jefferson, the twenty twenty five first round 0:03:38.720 --> 0:03:41.040 draft pick, and the rights to swap twenty twenty six 0:03:41.120 --> 0:03:45.160 first round pick from Connecticut in exchange for Marina Maybury 0:03:45.240 --> 0:03:48.760 and the Sky's twenty twenty five second round draft pick. Okay, 0:03:48.760 --> 0:03:50.960 first of all, shout out to my guy Josh Bard 0:03:50.960 --> 0:03:53.120 who texted me and called this move going from the 0:03:53.160 --> 0:03:57.320 sky to the sun Kearsian. Pretty sure he made up 0:03:57.360 --> 0:03:59.600 that word, but yes, Icarus from the sky to the Sun. 0:04:00.200 --> 0:04:03.120 I have thoughts on this, guys, the Sky or my squad. 0:04:03.760 --> 0:04:08.800 Marina Maybury is a straight up dog, playmaker, leader, aggressive 0:04:09.640 --> 0:04:13.560 both sides of the court. I'm just perplexed. It will 0:04:13.600 --> 0:04:15.680 also be very interesting to see Marina pair up with 0:04:15.760 --> 0:04:18.880 Dja Carrington. That could be quite icy. Go back and 0:04:18.880 --> 0:04:21.120 look up some of their highlights. Then again, I was 0:04:21.160 --> 0:04:24.320 super worried about Colia Copper and Sophie Cunningham becoming teammates, 0:04:24.680 --> 0:04:27.200 and they seem to be buddy buddy, so you just 0:04:27.240 --> 0:04:29.320 never know. I'm going to talk about this straight a 0:04:29.360 --> 0:04:31.880 little bit more later. I want this all to settle. 0:04:32.320 --> 0:04:38.000 But yeah, Marina, that's my dog. Sue Bird, who by 0:04:38.000 --> 0:04:40.480 the way, will be on the show tomorrow, has won 0:04:40.880 --> 0:04:43.920 everything there is to win in basketball, and now she's 0:04:44.040 --> 0:04:48.080 up Barbie too. Mattel announced that the former Seattle Storm 0:04:48.120 --> 0:04:50.200 point guard in five tin Olympic gold medals will be 0:04:50.240 --> 0:04:54.280 part of their role model collection. Love this for Sue, 0:04:54.480 --> 0:04:57.479 Love this for Barbie. Come on, Barbie, let's go cross 0:04:57.560 --> 0:05:02.760 up some bitches. NWSL is currently on an Olympic break, 0:05:02.800 --> 0:05:05.320 don't forget, but that doesn't mean that the players are. 0:05:05.720 --> 0:05:08.839 Because a record fifty six NWSL players are gonna compete 0:05:08.839 --> 0:05:11.400 at the upcoming Paris Olympics, which is more than any 0:05:11.480 --> 0:05:14.080 other league in the whole world. Of the twelve Olympic 0:05:14.120 --> 0:05:17.400 teams in the tournament. Eleven have at least one NWSL 0:05:17.440 --> 0:05:20.840 player on their roster, Gotham FC and Orlando Prideley the way, 0:05:20.880 --> 0:05:23.640 they've got seven players each competing at the Games. There's 0:05:23.680 --> 0:05:25.880 also a couple of tournaments happening back home for non 0:05:25.920 --> 0:05:29.040 Olympians two So if you miss the NWSL and you're 0:05:29.080 --> 0:05:31.160 not get enough soccer from the Olympics, we'll tell you 0:05:31.240 --> 0:05:35.960 all about those in an upcoming show. When we come back. 0:05:36.200 --> 0:05:41.200 We're gonna be famous by the Father because forever's too short. 0:05:41.760 --> 0:05:43.440 We're gonna chat with one of the best in the business. 0:05:43.680 --> 0:05:46.160 She knows Little Stinker and all the New York Lonely Boys, 0:05:46.279 --> 0:05:58.080 Rebecca Lobo up next. We're back and we're almost heading 0:05:58.120 --> 0:06:01.279 out of town because this weekend is the twentieth WNBA 0:06:01.360 --> 0:06:03.960 All Star Game. I will be there in Phoenix. And 0:06:04.000 --> 0:06:06.599 if you're in the know about how many WNBA seasons 0:06:06.600 --> 0:06:08.760 there have been, then you know that the math aint mathon. 0:06:09.120 --> 0:06:12.440 We got twenty eight seasons and only twenty All Star games. 