July 27, 2024 • 35 mins
Rob Parker takes Gilbert Arenas for his xenophobic comments about the South Sudan basketball team, discusses why Cheryl Miller is misguided when she says that the WNBA deserves $8 billion from the NBA as part of their new media rights and explains why the NBA dumping Inside the NBA for the Amazon package is a slap in the face to basketball fans.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Bruson and Ron Harker.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Gilbert Arenas, who has a podcast who Flies Off the
Handle System Crazy with sugar and stuff on the podcast,
has really taken it to a new level. After the
United States victory from the Jazz fairly beat Soudan South Sudan,
they were favored by forty three points forty three and
(00:53):
a half. Let's get it right and the United States
one by one when Lebron James had an un Uh
had an easy layup unguarded layup to win the game
and give the US a one point victory.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
And so Gilbert Arenas was not happy and went off.
We all most lost the drive.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
This is crazy man in beat over there throwing the game.
He thing the game for his cousins. He was supposed
to be losing to air up there. Come on, man,
cool Runnings. Weren't supposed to lose for the cool running team.
They don't even have shoot They get their shoes from America.
We gotta ship them shoes. They don't even have basketball ribs.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
When I seen he had to walk what an hour
and a half to go shoot basketball. We losing to
people who don't even they got baskets in the back.
They shooting on peach baskets in.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Dirt, no shoes. Yeah, this is this is the is
the nphobic.
Speaker 6 (02:03):
It's really some self hate racism, you know. But the
thing is too he's trying to be funny and it's
falling on deaf ears because he's factually incorrect, especially when
you consider the amount of money that lou All Dang
and others around the Royal Ivy and the like have
invested in basketball in what I believe is the youngest
(02:23):
country on the planet, South Sudan.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Has he heard of NFL Africa, NBA Africa.
Speaker 6 (02:29):
Well, and Luke and Luke and Ba Mute was a
big part of that, right, so you already have that.
That's how you find the guy like Joellen beating the
first dog on place was like I don't know what
he was doing before he's playing basketball, but he was.
She didn't start until he was much until he was
like a sophomore junior in high.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
School, in part because of that.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
But this, look, there's plenty of ways to talk about
how disappointed you were in Team USA without making fun
of the opponent. I was witting on Saturday. VJ and
I were doing the show Saturday eight to eleven Eastern.
We were on just forty five minutes after the game.
We both excoriated Team USA and had nothing but good
(03:07):
things to say about South Sudan likes. There's ways to
do it where you're not literally the opponent, and especially
when you're sitting up just you're talking out the left
side of your mouth because you got no idea what
you're talking about. Especially when you consider, like I said,
the investment that they've put in to basketball in Southsudaan
and the NBA talent that they have both on the
roster and coaching their roster. It's just factually incorrect, and
(03:30):
it's and it's something that there's really no space for
in the commentary.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
And I'm glad to see that people are just laughing
it off.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
One and Gilbert Arenus, let's call them ignorant. The words
Martin are hateful, racist to all Africans. Why in the
world would you attack them? What did they do wrong
that you would want to chastise them and make fun
(03:59):
of their existence and how they've done things? And I
don't know people did research about Gilbert Aerenas today, whether
it matters or not, because it's just racist. Gilberterenas Martin
is he black to my knowledge until you look up
his Wikipedia and it says he's born two Cuban parents,
so he's Cuban, which nobody really knew, not that that
(04:24):
really matters. But my point is there's no place for this.
This is what happens when rich guys have nothing better
to do, so they get a podcast and people follow them,
and they get on and they think that they're so
cute and funny and they can just chastise. They don't
(04:45):
have to answer anybody Martin, right, there's no parent company.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
So they just say whatever they want.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
They do a disservice to the people that supposedly they
serve and how people are supposed to look at If
you're Gilbert Arenas and your alma made wants to invite
you to something, Martin, nor the NBA wants. How in
the world could Arizona invite Gilbert Arenas to anything? What
(05:14):
would you be in inviting him to after those kind
of comments?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Nothing?
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Is that really where you want to go. It's mean spirited,
it's hurtful. There's just so many things that are wrong
with this. Really, that's your comedy act. That's how you
think you want to make fun of the Africans who
put on a ballgame, Martin, because the US let him
(05:42):
stay in the game and you talked about it. They've
worked hard, They've had instructions and coaches come over from
the United States.
Speaker 6 (05:51):
I me Royal Ivy coaches a team that was Kevin
Durant's teammate of Texas. Louell dang is the president of
the Foundation of South studin Basketball addition assistant coach on
the team.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
He played in the NBA for what fifteen years.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Not like they were out there playing in the middle
of the continent with no supervision and they just showed
up to play basketball with no shoes.
Speaker 6 (06:13):
Not like they just walked down. He picked fifteen players.
It's like, hey, you.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Guys want to play basketball. You got a game. Guys
over there, Hey, why don't you come over here? What
no shoes? Don't worry about it?
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Really is that where we're going to make fun of
African people.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
It's just playing wrong.
Speaker 6 (06:33):
And it's also factually incorrect, Like it's also not true.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Like that's the other thing.
Speaker 6 (06:40):
It'd be one thing if he was actually truthful about it,
and then you can talk about the delivery and how
he was bringing up it's just not true.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
So it's like, not only are you going up there
and flatley lying, you're not even doing it funny, it's
not even funny. But but but why Martin?
Speaker 1 (06:55):
You know why because you don't have any other research
on it Exactly. If he had on any research before
making that, he would know all the facts that you know,
you just talked about. But this is how these podcasts,
This is my biggest pushback when I talk about a
lot of these podcasts that athletes are doing.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Hey, get into space, do whatever you want to do.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Guys, how many times have you listened to these podcasts?
No pushback, no research, nothing, They're just talking.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Really, it would have been nice.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
If somebody would have been on the podcast to push
back and say, do you know that They put a
lot of money into South Sudan and they got the
former NBA players who are coaching them.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Hey, did you know that it's not the Cosby kids
playing basketball on a Saturday? What are the kids from
South Sudan? This was a G League MVP.
Speaker 6 (07:50):
Last year, right, Like, there are several winion game you'll
play for the Lakers. He would got minutes for the Lakers.
Gotta end up getting cut, got cut by Boston this year.
But the point remains. He was in training camp, So
it's he did. They just find him right, like, not
even want to play. He's a good player, So Gilbert.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Areen, I mean after that, I mean, I'm sure he's
wanted maybe when Amazon gets the contract for the NBA
and be on the pre and post game show.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Is that who you want? Like?
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Like, why why go there? Why do that? I just
don't understand it. You already know, but what I'm telling you,
because it's not his job, it's a hobby, and they
don't feel that they can be hurt in any way,
right Martin, there's there's a part of that that allows
(08:40):
people to do stuff that's just playing wrong. And I
don't know how he felt or thought that that was
going to be received.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
I just don't. I don't know.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
Well, this is part of it where this is the
part of the situation where you end up where the
media landscape now is dominated by people who are famous
for doing something besides talking on in the met Right,
gilvit Arenas.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Is not famous because of his podcast.
