Transcript 0:00 The WNBA is in the midst of CBA negotiations as the WNBPA rejected the initial proposals from the league in favor of demanding the respect and compensation its athletes deserve. 0:13 The intersection of these worlds, particularly as WNBA players launch their own podcasts, creates a fascinating lens through which to examine media value, player safety, and the maturation of the most competitive league in the world for women's basketball. 0:29 From viral moments to valuable movements, these WNBA players deserve their flowers and their funds. 0:35 On the Colin and Samir show, the Spotify CEO said he made the eight-figure deal with the Joe Rogan podcast to inject energy into the podcast space. 0:44 What he also did was signal that podcasts are a commodity to be bought and sold, leveraged for lead acquisition, and mined for ad dollars. 0:54 Podcasts are an audio medium designed for connection, education, entertainment, and storytelling. Podcasts are not products to be manipulated solely for financial gain. 1:06 Yes, we'd all like to make a living from our podcasts, but there comes a time when we have to decide that advertising and money shouldn't dictate editorial decisions. 1:16 With the seemingly endless round of podcast layoffs and podcast listenership largely leaning toward larger names with larger teams who aren't necessarily producing better shows than indie podcasters, it is evident that this system is unsustainable for the industry and does not promote creativity or innovation within the space. 1:36 Legacy media, journalists, and creators are struggling to maintain their integrity and credibility at the expense of losing money. The WNBA is falling victim to the same shiny object. 1:51 When women's college basketball players in twenty twenty-three and twenty twenty-four became viral sensations, attention shifted to the WNBA as people wanted to follow their careers and rivalries. 2:03 The WNBA started viewing players as commodity to be leveraged for ad dollars, league expansion investments, and ticket sales rather than athletes who deserve to be protected and respected. 2:15 Why are they allowing toxic narratives and harmful behavior to threaten the safety of players? For the prospect of more money? It is unsustainable for the league. 2:26 Why are they trying to stifle Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited? They are proof that the leaders make other great leaders. Podcasting is in its teenage years. 2:38 Acne, which can mean inconsistent monetization models that haven't fully stabilized, growth spurts, and being too young to drive a car with people in it, AKA no union. 2:51 But the industry will continue to mature and find its way forward, just as the WNBA did in its early years. 2:57 Now the WNBA, she's in her thirties, her soft girl era, setting boundaries, looking to settle down and have some stability, the energy of her twenties, but the urgency of someone who wants benefits and PTO to be the norm. 3:12 Enough work experience to warrant calling something a career and expecting her salary to match. It's worth looking at the NWSL's recent CBA success as a blueprint. 3:24 The National Women's Soccer League secured unprecedented gains in its collective bargaining agreement, including significant salary increases, free agency rights, and mental health resources. 3:35 This milestone wasn't just about compensation. It was about players gaining control over their narrative and future. 3:43 Similarly, the WNBA stands at a crossroads where players can leverage their growing popularity to create their own media empires. 3:51 We're already seeing this with projects like Off Season FC, the unscripted TV series created by Midge Purce and backed by Alexis Ohanian, which offers an intimate look at players' lives beyond the field. 4:04 WNBA athletes have the perfect opportunity to follow suit, creating content that not only grows their personal brands but expands the league's reach organically. 4:13 I wouldn't even mind if we just got a higher production version of the Stud Buds since Syd and TP left us high and dry for season two and gave us a podcast instead. 4:23 The league that supports this player-driven content creation rather than attempting to control it and player safety will ultimately benefit from the authentic engagement and expanded audience these efforts bring. 4:36 Few brands have made as significant an impact in women's sports as Together. 4:41 Founded by four athletic women powerhouses, snowboarder Chloe Kim, basketball legend Sue Bird, Olympics winner Simone Manuel, and soccer star Alex Morgan, this media company has become a cultural phenomenon that champions women's sports. 4:57 Together's iconic Everyone Watches Women's Sports T-shirt has become more than just apparel. It's a statement, a movement, and a challenge to traditional sports narratives. 5:08 With over seven million dollars in T-shirts sold, the simplicity of the message relays its profound impact, forcing a confrontation with the outdated notion that women's sports lack viewership and marketability. 5:22 This shirt has been spotted on celebrities, athletes, and fans alike, creating a visual representation of the growing support for women's athletics. 5:31 Just as Unrivaled, the new three-on-three basketball league co-founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, launched their highly anticipated The Future Is Unrivaled apparel collection, Together responded with a series of strategic announcement that demonstrated their business acumen and market awareness, 5:50 AKA their pettiness. [laughs] They really didn't even let them have a smooth twenty-four hours, but it's okay. That announcement video from Unrivaled still lives in my head rent-free. 6:00 Together announced a Zales jewelry collaboration where they entered the luxury accessories market with a custom jewelry collection, expanding their brand beyond traditional sports merchandise. 