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:15.360 What's up with that? Well, when the league started, they 0:06:15.360 --> 0:06:17.479 didn't have them, and then they skipped them for a 0:06:17.520 --> 0:06:20.080 few years during the Olympic years, and then there was 0:06:20.120 --> 0:06:22.640 of course the COVID year, no All Star Game in 0:06:22.680 --> 0:06:25.480 the bubble, So we're just at twenty Now, why does 0:06:25.520 --> 0:06:27.920 that matter? Well, besides those years missing out on all 0:06:27.920 --> 0:06:29.599 the fun and the pageantry and the parties of the 0:06:29.600 --> 0:06:32.120 game and the weekend itself, it does make it feel 0:06:32.160 --> 0:06:34.880 like some of the best players ever might have had 0:06:34.960 --> 0:06:37.520 like an off year or two. Diana Trozzi, for instance, 0:06:37.800 --> 0:06:39.839 She's been in the league for twenty seasons but only 0:06:39.920 --> 0:06:43.599 an eleven time All Star. Britney Griner for instance, She's 0:06:43.640 --> 0:06:46.000 only been in the league for eleven seasons but ten 0:06:46.200 --> 0:06:50.200 All Star noms. Neck Ogom Makay twelve seasons, nine All 0:06:50.200 --> 0:06:53.280 Star appearances. So some of the older players like Diana, 0:06:53.279 --> 0:06:55.320 who were around when All Star didn't exist or when 0:06:55.320 --> 0:06:58.880 they skipped Olympic years, they kind of got boned worth knowing. 0:06:59.360 --> 0:07:00.800 The good news is we do get a game this 0:07:00.880 --> 0:07:03.720 year despite the Olympics. In fact, this weekend's going to 0:07:03.800 --> 0:07:06.080 be a sort of tune up for Team USA. They're 0:07:06.080 --> 0:07:09.240 going to take on Team WNBA in the game on Saturday. 0:07:09.440 --> 0:07:10.920 We're going to keep an eye on injuries the next 0:07:10.960 --> 0:07:12.960 couple of days because Brianna Stewart and if you said 0:07:12.960 --> 0:07:15.720 Collier Britney Griner, Dina Trossi, a couple others have been 0:07:15.720 --> 0:07:18.600 missing some of their WNBA games, so we'll see whether 0:07:18.640 --> 0:07:21.160 they decide to take this opportunity to get some rest 0:07:21.240 --> 0:07:23.720 instead of a tune up for the games. Hopefully we'll 0:07:23.720 --> 0:07:26.720 see all the stars on Saturday, but worth noting that 0:07:26.760 --> 0:07:30.400 some may need to get themselves healthy before Paris. Also 0:07:30.480 --> 0:07:33.520 this weekend, keeping out Friday night, we've got the Skills 0:07:33.600 --> 0:07:36.080 Challenge and the Three Point Contest, and then all day 0:07:36.120 --> 0:07:39.720 Friday and Saturday in Phoenix the WNBA Live Fan Festival 0:07:39.720 --> 0:07:42.440 at the Phoenix Convention Center. Lots of free swag, there, 0:07:42.520 --> 0:07:45.880 lots of activities, players popping by, and it's really part 0:07:45.920 --> 0:07:48.480 of this new look All Star weekend. If you have 0:07:48.560 --> 0:07:51.040 not been to an All Star weekend for WNBA, or 0:07:51.080 --> 0:07:53.880 maybe even when years ago, the thing that stood out 0:07:53.880 --> 0:07:56.080 to me in recent years was how elevated the experience 0:07:56.160 --> 0:08:00.520 has become. The parties, the activations, the sponsor involvement. And 0:08:01.200 --> 0:08:03.640 I remember being in Chicago at the All Star Weekend 0:08:03.640 --> 0:08:06.000 and just thinking, I wish that all the executives that 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:09.960 are at the top level of major TV networks, major websites, 0:08:10.080 --> 0:08:13.320 major brands would start to include it in their trips. 