Speaker 6 (09:03):
He's famous because he played professional basketball for whoever long, Right, But.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
People making like these are respected that broadcasters, and he's
not the case. And once again he's proving to you
and showing you that you can listen all you want.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
I'm not mad. I don't care what his numbers are.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
You can listen all you want. You've got to hire
profile him. I didn't play any NBA. I went to
journalism school. I have a corporate business here Premiere Networks
and Fox Sports Radio that will hold me to a
certain standard.
Speaker 6 (09:36):
Look, if I had come out on Saturday after the game,
me and VJ were the first to one of the
first people to talk about that on national radio. If
I come out like Gil with Arenas, then I probably
would have got a text from the boss saying, don't
worry about Monday, go ahead, You're good you're gonna sit on.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
The don't worry about Monday, right, might not even be here.
I mean, come on, Martin stupidity.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
And the thing is Rob you are you said is
go to the get sent to the principal's office.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Right. There's no principal's office for him to go to. No,
And that's the issue.
Speaker 6 (10:06):
It's the only thing that is going to be the
court of public opinion, which you know, I saw several
people on Twitter go ahead and put their two cents
in it saying how wrong this was, Mary mac being
one of them on board up here pop right up.
But I searched Gilberria Souse who did. But there's a
bunch of people who are pushing back on this. But
the reality of the situation is without a big groundswell
(10:27):
of online, of people online saying like this is wrong,
this needs to stop, like you know, quote unquote cancel him.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Unfortunately, there's not gonna be much to say here.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
And let's bring in Mary Mary on this, because she
would totally bother by Yeah this, Mary, tell everybody.
Speaker 7 (10:44):
Well.
Speaker 8 (10:44):
I mean I just feel like in terms of and
even like before the game, I think Paul Pierce had
also said some stuff on I think it's undisputed the
f S one and he ended up during the game
apologized on air and you know, was saying like oh
sorry and wasn't familiar. But I think the thing is
like people with that platform when you go about, you know,
ignorantly talking about Africans or even the South Sudan team
(11:07):
like and not realizing like, okay, a lot of these
kids aren't like actually just you know, like I think
it's it's bigger than basketball, and it goes to show like, Okay,
it's not okay to be ignorant, and there are people
in these spaces that you know you're in that you
know some of them have that same background like I'm
South Sudanese and hearing that, I was like, okay, that's
not okay at all. And it just goes to show
(11:28):
like it pushes such a negative connotation and it put
a negative agenda when that's like the last thing you
should be doing.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
It's just stereotypical hate and racism.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
I mean, yeah, there's nothing. I don't even know what
other words to do.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
The one that comes to minds to me is just
lazy because if you watch the game and paying attention
to the game. There's so many things that you can
pick at from the United States performance that's got nothing
to do with the opponent.
Speaker 8 (11:55):
I mean, a lot of these kids, you know, look
up to Gilbert Arenas or Paul Pierce or like a
lot of these kids lived out here in America or
grew up in Australia. So these kids looked up to
all these NBA players.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
And let me give you this.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Twelve players on the South Sudan Nee SUDA and roster
you ready, Martin one play in the NBA one one
G League MVP. What you mentioned, Five played professionally in
Australia and five played college basketball in America.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
They don't think, I believe, look at the team think.
Speaker 6 (12:24):
I don't know if it's kinded on the list, but
one of them kids is about to be a freshman
at Duke next year. So it's like these dudes could
play like they could. Are they NBA All Stars?
Speaker 9 (12:34):
No?
Speaker 6 (12:34):
But don't make it like the United States have won
that game handily probably soon.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
He made it like they were like they were like
they were bush men with no shoes and a peach
basket for a hoop, and they came out and almost bet.
Speaker 8 (12:47):
Yeah, a lot of these kids are first gen Sudanese
Americans are first gen Australian kids.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 6 (12:53):
Team USA should have pounded Germany into obliteration today, but
that didn't happen either.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
So what's the jokes there? Like, you know, like, yeah,
I'm just not a fan.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
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Speaker 9 (13:12):
Hey, we're Covino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
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Speaker 3 (13:17):
But here's the thing. We never have enough time to
get to everything we want to get to.
Speaker 10 (13:20):
And that's why we have a brand new podcast called
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our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy will be over promising things we never
have time for.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Yeah, you blubber list Jam and me.
Speaker 9 (13:35):
Well you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years.
Speaker 10 (13:39):
Well, it's a Cavino and Rich after show, and we
want you to be a part of it. We're gonna
be talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk
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about something or we didn't have enough time, it will
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Speaker 9 (13:53):
Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make
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the way, so maybe we'll go at it a little harder.
It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time.
Speaker 10 (14:03):
There you go, over Promising. Remember you could see it
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wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
First, we want to from talk about the WNBA Cheryl Miller,
who's a little worked up about the new television contract
that the NBA got and the share that it gave
the WNBA out of all of the well the seventy
six million dollars over eleven years a billion, I'm sorry,
(14:36):
over over eleven over eleven years, Rob g and and
tell us uh the amount of money the WNBA got
out of that.
Speaker 11 (14:44):
So on the current media rights deal, the WNBA receives
sixty million dollars a season from the NBA because again
they have zero subsidized by the NBA. With this new
television contract kicking in starting a after this next season,
that number is being raised over three hundred percent. They're
(15:05):
going to be receiving two hundred million dollars a year
for a total of two point two billion. Only problem
is the WNBA Players Association president and now Cheryl Miller
are unhappy about the massive raise.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Take a listen.
Speaker 12 (15:25):
Reporting about a two point two billion dollar meteorite steal
out there. There's a rumor of it reporting about the
next meeting.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
That's then if you I'm not great with numbers.
Speaker 12 (15:36):
Low ball, why do you say that.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
That's a low ball? You're saying how much?
Speaker 12 (15:40):
Two point two billion over all? Not enough, not even close. Now,
I'm not trying to inflate it a whole lot, but
a two's nice and eight would be better. That's what
I'm talking about, because they know, they know, and we
certainly have come a long way, and I'm not about gouging.
But it's a long time overdue and we're going to
(16:02):
continue to get better and better. All you have to
do is look at you know, college basketball and what's
coming next. The next wave, the next wave of excitement,
and you have this now and pretty soon we're going
to add another gold medal. So women's basketball is in
a great place right now.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Cheryl Miller, is this on? Stop it, Cheryl Miller. I
get it. You know you had the microphone. Somebody asked
you a question, so you decided. But what, Cheryl Miller,
don't understand that before this year and Caitlin Clark, the
W and WNBA.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Stood for welfare. Okay, that's what it stood for, Aphraim.
Speaker 13 (16:47):
And for years, for twenty nine years, they've been taking
the one hundred and sixty ounce box of frosted flakes
with no sugar on it and the government cheese from
the NBA as this league law us money hand over fist.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
It lost money.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
And now all of a sudden, a three hundred percent
increase ain't good enough. Cheryl Miller, stop it. I ain't
got news for you. Kaitlin Clark is the Harlem Globe Trotters.
