May 12, 2026 • 37 mins
Donna Orender, co-founder and commissioner of the Upshot League, joins Sarah to discuss adding the new developmental league to the pro women’s hoops space, some names you might recognize on Upshot's inaugural rosters, and what she hopes the league will look like in 10 years. Plus, Jose the Coyote can’t be stopped, it’s outta here, and getting back in the saddle.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're saying
I told you so, don't judge a team by their
first game. Welcome back Aces.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
That's more like it.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
It's Tuesday, May twelfth than On today's show, co founder
and commissioner of the Upshot League and former WNBA president
Donna Orender joins us to discuss adding to the pro
women's hoop space, when to expect a roster drop, and
what she wants the new league to look like in
ten years plus. Jose the Coyote can't be stopped.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
It's out of here and getting.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Back in the saddle. It's all coming up right after
this welcome back slices, here's what you need to know today.
Let's start with hoops and the final games from the
WNBA's opening weekend. After dropping their opener to the Valkyrie,
the Seattle Storm got their first win of the season
(00:50):
on Sunday, beating the Connecticut Sun eighty nine eighty two.
Friend of the show and co host of the Full
Circle podcast right here on Iheartwomen's Sports, Lexi Brown was
on fire in this one, leading the team with seventeen
points off the bench, including five May threes. Lage Johnson
put up sixteen points and Jade Melboyn had fifteen sons
Front tooth still. Also on Sunday, the New York Liberty
(01:13):
improved to two and zero with an overtime win over
the Washington Mystics ninety eight ninety three. Marine Johanns and
Brianna Stewart led the way with twenty five and twenty
three points respectively. As for the Sticks, recent UCLA grad
Lauren Betts settled in a little bit better in her
second pro game, grabbing her first w buckets. She finished
with seven points in eighteen minutes. Also, Kiki erie Fen
(01:34):
and Shakira Austin both got their second double doubles.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
In as many games.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Erie Fen had twenty points twelve rebounds. Austin went sixteen
to ten. The La Sparks finally made their regular season
debut on Sunday, fall into the reigning champs, the Las
Vegas Aces one oh five seventy eight. The Sparks Kelsey
Plump put up twenty seven points in the loss, but
wasn't happy with her team's effort, saying after the game quote.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
They punched us in the face.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
We didn't respond when someone is shooting sixty three percent.
It's going to be hard to win that game. I'm
disappointed in our effort end quote. Asas center, Asia Wilson
had nineteen points and four rebounds on the night, putting
her at twenty five hundred and two career rebounds in
two hundred and sixty nine w games.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
She's now tied.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
With Lisa Leslie for the third fastest player to reach
twenty five hundred boards in WNBA history. Finally, in the
nightcap on Sunday, Olympian Eileen Goo did the ceremonial banging
of the drum. Sheila e performed at halftime, and MNBA
legend Pau Gasol and Stanford coaching Legendara Vanderveer were among
those on hand as the Golden State Valkyries had their
(02:35):
home opener.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
The Valx improved to two.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
And zero with a ninety five seventy nine went over
the Phoenix Mercury and that one. Janel Salon stayed hot
with twenty one points, and Bay Area native Gabby Williams
added nineteen points in her home debut with the team.
More w The action continues tonight with the Atlanta Dream
taken on the Dallas Wings at eight pm Eastern. Minnesota
Links play in the Phoenix Mercury at ten eastern, and
the New York Liberty facing expansion team, the Portland Fire
(02:59):
that one also at ten pm Eastern to hockey. Monday
night's decisive Game five of the PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs
semi final series between the Minnesota Frost and Montreal Victoire
was postponed due to player safety concerns related to illness.
As of Monday afternoon, the league hadn't revealed details on
a rescheduled date or the illness, but did report that
(03:20):
a medical assessment has determined the symptoms are not consistent
with hantavirus. Whenever that game is played, the winner will
advance to play the Ottawa Charge in the Walter Cup Finals.
We'll keep you updated as soon as we have more information. Meantime,
we'll all try to stay calm and not think about
the last time we were closely monitoring reports, wondering if
a mysterious and terrifying illness might be nearing our cities
(03:44):
and ports to soccer. On Sunday night, the Washington Spirit
won their fifth game in a row, beating the Seattle
Rain one nil thanks to a late goal from Claudia Martinez.
There was a brief scare for the Spirit's Trinity Rodman
early in the second half. The star forward fell to
the ground going for a ball in front of the
goal on a cornerkick. She clutched her right ankle, had
a brief check in from the staff's physios, got up
(04:06):
limping and tried to continue playing, but was ultimately replaced
shortly after and spent the rest of the game on
the bench, where she was seen smiling, at least for
what it's worth. Next up for the Spirit, it's a
trip to California for a game against the San Diego
Wave on Friday, and you have to assume Jose the
Coyote will be getting his own first class seat on
that plane. The Spirit's good luck charm has certainly earned it.
(04:27):
The only midweek NDWSL game is tonight, when the Boston
Legacy take on the Orlando Pride. That's a seven pm
Eastern start to softball. UCLA felt to Nebraska seven to
two in Saturday's Big Ten Championship, but Bruin senior Megan
Grant broke the NCAA single season home run record with
her thirty eighth dinger break in a thirty one year
old record previously set by Arizona's Laura Espinosa. Grant could
(04:50):
add to her total two as the Bruins hope to
make a run in the Women's College World Series. Grant,
by the way, is a dual sport athlete at UCLA.
She joined the Bruins basketball program as a go slash
forward this year, and prior to the start of the
softball season, she played in thirteen games with the team,
making three of six field goal attempts for six points,
snagging four rebounds, and dishing out one assist. The Bruins,
(05:11):
of course, went on to win the national title more softball,
the D one NCUBLEA Softball tournament bracket is set with
sixty four teams on deck. After selection Sunday, Alabama edged
out Texas and Oklahoma for the number one overall seed,
and after managing all the conflicting softball rankings throughout the
regular season, isn't it nice to just have one singular
(05:32):
number we can use when describing each team. So heading
into the postseason, Alabama number one, twenty twenty five champions,
the Texas Longhorns number two, and regular season champion Oklahoma
sits at number three after losing last week's SEC tournament
in an upset to number ten Georgia. We'll link to
the full bracket in the show notes so you can
check out the rest of the seeds. The twenty twenty
(05:52):
six Ncuba Softball Championship kicks off Friday at eleven am
Eastern on ESPN. Later this week, we'll get you an
in depth preview of what to expect. Finally, in golf,
Thailand's Gino Titskun fought until the end to win the
Mizuho America Is Open in New Jersey on Sunday. Titskun
had a two shot lead at the start of the
final round, but China's Ruining Yin managed to rally from
(06:13):
four back to get within one shot. Titskun used a
pair of late birdies to get the job done, and
the victory marks her second LPGA Tour victory this year.
This is her fourth season with multiple wins since joining
the LPGA in twenty twenty two. The Mizuho America's Open
also marked the return of US pro Michelle we West,
who left competitive golf in twenty twenty three to focus
(06:34):
on her family. At a press conference after the first round.
We West described what it was like to step back
into competition for the first time in years.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Take a listen.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
I wasn't nervous really going in, and then I get
to the first team. I'm like, holy shit, I now
spell my curse words and I'm my mom and I
was like, wow, my whole all of a sudden, it
looks tho small. It's like I got to a two
foot I was like, I'm not going to hit the hole.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
There's no way.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
But you know, honestly, I'm so happy that I applied
today because as much practice as you can do, as
money money games as you can play, there's literally nothing
in the world that compares to the first round of
a tournament.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
So I thought today was great experience.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
We Wes ended the tournament in one hundred and eighteenth
out of one hundred and nineteen players. Her next test
will be June's US Open, a tournament she won back
in twenty fourteen.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Oh and one more thing slices.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Congrats to former US women's national team star Alex Morgan
and her partner Servando Carrasco, who announced on Mother's Day
that they're expecting their third child together. Morgan made the
announcement on Instagram and the San Diego Wave, the NWSL club.