6:10 For a women-centered brand, jewelry makes perfect sense. Maybe they'll do a beauty product next. 6:17 They also brought on Angel Reese, and bringing on one of basketball's most marketable young stars into their ownership structure, complete with a dedicated merchandise line that capitalizes on Angel Reese's massive following and cultural influence. 6:31 They also took their brand global by partnering with a professional women's football club in England, the London City Lionesses, placing their logo on jerseys and expanding their international footprint. 6:42 They previously made a French version of their signature tee, and this is another step in the direction of their global presence or dominance, whichever word suits you best. These moves weren't just business decisions. 6:55 They were calculated steps to solidify Together's position as the premier brand in women's sports culture. 7:02 As the WNBA's collective bargaining agreement negotiations approach, Together's business model and success provide compelling evidence for what many female athletes have long argued, women's sports have untapped market potential. 7:16 Several aspects of Together's approach could influence the WNBA CBA negotiations. Lot of acronyms. 7:23 Together's success demonstrates the growing audience for women's sports content, potentially supporting arguments for higher media rights fees that would boost league revenue and player salaries. 7:34 Their approach to athlete marketing, highlighting personalities, and creating authentic connections with fans could inspire new approaches to WNBA player promotion and personal brand development rights within the CBA. 7:46 Together's multiple revenue streams, media, merchandise, partnerships provide a blueprint for how the WNBA might structure deals to maximize player compensation beyond traditional salary caps. 7:57 By demonstrating that women's sports entities can attract significant investment and create substantial returns, Together strengthens the bargaining positions of the WNBA players seeking equity options and investment opportunities. 8:12 I went to the watch party that Together hosted in Vancouver for the WNBA Canada game, and they seem poised to increase their presence at women's sports games on college campuses this fall. 8:23 While both Together and Unrivaled represent athlete-led initiatives to advance women's sports, their approaches differ in notable ways. Together focuses on creating new competitive structures and, no. 8:36 Unrivaled focuses on creating new competitive structures and opportunities within basketball specifically, while Together has established itself as a multi-sport media and lifestyle brand. 8:47 This distinction matters for CBA negotiations because both models provide evidence of market demand, but through different avenues. 8:55 Unrivaled demonstrates that alternative competition formats can attract viewership and sponsorship, potentially pressuring the WNBA to improve player compensation to remain competitive. 9:05 Meanwhile, Together shows that women athletes' influence extends far beyond game day, supporting arguments for expanded marketing rights and revenue sharing models. 9:14 The NWSL Player Association was able to successfully negotiate a favorable CBA deal last year, but even Together feels that their media rights deal was undervalued. 9:24 Similar sentiments have been shared by those familiar with the WNBA media rights deal that was renegotiated last year. Oh, no. 9:31 I've seen more fans complaining about the lack of access to live games despite multiple streaming subscriptions. 9:37 As the WNBA expands, the NWSL continues to rise in popularity, and women athletes continue to perform in ways that garner more attention, eyeballs, and partnerships. 9:48 I'm curious if greater media and film partnerships will be effective, will be more effective than brand partnerships. 9:55 Together has done a great job with documentary short films, and Unrivaled is likely sitting on a wealth of footage and behind-the-scenes moments that could be more thoughtfully crafted into compelling evergreen video pieces for YouTube and social media. 10:09 With fans already holding up posters and making T-shirts that say, "Pay them what you owe them," a response to the seemingly lackluster response from the WNBA to new terms and increased revenue sharing, we've seen that visual representation is more important than ever. 10:24 Fan buy-in to player stories and narratives is a close second. If the players are the products and the fans are the consumers, the WNBA can be and likely will be swayed by fan sentiment and player demands. 10:39 The WNBA dropped a collab with Off-Brand earlier this month, signaling that they are trying to capture some cultural relevancy and are likely taking cues from the NBA more than we as fans realize at times. 10:52 But the WNBA has way too many player stories that they can tell with not enough staff to meet the growing demand. 10:58 They seemingly didn't finish the two original series they started last year, which are still available on the WNBA League Pass app, I think, if you wanna check them out, which just goes to show that media and narrative dominance are probably outside of their current capacity, which leaves the gap wide open for Together and other brands to fill. 11:18 Can Together, Unrivaled, and others rise to the occasion of leveraging their messaging and media platforms to positively affect current negotiations? My money is on the fans and the players, so I think the answer is yes. 11:32 What do you think?