When she goes and plays, they show up in the
numbers of their They still getting five and six thousand
(17:28):
at these other games where Caitlyn Clark is nowhere to
be seen. They still aren't watching those games. So before
you get big and bad and tell us how great
it is, even this year with Kaitlyn Clark. These aren't
rob a Pedia numbers. These are from the Washington Post.
The WNBA, the welfare NBA, as i'll call it.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
It's scheduled to lose fifty million dollars this year.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
So Cheryl, you want an a You want eight billion
paid back all the money the last twenty nine years
that the.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
NBA put in.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
If this was a real business, he from this league
would have been out of business twenty five years ago.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Okay, if it was a real business.
Speaker 7 (18:15):
Well when And look, I'm not gonna go so far
as to disrespect the WNBA calling the w welfare Okay,
I'm not gonna be that. I'm not gonna be that guy.
I'm married, I got a wife at home, a woman
at home, Okay, Okay, But I will say this. I
think it's tremendous. I think the opportunity to increase player
salaries for the women of the WNBA is amazing. Most
(18:41):
of the women who start in the WNBA in the
offseason go play overseas so they could subsidize their income.
Allow the whole Britney grinnerd situation where you know, she
got in trouble and then prisoned in Russia because she
was going over to the play because I.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Was her other team.
Speaker 7 (18:57):
That's the only way she can make me play exactly.
So I get this increase, and the two point two
billion dollars, I think at a three hundred percent increase
than what it was. I think it's tremendous. You're absolutely right.
Since ninety seven, the WNBA has been losing ten million
dollars a year that the NBA has subsidized. This year,
(19:21):
it's going to be fifty million dollars. And some may
be asking, well, how is that possible when viewership and
numbers are up. It's because they now have chartered flights,
My dear, expenses have gone off. So each team, I
believe the chartered flights are about roughly twenty five I
mean twenty five million dollars to charter all these flights
or something like that.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
That's because the stock for Southwest went down down at
the w.
Speaker 7 (19:46):
And and so business is business. Emotions are emotions, but
numbers don't lie. And that's the thing, right, So when
you're dealing with business and you're dealing with revenue and
profit sharing and all of those things. Those numbers are
pretty precise now. Having an increase of two point two
(20:07):
billion dollars over the next eleven years, I think it's tremendous.
Having a two hundred million dollar boost every year for
the WNBA, I think it's tremendous. I think it's tremendous.
Strides what I would say to Cheryl Miller, who was
a goat all right, an all time grade. I remember
when Cheryl was younger, not when it comes to math numbers.
(20:29):
She says she's not good with numbers. She said that,
and thank you for saying it, But that's what she said.
That's her. But I mean, I remember, this is the
first conversation whatever, Like, man, it's a woman who can
play in the NBA, and it was her and so
I respect her game and her knowledge of the game.
And it was awesome watching her coach in the All
Star Game. But the reality of the situation is we
(20:54):
have the WNBA has not been profitable at all.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Ever.
Speaker 7 (20:59):
In order to get that two to an eight, you
have to be profitable. Now, I agree with what she's saying.
We're all time high in women's basketball, women's sports in general,
the new crop of kids, the jujus in college and
all of all of that.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
It's coming, right, it's coming. It's not here yet. I
get that, but it still doesn't translate.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
And and I've said this forever, until women start going
to w NBA game.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Well, yeah, that's what it's.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Okay, you don't need the men, you don't need you
don't even need from need the men. Women take their kids,
their husband, their boyfriends to w NBA games.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
You sell out, you watch the games.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
The bottom line business Okay, if you got the numbers,
business will say what, Oh they're watching. Oh the building
is sold out, Oh the tickets are season tickets got
snapped up in three hours.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
To it's business. It happened in Indiana, but that's the
only place that.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Ha right, And that's what I'm trying to say. You're
looking at what Caitlin Clark has done, and you're trying
to act like it's over.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
The entire league. It's not.
Speaker 7 (22:14):
It's not, but that's the perception of it, right, because
we see her play more than anybody else, We talk
about her more than anybody else. So the perception is, oh,
this league, oh my god, it's booming. That's not necessarily
the case. She is a tremendous talent. I think what
(22:34):
her Angel Reese is doing them being in the All
Star Game together, playing together, I think it's awesome. Next
correct steps for building this brand into something that is profitable,
something that is going to grow in the near future
and keep going, something that's driving young girls to play
(22:57):
and want to be great.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
I think all of those are right. But to skip so.
Speaker 7 (23:02):
You're not you not only want a three hundred increase
in revenue isn't good and and and uh of money
isn't good enough? You want like a twelve hundred you know,
twelve d percent increase?
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Right like? Which which is in business?
Speaker 1 (23:20):
It's unheard of on her nobody jon Vini iPhone right.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Not exactly.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
There was something that was never on the planet before
that that came into play under the WNBA.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
And disrespectful to Cheryl because this is not a right.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
But this is not about her personally, or about her
ability to play or where she stands in women's basketball.
I'm telling you her math is wrong, and I'm telling
you that they've been subsidized for almost thirty years. Okay,
if this was real business, Cheryl Miller, the league would
have been boarded up twenty five years ago. Like you
(23:59):
open up a business from my I own a barbershop
in Detroit twenty two years.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Like if we weren't making money, you think we'd still
be open? Of course not. Is that where you get
your haircut? No?
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Okay, good, that's here in La I need a haircut.
I got an apartment be quiety from. Don't take away
from what I'm trying to say.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
You're making a great point.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
But that's what it comes down to. And I don't
know what math they're doing in the WNBA. And they
see the big contract.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
What's flashing right now?
Speaker 1 (24:30):
They right now, and they think that they deserve the
same thing and they should be making the same salaries
that the NBA players are making.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Where's while two hundred million dollar deal? What?
Speaker 9 (24:42):
What?
Speaker 3 (24:43):
No?
Speaker 7 (24:44):
Look the fact that you can watch WNBA games regularly
on television this year, it's another big step right Like
they were on like YouTube, they were on like I mean,
I wouldn't even have known outside of one or two
games what the TV deal looked like for a wnbaa game.
(25:07):
Prior to this season.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
I can remember I had four tickets to a Sparks game,
LA Sparks game, and I was like, I'm not going
I left them on my wind chield. I went inside
to a restaurant. I came back out and there were
eight tickets and a big chunk of government cheese.
Speaker 7 (25:24):
Oh my gosh, I'm knew for a fact that wasn't
going to no wear good all right, grac out of control.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
We know. I'm just gonna tell it like it is.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
TNT played a dangerous game of chicken with the NBA. Okay,
if you have something that you really want, you don't
play around when negotiations open. How much is gonna cost?