She ended her career with commented, OMG, the hat trick classic.
All right, we're going to take a break. When we
come back, we talk Upshot with Donna Rinder joining us now.
(07:56):
She's the co founder and commissioner of the Upshot League,
professational women's developmental basketball league that begins played this week,
co founder and CEO of Generation w former president of
the WNBA.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
She was an All.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
American hooper at Queen's College and played professionally for all
three seasons of the Women's Pro Basketball League the WBL.
She was a member of the team that played in
the first women's game at Madison Square Garden.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
It's Donna orunder Hi, Donna, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
Yeah, sah Waite, thanks for all that great research.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
That's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yeah, we've heard a lot about that first game at MSG,
and I did not know that you were one of
the players.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
And that's so cool. It's really cool.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Not only was I one of the players, I was
the leading scorer of that game. Cast I had a guard,
Mary Ann Crawford Stanley. She was like, you know, the
most celebrated Garden the nation and I was like a
just turned seventeen year old freshman. It was awesome. I
love it.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
I actually want to talk about that.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
What I feel like must be a through line from
your experience playing pro to creating this league.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Because you were an all star.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
In the WBL, you dropped out of your master's program
to get to play pro.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
This was clearly something very meaningful to you.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
But the league disbanded in nineteen eighty one, so you
understand what it feels like to want to play and
not have an opportunity, which definitely feels like something you're
now fixing with this new league. So take me back
to that time before we ever get to the Upshot League.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Take me back to nineteen.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Eighty one and to that disappointment of looking around and saying,
where do I put this talent?
Speaker 4 (09:19):
We don't have to talk about how long ago with this,
but you really raise something that's really powerful because I
do remember coming to play basketball and I played at
Queen's College, which was at it was an elite team, right,
it was a very elite team. My coach, God bless her,
she's still alive. Coach Cavalege just got inducted into them
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. But I remember getting ready
(09:41):
to leave college and there was no place to play.
There was no place to play, and I'm like, oh,
my goodness. I was twenty one years old. I felt
like I was just starting to learn the game and
where was I going to take it? And I had
a chance to play overseas and I'm like, oh, you
know not, I'm getting old. I remember thinking that, and
(10:03):
I probably should get a real job if that's what's
going to happen. But I can go to graduate school.
And literally, out of the blue, my phone rang and
it was my AAU coach, Lamar, and he said, listen,
they're starting a women's professional basketball they do want to play.
And I couldn't say yes fast enough And what an
experience that was, right, Like what an experience have I
had in my life? And you're right, it was incredibly
(10:26):
special and it represented a pinnacle, a sense of achievement,
accomplishment that was not available to us. And so I
was lucky. I got to play all three years. My
first year I went to school, I'd go to graduate
school in the morning, do my practical whatever, and then
at night I'd go and practice with our team. We
(10:46):
were the New York Stars, and it was a thrill.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Really, you played for the Chicago Hustle, which my AAU
team was named the Chicago Hustle in honor of that
WBL league team.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
How cool is that? Yes, I played for the Chicago Hustle.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
So we're part of a through line of women's basketball
history history together.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Yeah, it's pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And then and then, of course, as
you know, the league went away. I was one of
very few players who played all three seasons. Again probably
luck of the draw at the time, and then once
again at a very young age. Now do I do right? Transition? Transition, transition,
So yes, I experienced that. And I will say this,
another thing that really added to this for me was
(11:30):
my son was a Division one basketball player played at Cal.
He wasn't an NBA player, but he was an excellent,
talented player and got the opportunity to play overseas. I
spent a lot of time going overseas to watch him
and see how it was done over there. You know,
they had Division one, Division two, Division three, Division four,
(11:51):
and every city and there were little villages loved their
team and those athletes loved playing for their city, and
I said, a lot, there's something beautiful about that. One.
I saw the pride in the athletes and this opportunity,
if you will, to continue their craft and have their
dream to get paid to play. And I saw these
(12:11):
communities that were just actually invested in these teams and
what it did for the like, you know what, the
little hustlers like you, Sarah, we got to like, you know,
watch these these professional athletes play. So both sides of
that really contributed to this idea for me.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Yeah, I mean, I think if you look at it
from the top down, you're like, we already have a
women's pro league. If you look at it from the
bottom up, you look at the massive opportunity it disappears
for the majority of players as soon as you whittle
down to the very small number of players that can
play in the w or even overseas in some of
these leagues. So we know that women's sports are booming,
(12:45):
but we also know there's still so much room for growth.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Compared to the men's side.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
So when you look around the space it's a couple
of years ago, what was it specifically that you thought
was missing that put into your mind the idea of
a new league.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Well one there was tremendously and I can't tell you
how this both pleases my heart and maybe fixes some
of the breaks that it had along the way. That
everyone wanted a WNBA team, and a time when like
I was running around the country trying to put my
finger in the dam so that people would keep their
teams right, So that was an amazing thing. Everyone wanted
WNBA team. The strategy became kind of clear. I'm going
(13:20):
to go with NBA markets. After all, the NBA owners,
I've invested a tremendous amount of money in the WNBA,
and they realized that there was a tremendous asset here
worthy of investment. And I realized there's so many markets.
Even at the end of the day. Look at all
of our major leagues, if you will, the NHL, you
look at the NBA, you look at Major League Baseball,
and I'm thinking, there's so many wonderful cities and communities
(13:41):
around this country that wouldn't have that. And so if
you take both of that, I'm like, WHOA One other
thing I should mention this is as I was vetting
WNBA teams for other people who would call me, and
then through investment groups that perhaps I would be involved with,
I realized that I wasn't going to get a team
in my city, and that meant something to me, and
(14:05):
at least that in any short amount of.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Time, Jacksonville is your city.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Jacksonville, Florida. Right, And remember I vented a lot of
cities when I was even at the WNBA. You know,
Shock Detroit moved to Tulsa, Tulsa moved to Dallas, We
started Atlanta Charlotte, which we now are bringing a team to,
which is really just poetic. Justice went away. So it's
not like I haven't been in cities and understanding what
makes them good. And I'm convinced that Jacksonville would be great.
(14:31):
But I know that Jacksonville is a great home for
the league's headquarters and now for the Jacksonville Waves.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
So you look around and you have the experience of
being the w president at a different time in women's
pro sports.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Now you're looking around. Within the last couple of.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Years, you're getting calls from people asking you is this
a good investment?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Do you want to join our expansion bid?
Speaker 1 (14:51):
All these other things, which gives you a modern look
at the landscape and you realize, instead of getting back
into the W game, I'm going to start my own game,
and I'm going to call it the Upshot League. It's
going to be a professional women's basketball league and another
place to put all the talent that can't find an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
What's the goal of your league? Are you competing with
the W? Are you a G league for the W?
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Are you just professional basketball in cities in which the
W doesn't exist?
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Like?
Speaker 2 (15:18):
How do you see what this league is?
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Yeah? Well, so first of all, let me just mention
my partner, Andy Kaufman, because he is the one who
called me because we were working on this women's basketball
thing together. It's another guy named Mark Walsh and Nanny.
As we went through all the iterations, he calls me
one day he goes, why do we do this on
our own? And I said, I'm in absolutely we should.
Because the other thing was as I was like, you know,
I was at a Liberty game and I had coaches
(15:40):
from major universities saying, you know, we really there's no
place for us to train. And I have gms and
team presidents and owners telling us, you know what, we
don't know where to get talent. We need a place
for our talent we can put them, and we've seen
where teams have gotten to that seven player level, so
I was hearing it basically also from that environment as well.