0:08:13.560 --> 0:08:15.800 They're taking these regular Johns to the super Bowl or 0:08:15.880 --> 0:08:19.840 NBA All Star or f one, but if they included 0:08:19.880 --> 0:08:22.280 the WNBA All Star weekend, they'd really get a feel 0:08:22.440 --> 0:08:25.600 for just how rabid the fandom is, how much of 0:08:25.600 --> 0:08:28.560 an intersection there is with culture and music and fashion, 0:08:29.160 --> 0:08:31.520 and how big of an opportunity there is to invest 0:08:31.640 --> 0:08:34.160 and cover and care about the w I mean, I 0:08:34.200 --> 0:08:36.480 want them to update themselves on the data that's huge, 0:08:36.480 --> 0:08:39.080 and thanks to Sports Innovation Lab in Wasserman and others, 0:08:39.320 --> 0:08:42.000 we now have these like cold hard facts about fan 0:08:42.080 --> 0:08:45.280 interest and watching habits, brand affinity, spending, all of that 0:08:45.360 --> 0:08:49.160 stuff that's so important. But also these execs need to 0:08:49.160 --> 0:08:52.160 have the experience. And I think going to for instance, 0:08:52.160 --> 0:08:55.040 Sue Bird's Crown Royal party and walking through this beautiful 0:08:55.080 --> 0:08:57.760 activation highlighting her career achievements, or going to a Jordan 0:08:57.800 --> 0:09:00.719 Women's collective party at the Viceroy and Chicago and Young 0:09:00.760 --> 0:09:03.880 Jeezy's performing and everyone's hype, Like the people making decisions 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:07.040 need to be there and see it to really understand. 0:09:07.240 --> 0:09:10.280 So I hope they're in Phoenix this weekend, sweating their 0:09:10.320 --> 0:09:14.440 fucking balls off with us and seeing the magic in person. 0:09:15.440 --> 0:09:17.840 Speaking of balls, our next guest knows a thing or 0:09:17.840 --> 0:09:23.959 two about them. Basketball's that is joining us now on 0:09:24.040 --> 0:09:27.320 the show. Olympic gold medalist, NCAA champion and member of 0:09:27.360 --> 0:09:30.000 the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naysmith Hall 0:09:30.040 --> 0:09:32.760 of Fame. Now a reporter and color analyst for ESPN, 0:09:32.760 --> 0:09:35.839 focusing on women's college basketball and the WNBA. She met 0:09:35.880 --> 0:09:38.400 her husband after he shit talked the WNBA in a 0:09:38.440 --> 0:09:40.840 column for SI, and she invited him to a game 0:09:40.880 --> 0:09:43.360 to see how wrong he was. I guess you could 0:09:43.400 --> 0:09:47.800 say it was love at first slight. It's Rebecca Lobo. 0:09:48.400 --> 0:09:49.199 What's up? Rebecca? 0:09:49.440 --> 0:09:52.200 That? That could be my favorite introduction effort. 0:09:53.040 --> 0:09:55.880 It's like my favorite story. I am always telling people 0:09:55.920 --> 0:09:58.320 that story. And then you saying at your Hall of 0:09:58.360 --> 0:10:01.240 Fame speech that one of your kids men's basketball on TV, 0:10:01.240 --> 0:10:04.959 and you're like, what, men play basketball too? Like that's 0:10:04.960 --> 0:10:05.880 how you know you're raising her? 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:06.160 Right? 0:10:06.440 --> 0:10:06.920 That's right? 0:10:07.120 --> 0:10:07.959 Yeah, yeah, yep. 0:10:08.280 --> 0:10:10.600 That daughter, she was like four at the time, is 0:10:10.640 --> 0:10:13.640 now nineteen and about to enter her junior year at 0:10:13.720 --> 0:10:14.760 college Unreal. 0:10:15.080 --> 0:10:17.240 By the way, just in case, I'm not encouraging men 0:10:17.320 --> 0:10:19.360 to talk shit about women's sports and the hopes that 0:10:19.400 --> 0:10:21.680 it will land you a Hall of Fame. Wife, I 0:10:21.679 --> 0:10:25.280 think that's a rare occurrence. Let's stick with being supportive. 