Let's get this thing done. No, the president of you know,
I know it's Warner Discovery. I don't know the name
(26:09):
of it, right, it's like a million name now, TNT. Okay,
he goes on the record that says T and T
could live with survive without the NB did say that
that was.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
On the record. I know.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Okay, So if I'm the NBA, Okay, I got you
I heard what you said like a threat, right that
you don't come to the table, you don't do what
we want, we'll move on. That's what it sounded like
to me. Like a threat, a veiled threat.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
So the.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Bargaining starts and the other networks get involved. The NBC
had been out for a gazillion years.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
They want to sell peacock. They want to be able
to get people to buy the streaming service. So you
got to you got to give people a reason to
pay the five ninety nine or whatever it is. So
in the last hour, TNT runs back and said, wait,
there's a clause. We can match any deal. You know,
the big deal with Amazon that Amazon grabbed their deal. O, hey,
(27:04):
we can match it. So they come up and say,
here it is. We'll give you exactly what Amazon is
gonna give you. And guess what, Rob g the NBA said,
no way, no how, and then this press release amazing.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Yeah, they said thank you, but no thank you.
Speaker 11 (27:24):
Here's the press release in part, Warner brother Discovery's most
recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime
Videos offer, and therefore we have entered into a long
term arrangement with Amazon. They close it with We're grateful
to turn our sports for its award winning coverage of
the NBA and look forward to another season of the
(27:45):
NBA on TNT, which.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
Is next year, which is the last year.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
But Aaron, I gotta tell you right here, right now,
if you're an NBA fan.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
And TNT is going to sue, I don't know why
they're gonna waste their money.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Okay, you can't force somebody to want to be a partner,
like seriously, like it's just gonna be a waste of money.
I have no idea why they would do that. The
NBA has obviously doesn't want to be there. And if
you're an NBA fan financially and all that and the future,
I get why the NBA picked Amazon. They got gobs
(28:19):
of money, global all that. But if you're an NBA
fan today, you gotta feel like you got slapped across.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
The face by the NBA.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Because they just took away something that you were comfortable
with that worked. You talk about comfort food, mac and cheese.
Don't tell me inside the NBA like here they had
a chance. The NBA had a chance. It ain't like
TNT said, we're gonna give you a third of the money.
(28:51):
They were going to match the money, so the NBA
wasn't gonna lose any money by getting back in bed
with TNT. And instead of doing what the fans want.
How many people have tried to imitate inside the NBA
and they can't do it. It's the best studio show
we've ever seen. And the NBA had a chance to
(29:13):
give it back to the fans that have watched it,
adored it, have loved it, and they said, no, we
don't care about Charles and the inside the NBA and
Kenny and we kindling that we don't care if the
fans love this more than life itself, we don't care.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
It's no.
Speaker 14 (29:37):
It's frustrating as a fan because ultimately today it's exactly
what you just said, is the money is even First
of all, whatever happened to just being a good partner, right?
And I understand, as you said, the president of TNT
whatever the corporate company is, he did say on the record, hey,
look we can survive without the NBA. Now, I'll say
(29:58):
I do wonder if he said that at a time
where he thought that he had leverage that maybe there
weren't going to be as many bidders.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
I think that's what but he but you can't say
that on the record, even if you believe it.
Speaker 14 (30:08):
Now I agree, and I'm not saying that TNT is
blameless here. But at the same time, like and I
think this is a frustrating part about being a sports
fan in twenty twenty four every single man. Keep in
mind too, by the way, keep in mind that we're
talking about billions of dollars.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Think about this, what is it.
Speaker 14 (30:28):
Jason Tatum, because of this new TV deal, in the
final year of his new contract, is going to make
seventy million dollars.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
So the money is the same.
Speaker 14 (30:38):
Players are making more than they ever could have imagined
even a decade ago. Owners these these franchises are worth
so much money. The Celtics are selling their team right
off of a championship, and so the money is there.
Everybody's making money, and at some point, like why can
it never be about the fans? Why is it always
(30:59):
at making every single dollar? Think about I'm sure you
and Chris talked about it at the time the NFL
Christmas Day. Now it's on Netflix. I understand that most
people have Netflix, but to watch the NFL, you gotta
have Netflix, you gotta have CBS, Fox, Amazon Thursdays, and
it's like, when is it ever about the fans? And ultimately,
at the end of the day, I think the other
(31:20):
factor is exactly what you said.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
It's not just some other network.
Speaker 14 (31:25):
It's not just it is an iconic brand that the
NBA is taking. The NBA is choosing money and exposure
and this and that over the iconic brand of TNT.
You could argue the most popular thing about the NBA
in general is inside the NBA Chuck Shack, Kenny Ernie.
(31:46):
And you're just giving it all away. And as you said,
it's not as though there's more money, it's the same money,
and you're just pushing it aside. I just as a
consumer of not just the NBA but sports in general.
At some point point, when is it ever gonna be
about the fans again? Rather than just making the most
possible money that you can spot on.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
It's just and in this case, they weren't losing anymore.
That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
This could have been a feel good I know Chag
Barkley said he was gonna retire regardless.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Next year was his last, but.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
They could have still kept that show that's been on
for almost like thirty years or whatever.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
It's a it's a real.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Part of and and all the other networks salivate on
trying to be able to get that. And there are
a lot of bad games and people still don't care.
They still want to watch the Inside the NBA.
Speaker 14 (32:36):
I'll tell you there's times where some of those West
Coast games maybe you know I live on the West Coast,
so it's easier. But if you don't catch the end,
I'll go back the next day and watch Inside the
NBA on YouTube just to be like, Okay, I miss this,
I miss that. And that is the part, like you said,
if the money was different, I understand it's a business,
but the money is the same, and the inside the
(32:58):
NBA guys are so SENI nononymous with this sport. And
to your point, the NBA could have done right by
their fans.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Do you know fans would have rejoiced today if they
were saying because most are saying I don't have Amazon, Like,
let's not everybody doesn't have Amazon Prime.
Speaker 14 (33:16):
I no, no, I agree, And and even if you do,
if there's no inside the because one thing that listen,
I get to your point, earlier. Amazon is global. Amazon
reaches every corner of the.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Globecause they're printing money, okay, and their money's not gonna
run out.
Speaker 14 (33:32):
No, their money's not gonna run out. But also what
I think the tactical mistake from both the NBA and
Amazon is is that Amazon sees the success of Thursday
night Football and they say, well, you know, I mean,
we're crushing it in football. The NBA is in football
Thursday night, that's the only game on and if you
want to watch it, you have to have Amazon where Respectfully,
(33:55):
if it's a Thursday night game, there's eighty two of
these things, even if it's the Lakers, even if it's
the But.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
It's still about all they care about they don't is
the people signing up for their service. That that's sure
if you can get somebody to put in I don't know,
I don't even know what is it fourteen dollars a
month or what, like, you know, you know what kind
of cash that is. If twenty million people sign up
(34:23):
at fourteen dollars a month, like like that's free money,
Like that's the that's what they're looking for. And they
realize they have to offer you something to get you
you know, these other streaming services. You got to really
pick five ninety nine here, six ninety nine here. You know,
you got to say, do I really want that? When
you add it all up, like paying for cable anyway.
Speaker 14 (34:42):
One hundred percent No. So, but I keep going back
to what you said, the money is the same. You
could have done right by your fans, and Rob I
think I cut you off because you said it, and
you're right. This would have been a day of celebration
if the NBA just put kind of their egos aside
and said, you know what, money's the same. They've been
our partner for thirty years. The world loves Chuck, Kenny, Shaq, Ernie.