You know the Upshot League. Our ethos is we believe
(16:02):
that everyone deserves a shot to be their best and
so what does that fans like to translate to opportunity?
So let's create opportunity. And the opportunity is for the
WNBA as well, right, Like, we're not here to compete
with them, why would we, We're here to support them.
We're going to build a fan base for women's basketball.
We're going to create great professional women's basketball at markets
(16:23):
they would never be in. And you know, early on
I talked about cross marketing with some of the teams
and the owners liked it. They had to like shake
out of the CBA and that Wow, what an impact.
So we'll see, yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Complimentary is great because you get people on board with
your teams and your league and they turn their eye
to the rest of the country and maybe a space
they haven't deeply invested in or watched before. I did
notice a big name popped up on your Jacksonville waves
squad last week. Former Maryland standout Shyanne Sellers was drafted
by the Valkers two seasons ago, got waived. Has had
(16:55):
a couple of different WNBA training camp looks, but hasn't
been able to stick. So now she and up in
a place where people can watch her play regularly in
the US. Someone that they loved who was electric at Maryland.
A couple more names folks might remember from the college game.
I on a more former Notre Dame stand out Asia
dr of Louisville. So you're grabbing some of these players
that maybe couldn't stick on a roster in the W.
(17:17):
Do you think then that they can get called back
up if a W team is in need, Yes, sir,
so that can happen mid season even absolutely.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
Ranaiah Davis who was just in Seattle camp. And we
have Harmony Turner who just came down. You know what,
isn't that great? Like it's funny we didn't grab onto them.
They grabbed onto us, right, They called us and said,
oh my goodness. Like we've had players calls and say
we can't thank you enough, which, by the way, warms
my heart in a way I can't even express to you, Sarah, Like,
when I started doing interviews with some of these players,
(17:45):
literally it would bring me to tears, Like this is
a good thing for a lot of people to do,
so I just want to I want to say that,
so they called us, and if they can go back
and get a place in a difference that makes them better,
this opportunity shot to be their best, Yes, why not?
Why not? Well, maybe they find a home in a
community that loves them to greatness and they just want
(18:07):
to stay there and support them and become part of
that and still be a professional athlete, right and still
have things cheer for them and have their families there
and you know, maybe teach the next generation of young
girls about leadership and maybe even the beg game of
basketball that's cool.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
And get to start every game and play a bunch
of minutes which they might not at the next level.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Right where it feels great to be on a roster, but.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
You just want to hoop and you're not going to
get to hoop nearly as much. Maybe when you're playing
alongside some others. I want to get to the teams
in some of the other format of the league. But
since we just touched on it, you know, one of
the reasons the G League works is because it's funded
by the NBA, so makes sense the players can go
back and forth during the seasons.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
The Upshot is independent.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
So how does it benefit the Upshot if they leave
mid season for the WNBA.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
Well, it's interesting. Like, so we had Rania Davis. She's
a local player in Jacksonville. She did have a turn
a dance with the WNBA in her career. She was
signed to the team and lo and behold Seattle's calls. Okay,
so she leaves us and goes up to Seattle. You
know last night she gets waved. She comes back. Yeah,
she'll build a fan base here and that fan base
will as we know, they'll follow these players, and that's
(19:14):
a good thing for them for us. There's another Renaiah David.
I they're interchangeable, but there's so much talent to come in.
I think our fan base will be shearing these women
on because that's who we are. Yeah, we want to
give a shot to be their best, and if their
best means taking the next step, great, so be it.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Right.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
And the w gets players who are playing regularly, consistently
and competitively, and they have an opportunity to grab them
mid season if needed, and in your case, you have
the potential publicity that it gives the Upshot League when
people ask on their w team, where did this person
come from? And oh, she was playing in the Upshot
League and that was keeping her way for this opportunity
with us. So there's a little bit of symbiosis there, totally.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Even Ze Spearmen, it just came back from Dallas, you
know she was there and how she's with us. Let's
say I'm fans in so many players, like I like Toronto.
I'm fascinated with Toronto. I think what Teresa Resh has
done following Monica Monica right, who like played when I
was the president, So like, I have invested interest in
some of these players. But let's just say we have
(20:17):
like Toronto. Fannite and Marina Maybray decides to send us
a video and says, Hello, Jacksonville, I'm up here. You guys,
do what you're doing. I just want to let you
know what our fans will feel like they're in the know.
You a greater women's basketball, you know, worlds.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Special, it's all connected. Then yeah, that's really cool. Okay,
So let's start with the four teams that you're beginning
this upshot league with Jacksonville Waves, Savannah Steel, Charlotte Crown,
Greensboro Groove. So why the focus on the southern said
He's why did you want to start down there?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Well, that goes back to my partner Andy. One of
the reasons that he was such a great partner is like,
people think, oh, yeah, we're just going to start a league. Well,
what do you need to start a league? You need arenas,
and you need leases, and you need leases with dates
that work, and you need leases that are affordable. And
Andy started with the base of minor league hockey teams.
He started with the Jacksonville Iceman and the Savannah Ghost
(21:09):
Pirates and the Greensborough Gargle Wheels love these names, and
the Charlotte Checkers, which have been around for twenty years. So,
and he had teams on the ground, He had marketing
and selling teams on the ground already. So every time
I'd hear saying, oh, we're going to start a new league,
I'm like, Okay, well, good luck to you. We hope
you can be successful. But at the same time, we're
(21:30):
already plugged in. And I thought that was a tremendous advantage,
and so that's why we started with those four teams.
And of course, you know they lend themselves to a
new emerging league that wants to manage expenses, looking to
break even or even cash flow in their first year
for their investors, and so you know, travel is managed
and other other items that would add to the cost
(21:50):
of a league.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
And it's markets that don't have a ton of other teams,
So you're going to try to be in places that
are hungry for women's basketball that don't have the options
that some the bigger markets do. You also have announced
already two expansion teams for next season, Baltimore and Nashville,
and a player to eventually get to thirty teams. My goodness,
that is a very bold plan. What's the timeline on
(22:12):
the thirty teams?
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Be Boulder, go home, Siera. Isn't that what we talk about?
Why not? Why not? So I will say this, We're
looking forward to Baltimore, We're looking forward to Nashville. I
would venture to say this summer we could be announcing
two more teams in the next three months six months,
two more one perhaps for twenty seven one, definitely for
(22:35):
twenty eight. We've got investors in the pipeline and leases
that we're potentially looking at for another ten plus teams.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Got it.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
What I love is there's real interest. Right every day
you're hearing about people wanting to invest in women's sports.
We're not only offering them an excellent competitive product, we're
also offering them a really viable investment with a potential
return sooner rather than later because of the way our
our deals restructured.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
I really do like that. Everybody's a winner.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
So you mentioned your partnership with Andy Kaufman and Zoyer Sports.
You also have ninety partners forty million dollars invested. You've
got some pretty big name advisors and investors that include
TA Make It Catching, Cheryl Miller, and Meyer Streisdale. So
this is something that you are hoping that you've built
the back end for to exist for a couple of years.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
But you also do.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Think maybe revenue right in year one based on the
way that his minor league hockey teams have thrived in
these spaces already.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Yes, we do. Oh, I want to add Neural page.
She's in the process of becoming an advisor. She was
also in my place. Yeah, it's great, and there's a
couple more that will be announcing soon. Yes, I do
think so we'll see the sponsorship has been strong, and listen,
people how to do this. It's funny, having been in
sports and even at in the golf world, you know,
(23:54):
it's great to sell on the promise, but generally the
promise is built on something they've seen. When you're selling
them the promise, and it's not what people have seen,
they're a little more tentative. And so while a lot
of the big sponsors in the world of women's basketball like,
we love what you're doing, we love what you're doing,
we love what you're doing, and then you know that
without saying is you know, show us a little more
(24:15):
about what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Right right, and you're going to get the chance, starting
very soon.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
You'll get the chance to see it exactly. And then
from there, I think we'll grow together because there's a
community elements of this era that people are really loving.