0:10:25.760 --> 0:10:26.720 But maybe it will. 0:10:26.840 --> 0:10:29.719 Maybe maybe everybody likes to get nagged every once in 0:10:29.720 --> 0:10:33.520 a while. I guess that's that's that's what you're showing us. Okay, 0:10:33.559 --> 0:10:35.400 we have to talk about the most important thing first, 0:10:35.440 --> 0:10:38.720 which is that you made a cameo on Girls five EVA. 0:10:39.000 --> 0:10:41.440 And I'm completely obsessed with that show. My husband and 0:10:41.440 --> 0:10:43.959 I are like quoting it NonStop. So tell me everything. 0:10:44.040 --> 0:10:45.520 I need to know. What it was like hanging out 0:10:45.559 --> 0:10:48.440 with Sarah Burrellis and Rinale's Goldsberry and Paulapel and Busy 0:10:48.480 --> 0:10:49.560 Phillips and everybody else. 0:10:50.440 --> 0:10:51.480 Well, it was awesome. 0:10:51.559 --> 0:10:53.200 So it came to me, I don't know, a year 0:10:53.240 --> 0:10:55.480 and a half ago, and I got like an email 0:10:55.520 --> 0:10:58.160 from my agent, would you be interested in doing a 0:10:58.200 --> 0:11:00.640 cameo on this Girl's five have a show? Canvassing a 0:11:00.720 --> 0:11:03.960 number of people And it was taped like right after 0:11:04.000 --> 0:11:06.960 the final four And I was like, oh, you know, 0:11:07.000 --> 0:11:09.160 I have to go away to Long Island for a 0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:11.000 week or something. And my oldest daughter is like, are 0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:13.840 you crazy? Of course you have to do this. She's like, 0:11:13.920 --> 0:11:17.480 and bring me along with you. And so anyway I 0:11:17.520 --> 0:11:19.400 got a chance to do it. Because of their their 0:11:19.440 --> 0:11:21.960 COVID regulations. When we taped, I wasn't able to bring 0:11:22.000 --> 0:11:25.200 my daughter. But we were at a castle on Long Island. 0:11:25.360 --> 0:11:28.000 It's it's where they filmed part of one of the 0:11:28.040 --> 0:11:31.640 Taylor Swift videos. You know exactly which one it was, 0:11:33.080 --> 0:11:35.520 and it was awesome. I was there for maybe three days, 0:11:35.760 --> 0:11:38.640 and there was a ton of downtime. So anybody who's 0:11:38.679 --> 0:11:41.600 filmed stuff before knows that you film for you know, 0:11:41.640 --> 0:11:43.520 twenty minutes, half hour, and then you might be hanging 0:11:43.520 --> 0:11:46.880 out for a couple of hours. And in this castle, 0:11:46.960 --> 0:11:49.440 there was this library that was sort of like the 0:11:49.480 --> 0:11:50.720 green room, the hangout room. 0:11:51.040 --> 0:11:53.120 So sometimes i'd be in there and like one time, 0:11:53.160 --> 0:11:55.679 Sarah Burrella's just went She's like, I'm going to get coffee. 0:11:55.720 --> 0:11:57.200 Would you like me to get you some coffee? 0:11:57.240 --> 0:12:00.719 And then we just ended up having this long conversation 0:12:00.840 --> 0:12:04.440 about coffee and life and and a variety of things, 0:12:04.480 --> 0:12:07.760 and she could not have been more awesome. And then 0:12:07.880 --> 0:12:09.960 another one of the moments, when I'm just hanging out 0:12:10.720 --> 0:12:13.520 Rene Lee's Goldsberry, we start talking her son is a 0:12:13.600 --> 0:12:16.480 high school basketball player. My son's a high school basketball player. 0:12:16.520 --> 0:12:19.679 So anyway, we were just talking about that. These women, 0:12:19.960 --> 0:12:22.480 Sarah could not have been more cool. 0:12:22.760 --> 0:12:24.480 They were absolutely I love to hear. 0:12:25.720 --> 0:12:26.280 It was a blast. 