(35:05):
Let's figure out a way to get this done.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
There you go. And instead they said no, they're not
doing it and they don't care.
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live
every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Bruson and Ron Harker.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Gilbert Arenas, who has a podcast who Flies Off the
Handle System Crazy with sugar and stuff on the podcast,
has really taken it to a new level. After the
United States victory from the Jazz fairly beat Soudan South Sudan,
they were favored by forty three points forty three and
(00:53):
a half. Let's get it right and the United States
one by one when Lebron James had an un Uh
had an easy layup unguarded layup to win the game
and give the US a one point victory.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
And so Gilbert Arenas was not happy and went off.
We all most lost the drive.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
This is crazy man in beat over there throwing the game.
He thing the game for his cousins. He was supposed
to be losing to air up there. Come on, man,
cool Runnings. Weren't supposed to lose for the cool running team.
They don't even have shoot They get their shoes from America.
We gotta ship them shoes. They don't even have basketball ribs.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
When I seen he had to walk what an hour
and a half to go shoot basketball. We losing to
people who don't even they got baskets in the back.
They shooting on peach baskets in.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Dirt, no shoes. Yeah, this is this is the is
the nphobic.
Speaker 6 (02:03):
It's really some self hate racism, you know. But the
thing is too he's trying to be funny and it's
falling on deaf ears because he's factually incorrect, especially when
you consider the amount of money that lou All Dang
and others around the Royal Ivy and the like have
invested in basketball in what I believe is the youngest
(02:23):
country on the planet, South Sudan.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Has he heard of NFL Africa, NBA Africa.
Speaker 6 (02:29):
Well, and Luke and Luke and Ba Mute was a
big part of that, right, so you already have that.
That's how you find the guy like Joellen beating the
first dog on place was like I don't know what
he was doing before he's playing basketball, but he was.
She didn't start until he was much until he was
like a sophomore junior in high.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
School, in part because of that.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
But this, look, there's plenty of ways to talk about
how disappointed you were in Team USA without making fun
of the opponent. I was witting on Saturday. VJ and
I were doing the show Saturday eight to eleven Eastern.
We were on just forty five minutes after the game.
We both excoriated Team USA and had nothing but good
(03:07):
things to say about South Sudan likes. There's ways to
do it where you're not literally the opponent, and especially
when you're sitting up just you're talking out the left
side of your mouth because you got no idea what
you're talking about. Especially when you consider, like I said,
the investment that they've put in to basketball in Southsudaan
and the NBA talent that they have both on the
roster and coaching their roster. It's just factually incorrect, and
(03:30):
it's and it's something that there's really no space for
in the commentary.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
And I'm glad to see that people are just laughing
it off.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
One and Gilbert Arenus, let's call them ignorant. The words
Martin are hateful, racist to all Africans. Why in the
world would you attack them? What did they do wrong
that you would want to chastise them and make fun
(03:59):
of their existence and how they've done things? And I
don't know people did research about Gilbert Aerenas today, whether
it matters or not, because it's just racist. Gilberterenas Martin
is he black to my knowledge until you look up
his Wikipedia and it says he's born two Cuban parents,
so he's Cuban, which nobody really knew, not that that
(04:24):
really matters. But my point is there's no place for this.
This is what happens when rich guys have nothing better
to do, so they get a podcast and people follow them,
and they get on and they think that they're so
cute and funny and they can just chastise. They don't
(04:45):
have to answer anybody Martin, right, there's no parent company.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
So they just say whatever they want.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
They do a disservice to the people that supposedly they
serve and how people are supposed to look at If
you're Gilbert Arenas and your alma made wants to invite
you to something, Martin, nor the NBA wants. How in
the world could Arizona invite Gilbert Arenas to anything? What
(05:14):
would you be in inviting him to after those kind
of comments?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Nothing?
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Is that really where you want to go. It's mean spirited,
it's hurtful. There's just so many things that are wrong
with this. Really, that's your comedy act. That's how you
think you want to make fun of the Africans who
put on a ballgame, Martin, because the US let him
(05:42):
stay in the game and you talked about it. They've
worked hard, They've had instructions and coaches come over from
the United States.
Speaker 6 (05:51):
I me Royal Ivy coaches a team that was Kevin
Durant's teammate of Texas. Louell dang is the president of
the Foundation of South studin Basketball addition assistant coach on
the team.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
He played in the NBA for what fifteen years.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Not like they were out there playing in the middle
of the continent with no supervision and they just showed
up to play basketball with no shoes.
Speaker 6 (06:13):
Not like they just walked down. He picked fifteen players.
It's like, hey, you.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Guys want to play basketball. You got a game. Guys
over there, Hey, why don't you come over here? What
no shoes? Don't worry about it?
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Really is that where we're going to make fun of
African people.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
It's just playing wrong.
Speaker 6 (06:33):
And it's also factually incorrect, Like it's also not true.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Like that's the other thing.
Speaker 6 (06:40):
It'd be one thing if he was actually truthful about it,
and then you can talk about the delivery and how
he was bringing up it's just not true.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
So it's like, not only are you going up there
and flatley lying, you're not even doing it funny, it's
not even funny. But but but why Martin?
Speaker 1 (06:55):
You know why because you don't have any other research
on it Exactly. If he had on any research before
making that, he would know all the facts that you know,
you just talked about. But this is how these podcasts,
This is my biggest pushback when I talk about a
lot of these podcasts that athletes are doing.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Hey, get into space, do whatever you want to do.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Guys, how many times have you listened to these podcasts?
No pushback, no research, nothing, They're just talking.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Really, it would have been nice.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
If somebody would have been on the podcast to push
back and say, do you know that They put a
lot of money into South Sudan and they got the
former NBA players who are coaching them.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Hey, did you know that it's not the Cosby kids
playing basketball on a Saturday? What are the kids from
South Sudan? This was a G League MVP.
Speaker 6 (07:50):
Last year, right, Like, there are several winion game you'll
play for the Lakers. He would got minutes for the Lakers.
Gotta end up getting cut, got cut by Boston this year.
But the point remains. He was in training camp, So
it's he did. They just find him right, like, not
even want to play. He's a good player, So Gilbert.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Areen, I mean after that, I mean, I'm sure he's
wanted maybe when Amazon gets the contract for the NBA
and be on the pre and post game show.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Is that who you want? Like?
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Like, why why go there? Why do that? I just
don't understand it. You already know, but what I'm telling you,
because it's not his job, it's a hobby, and they
don't feel that they can be hurt in any way,
right Martin, there's there's a part of that that allows
(08:40):
people to do stuff that's just playing wrong. And I
don't know how he felt or thought that that was
going to be received.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
I just don't. I don't know.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
Well, this is part of it where this is the
part of the situation where you end up where the
media landscape now is dominated by people who are famous
for doing something besides talking on in the met Right,
gilvit Arenas.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Is not famous because of his podcast.
Speaker 6 (09:03):
He's famous because he played professional basketball for whoever long, Right, But.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
People making like these are respected that broadcasters, and he's
not the case. And once again he's proving to you
and showing you that you can listen all you want.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
I'm not mad. I don't care what his numbers are.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
You can listen all you want. You've got to hire
profile him. I didn't play any NBA. I went to
journalism school. I have a corporate business here Premiere Networks
and Fox Sports Radio that will hold me to a
certain standard.