We're truly on the ground with communities in a way
that brands really want to be and so being able
to able to deliver that is another strong asset of
the work that we're doing.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
So I mentioned a couple of players you pulled from
recent WNBA rosters where they were waived. You also had
tryouts in a couple of places. Final rosters were due
on Friday, so eleven players per team. Those players are
in theory locked in for the full season, but they
are allowed to leave for those w opportunities.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Or certain opportunities that they come up.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
And you've got a couple of developmental players waiting for
injury or that or in case of the player getting
called up.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
Okay, don't say waiting for injury, but yes, there are
their next step if you will.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Yes, in case of injury. Okay, that's right.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Yeah, So how many players were found or recruited between
the tryouts and that versus players who came to you.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
I would say this are coaches since the moment, and
we hired them a year ago August, just so you know,
there are full time employees. We believe in investing in
these coaches in terms of building that only there on
court skills, but they're off court business acumen. They have
been working their networks for quite a long time. So
(25:39):
I would say maybe fifty to fifty.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Yeah, you currently have up on the on the website
that the teams are being built. But I know you've
got some of the big names posted and some of
them joined press conference that you had last week. So
when are the official full rosters going to be made public?
Speaker 4 (25:55):
If you check your email, you should be in there
right now. You should have them in there right now.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Okay, great, yeah, great?
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Tell us about player benefits. How much are players making?
What's covered? Did they get housing? What about health insurance?
All that stuff.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
We give them a paycheck. We're not going to talk
about how much of a paycheck, but it's enough for
them to be willing to play. They get really nice housing,
of which we cover, and they also get benefits, health benefits.
So the package is a pretty nice package.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
And you don't want to tell us the money because
different players are making a different amount, or because it's.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
They are and they are there is you know, there's
a cap. I don't even know what the cap is
to tell you at the moment, but there's a budget
that each coach has to spend and they can choose
to spend it as they see. There's some parameters around that.
All in all, nobody said we're not coming because of
the money or the package. They said, wow, that's pretty good.
Matter of fact. That matter in fact, someone just called
me and said, wow, the players you're talking about how
(26:48):
nice the housing is, and I'm like, okay, that's good
like that.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Yeah, and then the health insurance you said is part
of their package too to have them come and be
if Like, I think one of the things we talked
about with these young nascent professional leagues for women is
things like whether there will be trainers on site for injury,
what it looks like if they get all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
So I'm really proud to say that in Jacksonville because
it's where I live. The Male Clinic is our sports
medicine partner.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
How great you know?
Speaker 4 (27:16):
Nice? Yeah, it's no van to Health in Charlotte, which
is one of the big caretakers there. So I want
to love our players, and I say that quite a
maternal way as opposed to this hardcore business woman right
to greatness Sarah, like, you want to be in a
place that wants you, all right. It gives you the
opportunity to do what you do best. I can't make
(27:36):
you do your best, but I can give you a
place where it feels good to try.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
With Taj McWilliams Franklin here, and we all know Taj's
history and how much he means to the game and
her work on behalf of the WNBA and it's players.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Two time w Champ, six time All Star.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Right, these are things that are really important to us
and how we want to be seen and show up
in the world.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Yeah, I mean, listen, I think it's really hard for
nascent leagues to be able to have the investment to
hit the ground running, and you're obviously not going to
be on the same level with teams that have decades
of experience, But it is important to make sure that
it's professionalized in a way that's safer players.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
And sets them up for success.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Like you said, you want to love them into being
their best, but you also have to have, you know,
things in writing that will make sure that if something
does happen injury or otherwise, that they have agency. You know,
what we've seen in women's sports unfortunately too much is
if there is a power dynamic that doesn't allow the
players to feel empowered in whatever space they're and that
(28:39):
can lead to really problematic issues toxicity or abuse or otherwise.
And so yes to the idea and the mindset being
a positive one and one that's rooted in love, and
of course also having everything buttoned up enough so that
they feel like they're showing up somewhere that's got their back.
You know, that balance is so key, especially across the
women's space, you know exactly.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
And I will say even during the contracts, we got
feedback from agents and I would call up one and say,
tell me, tell me what doesn't sound or feel right,
and what would you like it to say? Yeah, And
they gave me the feedback and we employed it, you know,
to the degree that you can. In the business structure
we had, we were and they came back and said,
this is good. We're ready to go.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
You're gonna have a thirty four game season championship weekend
August twenty eighth to thirtieth, and the games Wednesday through Sunday. Right,
so you're trying to hit people on mostly weekends and nights.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Yeah, great, yes, great.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Yes, yep, you're coming. Would I just want to know
what game you're coming? I know, right, I'm sending your schedule.
I got to check the schedule.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Yeah, yes, you got to do that.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
I want to know. Maybe you know and you heard
about Shack.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Right.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
You heard that Shack's doing our uniforms, right, the dunk Man.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Yeah, tell me more about that.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
How cool is that? Right? He has his own he
has his own label, and we had we end up
getting connected and conversations just wet really quickly, and I'm like, okay,
so let's see what you got. Us have to bring
Taj in because she's like, oh, we gotta know what
fabric we gotta of course we do. And they just
they showed up big time the quality of the designs,
(30:09):
their innovation. So we're really excited to debut in Dunctman attire.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
So how will folks watch the players in those jerseys
and maybe Shack court side if you can lure them over?
Speaker 4 (30:20):
But I have lured them over. We don't know the date,
but we do. I'll let you know. We have lord
them over sure, and we don't have the lord too hard.
He really wants to come. He's a big fan, which
is great. We're launching our YouTube channel as we speak,
and so every game will be streamed on YouTube. We
have so we have a three prong kind of approach.
We have streaming basic, we have over the air in
(30:42):
each of the local markets. We have a package in
each of them, and I love all of our over
the air broadcast. For me, it's like back in the future,
having done media and negotiations for a lot of my career,
so it's really fun. And then on top of that,
we will be announcing in two days a national League partner,
which will kind of us put us the side the
big girls, if you will, and I'm really excited about that.
(31:03):
And then of course we'll augment with with social which
we're still developing. But we're out there and you know,
people will know we're here and they can find us,
and that's the most important thing.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Season openers Jacksonville Waves hosting the Charlotte Crown, Greensboro Groove
hosting the Savannah Steel.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
What can folks expect from the season openers?
Speaker 4 (31:22):
A lot of excitement, right, That's what I'm hearing. I
just feeling a lot of enthusiasm. I believe Greensboro is
already sold out. I had, Yeah, I had may Or
Mary Kay. She called me the other day wonder if
I was okay. I said, I'm just launching a league,
You're running a city. She goes, I know, but I
am so excited. I mean, oh on, that is so fantastic,
(31:43):
and so I'll meet her up there on the sixteenth.
And here in Jacksonville we will be sold out as well,
and people are talking, and that's what you want. Everyone's
talking about it. They want to be there, and I
think that's great. The players don't get the high quality basketball,
and I always worry about the first game because you know,
it takes a little while to get some mojo and
rhythm together. I saw that watching some of the WNBA
(32:04):
teams this weekend. But it's not because of the talent.
