How Brittney Griner, Breanna Stewart, and the Superteam Era Are Changing the WNBA

ESPN Daily

ESPN

Sports

4.6 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 16 February 2023

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On the surface, there is an unprecedented level of excitement surrounding the WNBA. TV viewership numbers have been trending upwards, and the league has entered the superteam era thanks to some splashy free agency signings like Breanna Stewart to the New York Liberty and Candace Parker to the Las Vegas Aces. But beneath all the hype, there are still some major issues that haven’t been addressed…such as the fact that the world’s best women’s basketball players still fly commercial, unlike the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB, who all charter private flights. And as we found out, the real issue goes much deeper. So Ramona Shelburne helps us examine the changing landscape of the WNBA, and maps out what could be the next steps in the evolution of the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	On the surface, it is a really exciting time for the WNBA.
0:09.6	Because TV viewership is trending upwards, its social currency feels higher than ever,
0:15.2	and the league is now entering the era of super teams after some huge blockbuster moves
0:20.8	in free agency this month.
0:23.0	But despite all of that, the league has also been dealing with a problem.
0:28.1	A problem that Nekka Agumake, a league MVP with the Los Angeles Sparks, had documented
0:33.8	on her way to a game last August.
0:36.4	Yeah, so we are roaming the airport.
0:41.3	It's first time in my 11 seasons that I've ever had to sleep in the airport, but based
0:47.7	on travel, it was only a matter of time.
0:52.3	So half of us are sleeping in the airport, half of us are at a hotel.
0:56.8	Everyone in the rooms, after a flight got delayed, delayed, delayed, delayed, and then canceled
1:03.3	at 1 a.m.
1:04.3	And then re-books for our first thing in the morning.
1:06.4	So it is now 144, and we're here until 9 a.m.
1:13.5	Now, the WNBA does not charter private flights.
1:21.8	The best women's basketball players in the world, fly commercial.
1:24.9	They all do, just like us norbees, and more to the point.
1:28.5	Unlike the NBA and NFL and NHL and MLB and on, which is why another WNBA MVP, Brianna
1:37.2	Stewart, now with the New York Liberty, made this entire thing a focus of her free agency
1:43.2	just a couple weeks ago.
1:46.3	So let's talk about travel, because you tweeted that you'd love to be a part of a deal
	...

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