Speaker 6 (09:36):
Look, if I had come out on Saturday after the game,
me and VJ were the first to one of the
first people to talk about that on national radio. If
I come out like Gil with Arenas, then I probably
would have got a text from the boss saying, don't
worry about Monday, go ahead, You're good you're gonna sit on.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
The don't worry about Monday, right, might not even be here.
I mean, come on, Martin stupidity.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
And the thing is Rob you are you said is
go to the get sent to the principal's office.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Right. There's no principal's office for him to go to. No,
And that's the issue.
Speaker 6 (10:06):
It's the only thing that is going to be the
court of public opinion, which you know, I saw several
people on Twitter go ahead and put their two cents
in it saying how wrong this was, Mary mac being
one of them on board up here pop right up.
But I searched Gilberria Souse who did. But there's a
bunch of people who are pushing back on this. But
the reality of the situation is without a big groundswell
(10:27):
of online, of people online saying like this is wrong,
this needs to stop, like you know, quote unquote cancel him.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Unfortunately, there's not gonna be much to say here.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
And let's bring in Mary Mary on this, because she
would totally bother by Yeah this, Mary, tell everybody.
Speaker 7 (10:44):
Well.
Speaker 8 (10:44):
I mean I just feel like in terms of and
even like before the game, I think Paul Pierce had
also said some stuff on I think it's undisputed the
f S one and he ended up during the game
apologized on air and you know, was saying like oh
sorry and wasn't familiar. But I think the thing is
like people with that platform when you go about, you know,
ignorantly talking about Africans or even the South Sudan team
(11:07):
like and not realizing like, okay, a lot of these
kids aren't like actually just you know, like I think
it's it's bigger than basketball, and it goes to show like, Okay,
it's not okay to be ignorant, and there are people
in these spaces that you know you're in that you
know some of them have that same background like I'm
South Sudanese and hearing that, I was like, okay, that's
not okay at all. And it just goes to show
(11:28):
like it pushes such a negative connotation and it put
a negative agenda when that's like the last thing you
should be doing.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
It's just stereotypical hate and racism.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
I mean, yeah, there's nothing. I don't even know what
other words to do.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
The one that comes to minds to me is just
lazy because if you watch the game and paying attention
to the game. There's so many things that you can
pick at from the United States performance that's got nothing
to do with the opponent.
Speaker 8 (11:55):
I mean, a lot of these kids, you know, look
up to Gilbert Arenas or Paul Pierce or like a
lot of these kids lived out here in America or
grew up in Australia. So these kids looked up to
all these NBA players.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
And let me give you this.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Twelve players on the South Sudan Nee SUDA and roster
you ready, Martin one play in the NBA one one
G League MVP. What you mentioned, Five played professionally in
Australia and five played college basketball in America.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
They don't think, I believe, look at the team think.
Speaker 6 (12:24):
I don't know if it's kinded on the list, but
one of them kids is about to be a freshman
at Duke next year. So it's like these dudes could
play like they could. Are they NBA All Stars?
Speaker 9 (12:34):
No?
Speaker 6 (12:34):
But don't make it like the United States have won
that game handily probably soon.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
He made it like they were like they were like
they were bush men with no shoes and a peach
basket for a hoop, and they came out and almost bet.
Speaker 8 (12:47):
Yeah, a lot of these kids are first gen Sudanese
Americans are first gen Australian kids.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 6 (12:53):
Team USA should have pounded Germany into obliteration today, but
that didn't happen either.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
So what's the jokes there? Like, you know, like, yeah,
I'm just not a fan.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 9 (13:12):
Hey, we're Covino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
But here's the thing. We never have enough time to
get to everything we want to get to.
Speaker 10 (13:20):
And that's why we have a brand new podcast called
over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun in
our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy will be over promising things we never
have time for.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Yeah, you blubber list Jam and me.
Speaker 9 (13:35):
Well you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years.
Speaker 10 (13:39):
Well, it's a Cavino and Rich after show, and we
want you to be a part of it. We're gonna
be talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk
life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing
about something or we didn't have enough time, it will
continue on our after show called over Promised.
Speaker 9 (13:53):
Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make
sure you check out over Promised and also Uncensored by
the way, so maybe we'll go at it a little harder.
It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time.
Speaker 10 (14:03):
There you go, over Promising. Remember you could see it
on YouTube, but definitely join us listener Over Promised with
Cavino and Rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
First, we want to from talk about the WNBA Cheryl Miller,
who's a little worked up about the new television contract
that the NBA got and the share that it gave
the WNBA out of all of the well the seventy
six million dollars over eleven years a billion, I'm sorry,
(14:36):
over over eleven over eleven years, Rob g and and
tell us uh the amount of money the WNBA got
out of that.
Speaker 11 (14:44):
So on the current media rights deal, the WNBA receives
sixty million dollars a season from the NBA because again
they have zero subsidized by the NBA. With this new
television contract kicking in starting a after this next season,
that number is being raised over three hundred percent. They're
(15:05):
going to be receiving two hundred million dollars a year
for a total of two point two billion. Only problem
is the WNBA Players Association president and now Cheryl Miller
are unhappy about the massive raise.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Take a listen.
Speaker 12 (15:25):
Reporting about a two point two billion dollar meteorite steal
out there. There's a rumor of it reporting about the
next meeting.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
That's then if you I'm not great with numbers.
Speaker 12 (15:36):
Low ball, why do you say that.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
That's a low ball? You're saying how much?
Speaker 12 (15:40):
Two point two billion over all? Not enough, not even close. Now,
I'm not trying to inflate it a whole lot, but
a two's nice and eight would be better. That's what
I'm talking about, because they know, they know, and we
certainly have come a long way, and I'm not about gouging.
But it's a long time overdue and we're going to
(16:02):
continue to get better and better. All you have to
do is look at you know, college basketball and what's
coming next. The next wave, the next wave of excitement,
and you have this now and pretty soon we're going
to add another gold medal. So women's basketball is in
a great place right now.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Cheryl Miller, is this on? Stop it, Cheryl Miller. I
get it. You know you had the microphone. Somebody asked
you a question, so you decided. But what, Cheryl Miller,
don't understand that before this year and Caitlin Clark, the
W and WNBA.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Stood for welfare. Okay, that's what it stood for, Aphraim.
Speaker 13 (16:47):
And for years, for twenty nine years, they've been taking
the one hundred and sixty ounce box of frosted flakes
with no sugar on it and the government cheese from
the NBA as this league law us money hand over fist.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
It lost money.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
And now all of a sudden, a three hundred percent
increase ain't good enough. Cheryl Miller, stop it. I ain't
got news for you. Kaitlin Clark is the Harlem Globe Trotters.
When she goes and plays, they show up in the
numbers of their They still getting five and six thousand
(17:28):
at these other games where Caitlyn Clark is nowhere to
be seen. They still aren't watching those games. So before
you get big and bad and tell us how great
it is, even this year with Kaitlyn Clark. These aren't
rob a Pedia numbers. These are from the Washington Post.