It's just a question of having the time. We even
added a week for sure training camp just so the
players can have more time to get, you know, to
play with each other.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Yeah, we know some of these players just coming off
w rosters and heading over to join these teams. So
these Friday Saturday games will be early, but a great
fun look at some of the talent. People you know,
remember from college and have been playing overseas and or
excited to be playing here. Watching the press conference that
y'all did via YouTube the other day, it was really
nice to hear from the players talking about how excited
(32:37):
they are for family to be able to come. You know,
when you play overseas, it's hard to get folks to
come over and see all the time. And to your point,
there's something very special about playing in small markets and
the fans having access to the players that they're watching
and really seeing an opportunity for the future self in
the people playing in their backyard. Okay, last question for you,
(32:57):
what does an upshot league look like in ten years?
Speaker 2 (32:59):
What is success look like to you? Ten years from now?
Speaker 4 (33:03):
Will fulfill our thirty eighteen Mitch and I believe our
teams will be professionally run, They'll be financially successful, and
will be a great destination for all the athletes that
the WNBA is now truly inspiring to play. I mean, listen,
I just have to share this. I remember Lisa Leslie
telling me early on that I don't want my daughter
(33:23):
to play women's basketball. There's not enough money. She'll be
a tennis player. I think her daughter is on the
way to be a tennis ball right. Moms are not
going to be saying that now, So I think there's
going to be such growth in terms of the desire
to play women's professional basketball, women's basketball. So I just
see us as being a desired and targeted destination for
the elite players of the world. And I think that's
(33:45):
going to be pretty excited and we will be connected
to the w NBA in the way that makes sense
for both of us, and I think that will reveal
itself in time. I always like, you know, sometimes you
just don't know and will enough to find out.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Yeah, I mean, we've been talking about the need for
some sort of established G league type league for the
w for some time now, and it'd be great if
that's what this grew into and became really the place
for all the talent to go and keep playing. Donna,
thanks so much for the time, and good luck getting
everything ready, and good luck this weekend with the openers.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
Hey Sarah, it is great to talk to you. You
are special, you know I think that.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (34:26):
I really appreciate spending the time and listen, I'll see
you this summer.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Thanks again to Donna for taking the time.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
And don't forget you could now watch full length good
game interviews on the iHeart Women's Sports YouTube channel. We
have to take another break when we return. It's more
fun in person.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Welcome. Max Sla says.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
We love that you're listening, but we want you to
get in the game every day too, So here's our
good game play of the day. Get tickets to an
upshot lead game near You will link to the ticket
site in the show notes, and while you're there you
get check out the teams who will tip off this
Friday as part of the inaugural season. We always love
to hear from you, so hit us up on email
Good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a
(35:13):
voicemail at eight seven two two four fifty seventy and
don't forget to subscribe, rate and review.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
I tell you this every day. Have you done it yet?
Have you done it? Have you done it? Have go
do it?
Speaker 1 (35:24):
It's easy watch my own personal support Rhino Rating Infinity
Levels of Cuteness review. When I find myself in times
of trouble, so like pretty much always these days, I
turn to the Instagram account for the Lincoln Park Zoo.
It's right here in Chicago, and I check out the
latest clips of baby rhino Huzina, who was born to
(35:46):
the zoo's Eastern black rhinoceros Kapuki. And I can't explain it,
but the little rhinos feet and chunky legs and wrinkles
and squeaky little voice are instantly healing and calming. I
highly recommend you go see if Baby Rhino works for you.
We'll link to the Zoos account in the show notes.
Now it's your turn, y'all, rate and review. Thanks for listening,
(36:07):
See you tomorrow. Good game, Donna, Good game, UCLA Softballs
and Basketball's Megan grant you a broken computer, held hostage
in the shop, a leak in my upstairs bathroom, tripping
into my kitchen, and spending one hundred and fifteen dollars
to fill.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Up my gas.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Take that's enough for today, Satan, Thank you very little.
Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports
production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You
can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network,
our producers are Alex Azzi and Bianca Hillier. Our executive
(36:46):
producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder.
Our editors are Emily Rudder, Lucy Jones, Britney Martinez and
Gianna Palmer. Production assistants from Avery LOFTUS and I'm your host,
Sarah Spain.
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're saying
I told you so, don't judge a team by their
first game. Welcome back Aces.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
That's more like it.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
It's Tuesday, May twelfth than On today's show, co founder
and commissioner of the Upshot League and former WNBA president
Donna Orender joins us to discuss adding to the pro
women's hoop space, when to expect a roster drop, and
what she wants the new league to look like in
ten years plus. Jose the Coyote can't be stopped.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
It's out of here and getting.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Back in the saddle. It's all coming up right after
this welcome back slices, here's what you need to know today.
Let's start with hoops and the final games from the
WNBA's opening weekend. After dropping their opener to the Valkyrie,
the Seattle Storm got their first win of the season
(00:50):
on Sunday, beating the Connecticut Sun eighty nine eighty two.
Friend of the show and co host of the Full
Circle podcast right here on Iheartwomen's Sports, Lexi Brown was
on fire in this one, leading the team with seventeen
points off the bench, including five May threes. Lage Johnson
put up sixteen points and Jade Melboyn had fifteen sons
Front tooth still. Also on Sunday, the New York Liberty
(01:13):
improved to two and zero with an overtime win over
the Washington Mystics ninety eight ninety three. Marine Johanns and
Brianna Stewart led the way with twenty five and twenty
three points respectively. As for the Sticks, recent UCLA grad
Lauren Betts settled in a little bit better in her
second pro game, grabbing her first w buckets. She finished
with seven points in eighteen minutes. Also, Kiki erie Fen
(01:34):
and Shakira Austin both got their second double doubles.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
In as many games.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Erie Fen had twenty points twelve rebounds. Austin went sixteen
to ten. The La Sparks finally made their regular season
debut on Sunday, fall into the reigning champs, the Las
Vegas Aces one oh five seventy eight. The Sparks Kelsey
Plump put up twenty seven points in the loss, but
wasn't happy with her team's effort, saying after the game quote.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
They punched us in the face.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
We didn't respond when someone is shooting sixty three percent.
It's going to be hard to win that game. I'm
disappointed in our effort end quote. Asas center, Asia Wilson
had nineteen points and four rebounds on the night, putting
her at twenty five hundred and two career rebounds in
two hundred and sixty nine w games.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
She's now tied.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
With Lisa Leslie for the third fastest player to reach
twenty five hundred boards in WNBA history. Finally, in the
nightcap on Sunday, Olympian Eileen Goo did the ceremonial banging
of the drum. Sheila e performed at halftime, and MNBA
legend Pau Gasol and Stanford coaching Legendara Vanderveer were among
those on hand as the Golden State Valkyries had their
(02:35):
home opener.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
The Valx improved to two.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
And zero with a ninety five seventy nine went over
the Phoenix Mercury and that one. Janel Salon stayed hot
with twenty one points, and Bay Area native Gabby Williams
added nineteen points in her home debut with the team.
More w The action continues tonight with the Atlanta Dream
taken on the Dallas Wings at eight pm Eastern. Minnesota
Links play in the Phoenix Mercury at ten eastern, and
the New York Liberty facing expansion team, the Portland Fire
(02:59):
that one also at ten pm Eastern to hockey. Monday
night's decisive Game five of the PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs
semi final series between the Minnesota Frost and Montreal Victoire
was postponed due to player safety concerns related to illness.
As of Monday afternoon, the league hadn't revealed details on
a rescheduled date or the illness, but did report that
(03:20):
a medical assessment has determined the symptoms are not consistent
with hantavirus. Whenever that game is played, the winner will
advance to play the Ottawa Charge in the Walter Cup Finals.
We'll keep you updated as soon as we have more information. Meantime,
we'll all try to stay calm and not think about
the last time we were closely monitoring reports, wondering if
a mysterious and terrifying illness might be nearing our cities
(03:44):
and ports to soccer. On Sunday night, the Washington Spirit
won their fifth game in a row, beating the Seattle
Rain one nil thanks to a late goal from Claudia Martinez.