0:12:26.360 --> 0:12:28.240 And the thing is I hadn't seen the show before 0:12:28.320 --> 0:12:30.319 I was asked to do it, so I was like 0:12:30.440 --> 0:12:33.079 binge watching, so I knew what was going on. And 0:12:33.160 --> 0:12:35.360 I'm sitting I'm watching with my husband like you did, 0:12:35.760 --> 0:12:37.840 and we are dying because we were both huge thirty 0:12:37.960 --> 0:12:38.440 rock fans. 0:12:38.440 --> 0:12:41.120 And it's so similar to that joint YEP. 0:12:43.280 --> 0:12:46.640 So funny, so funny, and like you know, just a 0:12:47.360 --> 0:12:50.959 beautifully written. The actors are amazing. The singing and choreography 0:12:51.080 --> 0:12:52.480 was cool. That was one of the other things in 0:12:52.559 --> 0:12:55.480 the green room watching like the choreographer teaching the women 0:12:55.520 --> 0:12:57.880 how to do certain things that they're going to do. 0:12:57.960 --> 0:13:00.040 And one of the scenes anyway, I'm trying it. 0:13:00.240 --> 0:13:04.440 Awesome job. It was the Blank Space video. By the way, 0:13:04.520 --> 0:13:07.120 for those who want another Easter egg that mansion that 0:13:07.200 --> 0:13:09.959 they filmed, it was from Blank Space. And yeah, I 0:13:10.000 --> 0:13:12.280 mean it's just the best show. The Easter eggs are 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:14.880 all over that show. You almost have to like watch 0:13:14.920 --> 0:13:17.320 it multiple times to get every single joke in reference 0:13:17.360 --> 0:13:20.120 to the nineties and everything else. Okay, I had to 0:13:20.160 --> 0:13:22.120 ask you about that because I'm so obsessed and I'm 0:13:22.240 --> 0:13:24.880 like literally evangelist for that show. I tell everyone all 0:13:24.960 --> 0:13:28.400 the time to watch it. Let's talk great because we 0:13:28.520 --> 0:13:32.040 have some like big news in the WNBA today the 0:13:32.160 --> 0:13:35.120 media deal that just got announced. The Athletic was first 0:13:35.160 --> 0:13:37.280 to report that the league agreed to two point two 0:13:37.440 --> 0:13:39.920 billion in new rights deals. We're gonna get a lot 0:13:39.920 --> 0:13:41.800 of details to come, but what's your first reaction? 0:13:42.720 --> 0:13:45.520 Awesome, awesome, long time coming. I think there. 0:13:45.600 --> 0:13:48.600 It's reported that it's averaging out to around two hundred 0:13:48.600 --> 0:13:51.040 million a year, four times what the current deal is, 0:13:51.160 --> 0:13:54.120 at least four times. I'm thrilled for the players because 0:13:54.280 --> 0:13:56.760 you know, they'll opt out of the CBA this year, 0:13:57.080 --> 0:14:01.720 they'll start negotiating, and I I am thrilled because hopefully 0:14:01.840 --> 0:14:03.880 this means that there's going to be a huge spike 0:14:04.040 --> 0:14:07.720 in in salaries. We've already seen them get the chartered 0:14:07.720 --> 0:14:09.920 flights that they'd been hoping for for the last number 0:14:09.960 --> 0:14:13.000 of years. And as you know, everything is driven by 0:14:13.040 --> 0:14:15.599 the media rights deal. That's where all the money is 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:18.800 that's where the players are going to get the things 0:14:19.760 --> 0:14:23.480 that they want to get. So I'm thrilled that, you know, 0:14:23.600 --> 0:14:26.040 if was being reported is accurate, I'm thrilled for them. 0:14:26.440 --> 0:14:29.000 So cool. You know, we had a wild start to 0:14:29.080 --> 0:14:31.640 this season, and we've settled down a bit, thankfully. We've 0:14:31.680 --> 0:14:34.240 started really focusing on the basketball, which has actually been 0:14:34.280 --> 0:14:37.520 really absolutely a little bit of most of us some 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:40.840 of us, yeah we have. Yeah, But before we can 0:14:40.920 --> 0:14:43.520 move on, I do want to get your perspective from 0:14:43.600 --> 0:14:46.520 the inside on how you handled the sort of hysteria 0:14:46.640 --> 0:14:49.600 and unhinged start to this season, Like how much did 0:14:49.640 --> 0:14:52.000 it factor how you called games? How much did it 0:14:52.040 --> 0:14:55.080 affect the conversations you had with players, because even if 0:14:55.160 --> 0:14:58.360 you wanted to ignore