The WNBA, the welfare NBA, as i'll call it.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
It's scheduled to lose fifty million dollars this year.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
So Cheryl, you want an a You want eight billion
paid back all the money the last twenty nine years
that the.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
NBA put in.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
If this was a real business, he from this league
would have been out of business twenty five years ago.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Okay, if it was a real business.
Speaker 7 (18:15):
Well when And look, I'm not gonna go so far
as to disrespect the WNBA calling the w welfare Okay,
I'm not gonna be that. I'm not gonna be that guy.
I'm married, I got a wife at home, a woman
at home, Okay, Okay, But I will say this. I
think it's tremendous. I think the opportunity to increase player
salaries for the women of the WNBA is amazing. Most
(18:41):
of the women who start in the WNBA in the
offseason go play overseas so they could subsidize their income.
Allow the whole Britney grinnerd situation where you know, she
got in trouble and then prisoned in Russia because she
was going over to the play because I.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Was her other team.
Speaker 7 (18:57):
That's the only way she can make me play exactly.
So I get this increase, and the two point two
billion dollars, I think at a three hundred percent increase
than what it was. I think it's tremendous. You're absolutely right.
Since ninety seven, the WNBA has been losing ten million
dollars a year that the NBA has subsidized. This year,
(19:21):
it's going to be fifty million dollars. And some may
be asking, well, how is that possible when viewership and
numbers are up. It's because they now have chartered flights,
My dear, expenses have gone off. So each team, I
believe the chartered flights are about roughly twenty five I
mean twenty five million dollars to charter all these flights
or something like that.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
That's because the stock for Southwest went down down at
the w.
Speaker 7 (19:46):
And and so business is business. Emotions are emotions, but
numbers don't lie. And that's the thing, right, So when
you're dealing with business and you're dealing with revenue and
profit sharing and all of those things. Those numbers are
pretty precise now. Having an increase of two point two
(20:07):
billion dollars over the next eleven years, I think it's tremendous.
Having a two hundred million dollar boost every year for
the WNBA, I think it's tremendous. I think it's tremendous.
Strides what I would say to Cheryl Miller, who was
a goat all right, an all time grade. I remember
when Cheryl was younger, not when it comes to math numbers.
(20:29):
She says she's not good with numbers. She said that,
and thank you for saying it, But that's what she said.
That's her. But I mean, I remember, this is the
first conversation whatever, Like, man, it's a woman who can
play in the NBA, and it was her and so
I respect her game and her knowledge of the game.
And it was awesome watching her coach in the All
Star Game. But the reality of the situation is we
(20:54):
have the WNBA has not been profitable at all.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Ever.
Speaker 7 (20:59):
In order to get that two to an eight, you
have to be profitable. Now, I agree with what she's saying.
We're all time high in women's basketball, women's sports in general,
the new crop of kids, the jujus in college and
all of all of that.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
It's coming, right, it's coming. It's not here yet. I
get that, but it still doesn't translate.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
And and I've said this forever, until women start going
to w NBA game.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Well, yeah, that's what it's.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Okay, you don't need the men, you don't need you
don't even need from need the men. Women take their kids,
their husband, their boyfriends to w NBA games.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
You sell out, you watch the games.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
The bottom line business Okay, if you got the numbers,
business will say what, Oh they're watching. Oh the building
is sold out, Oh the tickets are season tickets got
snapped up in three hours.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
To it's business. It happened in Indiana, but that's the
only place that.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Ha right, And that's what I'm trying to say. You're
looking at what Caitlin Clark has done, and you're trying
to act like it's over.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
The entire league. It's not.
Speaker 7 (22:14):
It's not, but that's the perception of it, right, because
we see her play more than anybody else, We talk
about her more than anybody else. So the perception is, oh,
this league, oh my god, it's booming. That's not necessarily
the case. She is a tremendous talent. I think what
(22:34):
her Angel Reese is doing them being in the All
Star Game together, playing together, I think it's awesome. Next
correct steps for building this brand into something that is profitable,
something that is going to grow in the near future
and keep going, something that's driving young girls to play
(22:57):
and want to be great.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
I think all of those are right. But to skip so.
Speaker 7 (23:02):
You're not you not only want a three hundred increase
in revenue isn't good and and and uh of money
isn't good enough? You want like a twelve hundred you know,
twelve d percent increase?
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Right like? Which which is in business?
Speaker 1 (23:20):
It's unheard of on her nobody jon Vini iPhone right.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Not exactly.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
There was something that was never on the planet before
that that came into play under the WNBA.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
And disrespectful to Cheryl because this is not a right.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
But this is not about her personally, or about her
ability to play or where she stands in women's basketball.
I'm telling you her math is wrong, and I'm telling
you that they've been subsidized for almost thirty years. Okay,
if this was real business, Cheryl Miller, the league would
have been boarded up twenty five years ago. Like you
(23:59):
open up a business from my I own a barbershop
in Detroit twenty two years.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Like if we weren't making money, you think we'd still
be open? Of course not. Is that where you get
your haircut? No?
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Okay, good, that's here in La I need a haircut.
I got an apartment be quiety from. Don't take away
from what I'm trying to say.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
You're making a great point.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
But that's what it comes down to. And I don't
know what math they're doing in the WNBA. And they
see the big contract.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
What's flashing right now?
Speaker 1 (24:30):
They right now, and they think that they deserve the
same thing and they should be making the same salaries
that the NBA players are making.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Where's while two hundred million dollar deal? What?
Speaker 9 (24:42):
What?
Speaker 3 (24:43):
No?
Speaker 7 (24:44):
Look the fact that you can watch WNBA games regularly
on television this year, it's another big step right Like
they were on like YouTube, they were on like I mean,
I wouldn't even have known outside of one or two
games what the TV deal looked like for a wnbaa game.
(25:07):
Prior to this season.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
I can remember I had four tickets to a Sparks game,
LA Sparks game, and I was like, I'm not going
I left them on my wind chield. I went inside
to a restaurant. I came back out and there were
eight tickets and a big chunk of government cheese.
Speaker 7 (25:24):
Oh my gosh, I'm knew for a fact that wasn't
going to no wear good all right, grac out of control.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
We know. I'm just gonna tell it like it is.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
TNT played a dangerous game of chicken with the NBA. Okay,
if you have something that you really want, you don't
play around when negotiations open. How much is gonna cost?
Let's get this thing done. No, the president of you know,
I know it's Warner Discovery. I don't know the name
(26:09):
of it, right, it's like a million name now, TNT. Okay,
he goes on the record that says T and T
could live with survive without the NB did say that
that was.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
On the record. I know.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Okay, So if I'm the NBA, Okay, I got you
I heard what you said like a threat, right that
you don't come to the table, you don't do what
we want, we'll move on. That's what it sounded like
to me. Like a threat, a veiled threat.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
So the.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Bargaining starts and the other networks get involved. The NBC
had been out for a gazillion years.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
They want to sell peacock. They want to be able
to get people to buy the streaming service. So you
got to you got to give people a reason to
pay the five ninety nine or whatever it is. So
in the last hour, TNT runs back and said, wait,
there's a clause. We can match any deal. You know,
the big deal with Amazon that Amazon grabbed their deal. O, hey,
(27:04):
we can match it. So they come up and say,
here it is. We'll give you exactly what Amazon is
gonna give you. And guess what, Rob g the NBA said,
no way, no how, and then this press release amazing.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Yeah, they said thank you, but no thank you.