There was a brief scare for the Spirit's Trinity Rodman
early in the second half. The star forward fell to
the ground going for a ball in front of the
goal on a cornerkick. She clutched her right ankle, had
a brief check in from the staff's physios, got up
(04:06):
limping and tried to continue playing, but was ultimately replaced
shortly after and spent the rest of the game on
the bench, where she was seen smiling, at least for
what it's worth. Next up for the Spirit, it's a
trip to California for a game against the San Diego
Wave on Friday, and you have to assume Jose the
Coyote will be getting his own first class seat on
that plane. The Spirit's good luck charm has certainly earned it.
(04:27):
The only midweek NDWSL game is tonight, when the Boston
Legacy take on the Orlando Pride. That's a seven pm
Eastern start to softball. UCLA felt to Nebraska seven to
two in Saturday's Big Ten Championship, but Bruin senior Megan
Grant broke the NCAA single season home run record with
her thirty eighth dinger break in a thirty one year
old record previously set by Arizona's Laura Espinosa. Grant could
(04:50):
add to her total two as the Bruins hope to
make a run in the Women's College World Series. Grant,
by the way, is a dual sport athlete at UCLA.
She joined the Bruins basketball program as a go slash
forward this year, and prior to the start of the
softball season, she played in thirteen games with the team,
making three of six field goal attempts for six points,
snagging four rebounds, and dishing out one assist. The Bruins,
(05:11):
of course, went on to win the national title more softball,
the D one NCUBLEA Softball tournament bracket is set with
sixty four teams on deck. After selection Sunday, Alabama edged
out Texas and Oklahoma for the number one overall seed,
and after managing all the conflicting softball rankings throughout the
regular season, isn't it nice to just have one singular
(05:32):
number we can use when describing each team. So heading
into the postseason, Alabama number one, twenty twenty five champions,
the Texas Longhorns number two, and regular season champion Oklahoma
sits at number three after losing last week's SEC tournament
in an upset to number ten Georgia. We'll link to
the full bracket in the show notes so you can
check out the rest of the seeds. The twenty twenty
(05:52):
six Ncuba Softball Championship kicks off Friday at eleven am
Eastern on ESPN. Later this week, we'll get you an
in depth preview of what to expect. Finally, in golf,
Thailand's Gino Titskun fought until the end to win the
Mizuho America Is Open in New Jersey on Sunday. Titskun
had a two shot lead at the start of the
final round, but China's Ruining Yin managed to rally from
(06:13):
four back to get within one shot. Titskun used a
pair of late birdies to get the job done, and
the victory marks her second LPGA Tour victory this year.
This is her fourth season with multiple wins since joining
the LPGA in twenty twenty two. The Mizuho America's Open
also marked the return of US pro Michelle we West,
who left competitive golf in twenty twenty three to focus
(06:34):
on her family. At a press conference after the first round.
We West described what it was like to step back
into competition for the first time in years.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Take a listen.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
I wasn't nervous really going in, and then I get
to the first team. I'm like, holy shit, I now
spell my curse words and I'm my mom and I
was like, wow, my whole all of a sudden, it
looks tho small. It's like I got to a two
foot I was like, I'm not going to hit the hole.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
There's no way.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
But you know, honestly, I'm so happy that I applied
today because as much practice as you can do, as
money money games as you can play, there's literally nothing
in the world that compares to the first round of
a tournament.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
So I thought today was great experience.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
We Wes ended the tournament in one hundred and eighteenth
out of one hundred and nineteen players. Her next test
will be June's US Open, a tournament she won back
in twenty fourteen.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Oh and one more thing slices.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Congrats to former US women's national team star Alex Morgan
and her partner Servando Carrasco, who announced on Mother's Day
that they're expecting their third child together. Morgan made the
announcement on Instagram and the San Diego Wave, the NWSL club.
She ended her career with commented, OMG, the hat trick classic.
All right, we're going to take a break. When we
come back, we talk Upshot with Donna Rinder joining us now.
(07:56):
She's the co founder and commissioner of the Upshot League,
professational women's developmental basketball league that begins played this week,
co founder and CEO of Generation w former president of
the WNBA.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
She was an All.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
American hooper at Queen's College and played professionally for all
three seasons of the Women's Pro Basketball League the WBL.
She was a member of the team that played in
the first women's game at Madison Square Garden.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
It's Donna orunder Hi, Donna, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
Yeah, sah Waite, thanks for all that great research.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
That's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yeah, we've heard a lot about that first game at MSG,
and I did not know that you were one of
the players.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
And that's so cool. It's really cool.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Not only was I one of the players, I was
the leading scorer of that game. Cast I had a guard,
Mary Ann Crawford Stanley. She was like, you know, the
most celebrated Garden the nation and I was like a
just turned seventeen year old freshman. It was awesome. I
love it.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
I actually want to talk about that.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
What I feel like must be a through line from
your experience playing pro to creating this league.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Because you were an all star.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
In the WBL, you dropped out of your master's program
to get to play pro.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
This was clearly something very meaningful to you.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
But the league disbanded in nineteen eighty one, so you
understand what it feels like to want to play and
not have an opportunity, which definitely feels like something you're
now fixing with this new league. So take me back
to that time before we ever get to the Upshot League.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Take me back to nineteen.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Eighty one and to that disappointment of looking around and saying,
where do I put this talent?
Speaker 4 (09:19):
We don't have to talk about how long ago with this,
but you really raise something that's really powerful because I
do remember coming to play basketball and I played at
Queen's College, which was at it was an elite team, right,
it was a very elite team. My coach, God bless her,
she's still alive. Coach Cavalege just got inducted into them
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. But I remember getting ready
(09:41):
to leave college and there was no place to play.
There was no place to play, and I'm like, oh,
my goodness. I was twenty one years old. I felt
like I was just starting to learn the game and
where was I going to take it? And I had
a chance to play overseas and I'm like, oh, you
know not, I'm getting old. I remember thinking that, and
(10:03):
I probably should get a real job if that's what's
going to happen. But I can go to graduate school.
And literally, out of the blue, my phone rang and
it was my AAU coach, Lamar, and he said, listen,
they're starting a women's professional basketball they do want to play.
And I couldn't say yes fast enough And what an
experience that was, right, Like what an experience have I
had in my life? And you're right, it was incredibly
(10:26):
special and it represented a pinnacle, a sense of achievement,
accomplishment that was not available to us. And so I
was lucky. I got to play all three years. My
first year I went to school, I'd go to graduate
school in the morning, do my practical whatever, and then
at night I'd go and practice with our team. We
(10:46):
were the New York Stars, and it was a thrill.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Really, you played for the Chicago Hustle, which my AAU
team was named the Chicago Hustle in honor of that
WBL league team.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
How cool is that? Yes, I played for the Chicago Hustle.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
So we're part of a through line of women's basketball
history history together.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Yeah, it's pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And then and then, of course, as
you know, the league went away. I was one of
very few players who played all three seasons. Again probably
luck of the draw at the time, and then once
again at a very young age. Now do I do right? Transition? Transition, transition,
So yes, I experienced that. And I will say this,
another thing that really added to this for me was
(11:30):
my son was a Division one basketball player played at Cal.
He wasn't an NBA player, but he was an excellent,
talented player and got the opportunity to play overseas. I
spent a lot of time going overseas to watch him
and see how it was done over there. You know,
they had Division one, Division two, Division three, Division four,
(11:51):
and every city and there were little villages loved their
team and those athletes loved playing for their city, and
I said, a lot, there's something beautiful about that. One.