it, you could like accidentally step 0:14:58.440 --> 0:15:01.040 into some sort of beef was going on, or like 0:15:01.160 --> 0:15:02.840 say the wrong thing and have everyone think you were 0:15:02.840 --> 0:15:05.560 taking quote a side, like it was almost impossible not 0:15:05.640 --> 0:15:07.280 to pay attention just to make sure you didn't get 0:15:07.360 --> 0:15:09.040 roped up in it. Yeah. 0:15:09.080 --> 0:15:12.440 I think actually a little bit separate from your question 0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:14.600 is that when we started the season, we knew there 0:15:14.720 --> 0:15:17.280 was going to be a ton more WNBA, ten more 0:15:17.320 --> 0:15:20.200 people watching the WNBA, perhaps for the first time. So 0:15:20.320 --> 0:15:23.160 when Ryan and I did that first game, Indiana's first game, 0:15:23.240 --> 0:15:25.600 it was the first game of of the season, Indiana 0:15:25.640 --> 0:15:28.600 at Connecticut. Anytime there was a different rule in the 0:15:28.760 --> 0:15:32.000 WA than we have in college, we explained because we 0:15:32.120 --> 0:15:35.240 knew that there was a bunch of new people watching 0:15:35.360 --> 0:15:38.680 the game, that they're they're probably there for the first time, 0:15:38.800 --> 0:15:41.560 So we understood that piece of it. It wasn't until 0:15:41.600 --> 0:15:45.200 you got a few weeks in that like you felt 0:15:45.280 --> 0:15:47.880 the other narrative. And when it really hit me was 0:15:48.120 --> 0:15:51.320 Ryan and I called the Chicago game at Indiana, the 0:15:51.360 --> 0:15:54.840 first game where Kennedy Carter had the foul against Caitlyn Clark, 0:15:55.320 --> 0:15:58.280 and it felt like from that moment on, things really 0:15:58.400 --> 0:16:00.800 blew up because I had kind of ignored the whole 0:16:00.920 --> 0:16:03.680 silly narrative that, you know, the veterans are jealous of 0:16:03.800 --> 0:16:06.640 Kate and the Lark, so they're beating her up. Because 0:16:06.680 --> 0:16:08.760 I've been watching all the Indiana games, I'm like, no, 0:16:09.000 --> 0:16:11.440 have people not been watching the w NBA for the last. 0:16:11.280 --> 0:16:15.480 Two decades, Like this is how they defend and yeah, 0:16:15.600 --> 0:16:17.360 and yes she was. 0:16:17.400 --> 0:16:19.520 She getting more defensive attention than any player in the 0:16:19.640 --> 0:16:22.440 history of the league. Yes, she was, I can say 0:16:22.520 --> 0:16:26.280 that with authority, But were they being dirty? And was that, 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:28.920 you know, that fueled by jealousy? I just thought it 0:16:29.040 --> 0:16:32.120 was such a stupid narrative that and it didn't really 0:16:32.400 --> 0:16:34.400 have teeth until all of a sudden you got the 0:16:34.920 --> 0:16:38.480 Kennedy Carter hit and then things just boiled up into 0:16:38.840 --> 0:16:41.520 sort of a fervor of ridiculousness. 0:16:41.760 --> 0:16:44.280 And it was super interesting to me. And it's something 0:16:44.320 --> 0:16:44.560 that you. 0:16:44.640 --> 0:16:48.080 Have to kind of be delicate about because we're thrilled 0:16:48.120 --> 0:16:50.840 with all the new attention that the WNBA has, right, 0:16:50.920 --> 0:16:53.360 We're thrilled with all the new fans that are watching. 0:16:53.680 --> 0:16:57.440 I'm glad they're talking about the WNBA on CNN and 0:16:57.800 --> 0:17:02.920 on some sort of more mainstream platforms. 