Speaker 11 (27:24):
Here's the press release in part, Warner brother Discovery's most
recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime
Videos offer, and therefore we have entered into a long
term arrangement with Amazon. They close it with We're grateful
to turn our sports for its award winning coverage of
the NBA and look forward to another season of the
(27:45):
NBA on TNT, which.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
Is next year, which is the last year.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
But Aaron, I gotta tell you right here, right now,
if you're an NBA fan.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
And TNT is going to sue, I don't know why
they're gonna waste their money.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Okay, you can't force somebody to want to be a partner,
like seriously, like it's just gonna be a waste of money.
I have no idea why they would do that. The
NBA has obviously doesn't want to be there. And if
you're an NBA fan financially and all that and the future,
I get why the NBA picked Amazon. They got gobs
(28:19):
of money, global all that. But if you're an NBA
fan today, you gotta feel like you got slapped across.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
The face by the NBA.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Because they just took away something that you were comfortable
with that worked. You talk about comfort food, mac and cheese.
Don't tell me inside the NBA like here they had
a chance. The NBA had a chance. It ain't like
TNT said, we're gonna give you a third of the money.
(28:51):
They were going to match the money, so the NBA
wasn't gonna lose any money by getting back in bed
with TNT. And instead of doing what the fans want.
How many people have tried to imitate inside the NBA
and they can't do it. It's the best studio show
we've ever seen. And the NBA had a chance to
(29:13):
give it back to the fans that have watched it,
adored it, have loved it, and they said, no, we
don't care about Charles and the inside the NBA and
Kenny and we kindling that we don't care if the
fans love this more than life itself, we don't care.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
It's no.
Speaker 14 (29:37):
It's frustrating as a fan because ultimately today it's exactly
what you just said, is the money is even First
of all, whatever happened to just being a good partner, right?
And I understand, as you said, the president of TNT
whatever the corporate company is, he did say on the record, hey,
look we can survive without the NBA. Now, I'll say
(29:58):
I do wonder if he said that at a time
where he thought that he had leverage that maybe there
weren't going to be as many bidders.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
I think that's what but he but you can't say
that on the record, even if you believe it.
Speaker 14 (30:08):
Now I agree, and I'm not saying that TNT is
blameless here. But at the same time, like and I
think this is a frustrating part about being a sports
fan in twenty twenty four every single man. Keep in
mind too, by the way, keep in mind that we're
talking about billions of dollars.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Think about this, what is it.
Speaker 14 (30:28):
Jason Tatum, because of this new TV deal, in the
final year of his new contract, is going to make
seventy million dollars.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
So the money is the same.
Speaker 14 (30:38):
Players are making more than they ever could have imagined
even a decade ago. Owners these these franchises are worth
so much money. The Celtics are selling their team right
off of a championship, and so the money is there.
Everybody's making money, and at some point, like why can
it never be about the fans? Why is it always
(30:59):
at making every single dollar? Think about I'm sure you
and Chris talked about it at the time the NFL
Christmas Day. Now it's on Netflix. I understand that most
people have Netflix, but to watch the NFL, you gotta
have Netflix, you gotta have CBS, Fox, Amazon Thursdays, and
it's like, when is it ever about the fans? And ultimately,
at the end of the day, I think the other
(31:20):
factor is exactly what you said.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
It's not just some other network.
Speaker 14 (31:25):
It's not just it is an iconic brand that the
NBA is taking. The NBA is choosing money and exposure
and this and that over the iconic brand of TNT.
You could argue the most popular thing about the NBA
in general is inside the NBA Chuck Shack, Kenny Ernie.
(31:46):
And you're just giving it all away. And as you said,
it's not as though there's more money, it's the same money,
and you're just pushing it aside. I just as a
consumer of not just the NBA but sports in general.
At some point point, when is it ever gonna be
about the fans again? Rather than just making the most
possible money that you can spot on.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
It's just and in this case, they weren't losing anymore.
That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
This could have been a feel good I know Chag
Barkley said he was gonna retire regardless.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Next year was his last, but.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
They could have still kept that show that's been on
for almost like thirty years or whatever.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
It's a it's a real.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Part of and and all the other networks salivate on
trying to be able to get that. And there are
a lot of bad games and people still don't care.
They still want to watch the Inside the NBA.
Speaker 14 (32:36):
I'll tell you there's times where some of those West
Coast games maybe you know I live on the West Coast,
so it's easier. But if you don't catch the end,
I'll go back the next day and watch Inside the
NBA on YouTube just to be like, Okay, I miss this,
I miss that. And that is the part, like you said,
if the money was different, I understand it's a business,
but the money is the same, and the inside the
(32:58):
NBA guys are so SENI nononymous with this sport. And
to your point, the NBA could have done right by
their fans.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Do you know fans would have rejoiced today if they
were saying because most are saying I don't have Amazon, Like,
let's not everybody doesn't have Amazon Prime.
Speaker 14 (33:16):
I no, no, I agree, And and even if you do,
if there's no inside the because one thing that listen,
I get to your point, earlier. Amazon is global. Amazon
reaches every corner of the.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Globecause they're printing money, okay, and their money's not gonna
run out.
Speaker 14 (33:32):
No, their money's not gonna run out. But also what
I think the tactical mistake from both the NBA and
Amazon is is that Amazon sees the success of Thursday
night Football and they say, well, you know, I mean,
we're crushing it in football. The NBA is in football
Thursday night, that's the only game on and if you
want to watch it, you have to have Amazon where Respectfully,
(33:55):
if it's a Thursday night game, there's eighty two of
these things, even if it's the Lakers, even if it's
the But.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
It's still about all they care about they don't is
the people signing up for their service. That that's sure
if you can get somebody to put in I don't know,
I don't even know what is it fourteen dollars a
month or what, like, you know, you know what kind
of cash that is. If twenty million people sign up
(34:23):
at fourteen dollars a month, like like that's free money,
Like that's the that's what they're looking for. And they
realize they have to offer you something to get you
you know, these other streaming services. You got to really
pick five ninety nine here, six ninety nine here. You know,
you got to say, do I really want that? When
you add it all up, like paying for cable anyway.
Speaker 14 (34:42):
One hundred percent No. So, but I keep going back
to what you said, the money is the same. You
could have done right by your fans, and Rob I
think I cut you off because you said it, and
you're right. This would have been a day of celebration
if the NBA just put kind of their egos aside
and said, you know what, money's the same. They've been
our partner for thirty years. The world loves Chuck, Kenny, Shaq, Ernie.
(35:05):
Let's figure out a way to get this done.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
There you go. And instead they said no, they're not
doing it and they don't care.
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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