I saw the pride in the athletes and this opportunity,
if you will, to continue their craft and have their
dream to get paid to play. And I saw these
(12:11):
communities that were just actually invested in these teams and
what it did for the like, you know what, the
little hustlers like you, Sarah, we got to like, you know,
watch these these professional athletes play. So both sides of
that really contributed to this idea for me.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Yeah, I mean, I think if you look at it
from the top down, you're like, we already have a
women's pro league. If you look at it from the
bottom up, you look at the massive opportunity it disappears
for the majority of players as soon as you whittle
down to the very small number of players that can
play in the w or even overseas in some of
these leagues. So we know that women's sports are booming,
(12:45):
but we also know there's still so much room for growth.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Compared to the men's side.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
So when you look around the space it's a couple
of years ago, what was it specifically that you thought
was missing that put into your mind the idea of
a new league.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Well one there was tremendously and I can't tell you
how this both pleases my heart and maybe fixes some
of the breaks that it had along the way. That
everyone wanted a WNBA team, and a time when like
I was running around the country trying to put my
finger in the dam so that people would keep their
teams right, So that was an amazing thing. Everyone wanted
WNBA team. The strategy became kind of clear. I'm going
(13:20):
to go with NBA markets. After all, the NBA owners,
I've invested a tremendous amount of money in the WNBA,
and they realized that there was a tremendous asset here
worthy of investment. And I realized there's so many markets.
Even at the end of the day. Look at all
of our major leagues, if you will, the NHL, you
look at the NBA, you look at Major League Baseball,
and I'm thinking, there's so many wonderful cities and communities
(13:41):
around this country that wouldn't have that. And so if
you take both of that, I'm like, WHOA One other
thing I should mention this is as I was vetting
WNBA teams for other people who would call me, and
then through investment groups that perhaps I would be involved with,
I realized that I wasn't going to get a team
in my city, and that meant something to me, and
(14:05):
at least that in any short amount of.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Time, Jacksonville is your city.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Jacksonville, Florida. Right, And remember I vented a lot of
cities when I was even at the WNBA. You know,
Shock Detroit moved to Tulsa, Tulsa moved to Dallas, We
started Atlanta Charlotte, which we now are bringing a team to,
which is really just poetic. Justice went away. So it's
not like I haven't been in cities and understanding what
makes them good. And I'm convinced that Jacksonville would be great.
(14:31):
But I know that Jacksonville is a great home for
the league's headquarters and now for the Jacksonville Waves.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
So you look around and you have the experience of
being the w president at a different time in women's
pro sports.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Now you're looking around. Within the last couple of.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Years, you're getting calls from people asking you is this
a good investment?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Do you want to join our expansion bid?
Speaker 1 (14:51):
All these other things, which gives you a modern look
at the landscape and you realize, instead of getting back
into the W game, I'm going to start my own game,
and I'm going to call it the Upshot League. It's
going to be a professional women's basketball league and another
place to put all the talent that can't find an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
What's the goal of your league? Are you competing with
the W? Are you a G league for the W?
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Are you just professional basketball in cities in which the
W doesn't exist?
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Like?
Speaker 2 (15:18):
How do you see what this league is?
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Yeah? Well, so first of all, let me just mention
my partner, Andy Kaufman, because he is the one who
called me because we were working on this women's basketball
thing together. It's another guy named Mark Walsh and Nanny.
As we went through all the iterations, he calls me
one day he goes, why do we do this on
our own? And I said, I'm in absolutely we should.
Because the other thing was as I was like, you know,
I was at a Liberty game and I had coaches
(15:40):
from major universities saying, you know, we really there's no
place for us to train. And I have gms and
team presidents and owners telling us, you know what, we
don't know where to get talent. We need a place
for our talent we can put them, and we've seen
where teams have gotten to that seven player level, so
I was hearing it basically also from that environment as well.
You know the Upshot League. Our ethos is we believe
(16:02):
that everyone deserves a shot to be their best and
so what does that fans like to translate to opportunity?
So let's create opportunity. And the opportunity is for the
WNBA as well, right, Like, we're not here to compete
with them, why would we, We're here to support them.
We're going to build a fan base for women's basketball.
We're going to create great professional women's basketball at markets
(16:23):
they would never be in. And you know, early on
I talked about cross marketing with some of the teams
and the owners liked it. They had to like shake
out of the CBA and that Wow, what an impact.
So we'll see, yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Complimentary is great because you get people on board with
your teams and your league and they turn their eye
to the rest of the country and maybe a space
they haven't deeply invested in or watched before. I did
notice a big name popped up on your Jacksonville waves
squad last week. Former Maryland standout Shyanne Sellers was drafted
by the Valkers two seasons ago, got waived. Has had
(16:55):
a couple of different WNBA training camp looks, but hasn't
been able to stick. So now she and up in
a place where people can watch her play regularly in
the US. Someone that they loved who was electric at Maryland.
A couple more names folks might remember from the college game.
I on a more former Notre Dame stand out Asia
dr of Louisville. So you're grabbing some of these players
that maybe couldn't stick on a roster in the W.
(17:17):
Do you think then that they can get called back
up if a W team is in need, Yes, sir,
so that can happen mid season even absolutely.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
Ranaiah Davis who was just in Seattle camp. And we
have Harmony Turner who just came down. You know what,
isn't that great? Like it's funny we didn't grab onto them.
They grabbed onto us, right, They called us and said,
oh my goodness. Like we've had players calls and say
we can't thank you enough, which, by the way, warms
my heart in a way I can't even express to you, Sarah, Like,
when I started doing interviews with some of these players,
(17:45):
literally it would bring me to tears, Like this is
a good thing for a lot of people to do,
so I just want to I want to say that,
so they called us, and if they can go back
and get a place in a difference that makes them better,
this opportunity shot to be their best, Yes, why not?
Why not? Well, maybe they find a home in a
community that loves them to greatness and they just want
(18:07):
to stay there and support them and become part of
that and still be a professional athlete, right and still
have things cheer for them and have their families there
and you know, maybe teach the next generation of young
girls about leadership and maybe even the beg game of
basketball that's cool.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
And get to start every game and play a bunch
of minutes which they might not at the next level.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Right where it feels great to be on a roster, but.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
You just want to hoop and you're not going to
get to hoop nearly as much. Maybe when you're playing
alongside some others. I want to get to the teams
in some of the other format of the league. But
since we just touched on it, you know, one of
the reasons the G League works is because it's funded
by the NBA, so makes sense the players can go
back and forth during the seasons.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
The Upshot is independent.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
So how does it benefit the Upshot if they leave
mid season for the WNBA.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
Well, it's interesting. Like, so we had Rania Davis. She's
a local player in Jacksonville. She did have a turn
a dance with the WNBA in her career. She was
signed to the team and lo and behold Seattle's calls. Okay,
so she leaves us and goes up to Seattle. You
know last night she gets waved. She comes back. Yeah,
she'll build a fan base here and that fan base
will as we know, they'll follow these players, and that's
(19:14):
a good thing for them for us. There's another Renaiah David.
I they're interchangeable, but there's so much talent to come in.
I think our fan base will be shearing these women
on because that's who we are. Yeah, we want to
give a shot to be their best, and if their
best means taking the next step, great, so be it.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Right.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
And the w gets players who are playing regularly, consistently
and competitively, and they have an opportunity to grab them
mid season if needed, and in your case, you have
the potential publicity that it gives the Upshot League when
people ask on their w team, where did this person
come from? And oh, she was playing in the Upshot
League and that was keeping her way for this opportunity
with us. So there's a little bit of symbiosis there, totally.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Even Ze Spearmen, it just came back from Dallas, you
know she was there and how she's with us. Let's
say I'm fans in so many players, like I like Toronto.