0:17:03.000 --> 0:17:05.000 But then you're like, wait, but why don't you have 0:17:05.080 --> 0:17:06.760 people want to actually know what they're talking about? What 0:17:06.920 --> 0:17:10.720 are you talking about? So I do, and I do 0:17:10.840 --> 0:17:12.560 feel like that's settled down a little bit. 0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:16.200 I do, however, feel like, especially when it comes to 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:19.880 Angel and Caitlin, there's this weird like you can. 0:17:19.920 --> 0:17:22.520 Only be a supporter of one or the other. You 0:17:22.560 --> 0:17:25.040 can only be team Caitlin or you can only be 0:17:25.160 --> 0:17:27.560 team Angel. And I'm like I love watching them both there. 0:17:27.640 --> 0:17:30.320 It's weird the well, and especially in women's sports, I 0:17:30.359 --> 0:17:33.159 have eleveny side pieces. Like in men's sports, I do 0:17:33.240 --> 0:17:35.160 a much better job of like I hate anyone that's 0:17:35.200 --> 0:17:36.760 not my team, and women's like I kind of want 0:17:36.800 --> 0:17:39.520 them all to have a good game. It's a problem, 0:17:39.640 --> 0:17:42.639 and that's especially the case with Caitlyn and Angel and. 0:17:42.880 --> 0:17:44.920 The interesting thing and of course a lot of this 0:17:45.080 --> 0:17:47.320 is fueled by social media, which isn't the real world. 0:17:48.200 --> 0:17:49.880 But I do feel like, you know, if I say 0:17:49.960 --> 0:17:53.639 something positive about Caitlin, people half the people are going 0:17:53.680 --> 0:17:57.080 to interpret it as something negative about Angel, which is ridiculous. 0:17:57.240 --> 0:17:59.200 Like I just want to put information out there, like 0:17:59.280 --> 0:18:01.760 look how great cheese been, Look how great Angel's been, 0:18:01.880 --> 0:18:06.160 Like this is this is amazing, And even when you're 0:18:06.200 --> 0:18:09.280 having the Rookie of the Year conversations and debates, like 0:18:09.760 --> 0:18:11.960 you don't have to say what you know, this person 0:18:12.119 --> 0:18:15.400 is not good at this, like like it's it's it's 0:18:15.520 --> 0:18:17.320 a little bit crazy, but I guess that's what you 0:18:17.440 --> 0:18:20.200 have in in men's sports, and so some of that 0:18:20.520 --> 0:18:22.040 is good as long as we can stay out of 0:18:22.119 --> 0:18:24.040 the kind of well, I think. 0:18:24.000 --> 0:18:26.280 It fuels a lot of takes. It fuels a lot 0:18:26.320 --> 0:18:27.800 of takes, and that's one of the things that we've 0:18:27.800 --> 0:18:30.639 been missing in women's sports, because you need information, and 0:18:30.680 --> 0:18:32.760 people need to be informed enough to have a take, 0:18:32.760 --> 0:18:36.040 even if it's poorly informed. They need to know enough 0:18:36.119 --> 0:18:37.920 to care enough to have a take and get mad 0:18:37.960 --> 0:18:40.440 and fight each other on the internet about it. So progress, 0:18:41.000 --> 0:18:41.680 I guess. 0:18:42.680 --> 0:18:46.000 Yeah, it's I was just on a conference call and 0:18:46.080 --> 0:18:48.040 that the China Robinson was on, and she just kind 0:18:48.040 --> 0:18:50.359 of brought up the point that you know a lot 0:18:50.400 --> 0:18:53.520 of people have used have said negative things, you know 0:18:53.800 --> 0:18:56.920 about these women in personal attacks, and it's like that 0:18:57.200 --> 0:18:58.920 that's unnecessary, that's unnecessary. 0:18:59.000 --> 0:18:59.919 Let's all have our opinions. 0:19:00.040 --> 0:19:02.119 You can like one or the other, but like to 0:19:02.160 --> 0:19:04.400 take it to a place it doesn't belong. I think 0:19:04.440 --> 0:19:07.359 that's what has kind of concerned people, especially early on. 0:19:07.480 --> 0:19:08.840 I feel like we're in a place now. 0:19:09.040 --> 0:19:11.760 But I think I've been so impressed with the rookie class, 0:19:11.800 --> 0:19:14.800 in part because of their ability to handle the unhinged 0:19:14.880 --> 0:19:18.399 commentary Kitlyn Clark, Angelies, Kate Martin, Cameron Brink before her injury. 0:19:18.680 --> 0:19:21.400