I'm fascinated with Toronto. I think what Teresa Resh has
done following Monica Monica right, who like played when I
was the president, So like, I have invested interest in
some of these players. But let's just say we have
(20:17):
like Toronto. Fannite and Marina Maybray decides to send us
a video and says, Hello, Jacksonville, I'm up here. You guys,
do what you're doing. I just want to let you
know what our fans will feel like they're in the know.
You a greater women's basketball, you know, worlds.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Special, it's all connected. Then yeah, that's really cool. Okay,
So let's start with the four teams that you're beginning
this upshot league with Jacksonville Waves, Savannah Steel, Charlotte Crown,
Greensboro Groove. So why the focus on the southern said
He's why did you want to start down there?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Well, that goes back to my partner Andy. One of
the reasons that he was such a great partner is like,
people think, oh, yeah, we're just going to start a league. Well,
what do you need to start a league? You need arenas,
and you need leases, and you need leases with dates
that work, and you need leases that are affordable. And
Andy started with the base of minor league hockey teams.
He started with the Jacksonville Iceman and the Savannah Ghost
(21:09):
Pirates and the Greensborough Gargle Wheels love these names, and
the Charlotte Checkers, which have been around for twenty years. So,
and he had teams on the ground, He had marketing
and selling teams on the ground already. So every time
I'd hear saying, oh, we're going to start a new league,
I'm like, Okay, well, good luck to you. We hope
you can be successful. But at the same time, we're
(21:30):
already plugged in. And I thought that was a tremendous advantage,
and so that's why we started with those four teams.
And of course, you know they lend themselves to a
new emerging league that wants to manage expenses, looking to
break even or even cash flow in their first year
for their investors, and so you know, travel is managed
and other other items that would add to the cost
(21:50):
of a league.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
And it's markets that don't have a ton of other teams,
So you're going to try to be in places that
are hungry for women's basketball that don't have the options
that some the bigger markets do. You also have announced
already two expansion teams for next season, Baltimore and Nashville,
and a player to eventually get to thirty teams. My goodness,
that is a very bold plan. What's the timeline on
(22:12):
the thirty teams?
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Be Boulder, go home, Siera. Isn't that what we talk about?
Why not? Why not? So I will say this, We're
looking forward to Baltimore, We're looking forward to Nashville. I
would venture to say this summer we could be announcing
two more teams in the next three months six months,
two more one perhaps for twenty seven one, definitely for
(22:35):
twenty eight. We've got investors in the pipeline and leases
that we're potentially looking at for another ten plus teams.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Got it.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
What I love is there's real interest. Right every day
you're hearing about people wanting to invest in women's sports.
We're not only offering them an excellent competitive product, we're
also offering them a really viable investment with a potential
return sooner rather than later because of the way our
our deals restructured.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
I really do like that. Everybody's a winner.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
So you mentioned your partnership with Andy Kaufman and Zoyer Sports.
You also have ninety partners forty million dollars invested. You've
got some pretty big name advisors and investors that include
TA Make It Catching, Cheryl Miller, and Meyer Streisdale. So
this is something that you are hoping that you've built
the back end for to exist for a couple of years.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
But you also do.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Think maybe revenue right in year one based on the
way that his minor league hockey teams have thrived in
these spaces already.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Yes, we do. Oh, I want to add Neural page.
She's in the process of becoming an advisor. She was
also in my place. Yeah, it's great, and there's a
couple more that will be announcing soon. Yes, I do
think so we'll see the sponsorship has been strong, and listen,
people how to do this. It's funny, having been in
sports and even at in the golf world, you know,
(23:54):
it's great to sell on the promise, but generally the
promise is built on something they've seen. When you're selling
them the promise, and it's not what people have seen,
they're a little more tentative. And so while a lot
of the big sponsors in the world of women's basketball like,
we love what you're doing, we love what you're doing,
we love what you're doing, and then you know that
without saying is you know, show us a little more
(24:15):
about what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Right right, and you're going to get the chance, starting
very soon.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
You'll get the chance to see it exactly. And then
from there, I think we'll grow together because there's a
community elements of this era that people are really loving.
We're truly on the ground with communities in a way
that brands really want to be and so being able
to able to deliver that is another strong asset of
the work that we're doing.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
So I mentioned a couple of players you pulled from
recent WNBA rosters where they were waived. You also had
tryouts in a couple of places. Final rosters were due
on Friday, so eleven players per team. Those players are
in theory locked in for the full season, but they
are allowed to leave for those w opportunities.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Or certain opportunities that they come up.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
And you've got a couple of developmental players waiting for
injury or that or in case of the player getting
called up.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
Okay, don't say waiting for injury, but yes, there are
their next step if you will.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Yes, in case of injury. Okay, that's right.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Yeah, So how many players were found or recruited between
the tryouts and that versus players who came to you.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
I would say this are coaches since the moment, and
we hired them a year ago August, just so you know,
there are full time employees. We believe in investing in
these coaches in terms of building that only there on
court skills, but they're off court business acumen. They have
been working their networks for quite a long time. So
(25:39):
I would say maybe fifty to fifty.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Yeah, you currently have up on the on the website
that the teams are being built. But I know you've
got some of the big names posted and some of
them joined press conference that you had last week. So
when are the official full rosters going to be made public?
Speaker 4 (25:55):
If you check your email, you should be in there
right now. You should have them in there right now.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Okay, great, yeah, great?
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Tell us about player benefits. How much are players making?
What's covered? Did they get housing? What about health insurance?
All that stuff.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
We give them a paycheck. We're not going to talk
about how much of a paycheck, but it's enough for
them to be willing to play. They get really nice housing,
of which we cover, and they also get benefits, health benefits.
So the package is a pretty nice package.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
And you don't want to tell us the money because
different players are making a different amount, or because it's.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
They are and they are there is you know, there's
a cap. I don't even know what the cap is
to tell you at the moment, but there's a budget
that each coach has to spend and they can choose
to spend it as they see. There's some parameters around that.
All in all, nobody said we're not coming because of
the money or the package. They said, wow, that's pretty good.
Matter of fact. That matter in fact, someone just called
me and said, wow, the players you're talking about how
(26:48):
nice the housing is, and I'm like, okay, that's good
like that.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Yeah, and then the health insurance you said is part
of their package too to have them come and be
if Like, I think one of the things we talked
about with these young nascent professional leagues for women is
things like whether there will be trainers on site for injury,
what it looks like if they get all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
So I'm really proud to say that in Jacksonville because
it's where I live. The Male Clinic is our sports
medicine partner.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
How great you know?
Speaker 4 (27:16):
Nice? Yeah, it's no van to Health in Charlotte, which
is one of the big caretakers there. So I want
to love our players, and I say that quite a
maternal way as opposed to this hardcore business woman right
to greatness Sarah, like, you want to be in a
place that wants you, all right. It gives you the
opportunity to do what you do best. I can't make
(27:36):
you do your best, but I can give you a
place where it feels good to try.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
With Taj McWilliams Franklin here, and we all know Taj's
history and how much he means to the game and
her work on behalf of the WNBA and it's players.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Two time w Champ, six time All Star.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Right, these are things that are really important to us
and how we want to be seen and show up
in the world.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Yeah, I mean, listen, I think it's really hard for
nascent leagues to be able to have the investment to
hit the ground running, and you're obviously not going to
be on the same level with teams that have decades
of experience, But it is important to make sure that
it's professionalized in a way that's safer players.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
And sets them up for success.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Like you said, you want to love them into being
their best, but you also have to have, you know,
things in writing that will make sure that if something
does happen injury or otherwise, that they have agency. You know,
what we've seen in women's sports unfortunately too much is
if there is a power dynamic that doesn't allow the
players to feel empowered in whatever space they're and that
(28:39):
can lead to really problematic issues toxicity or abuse or otherwise.
And so yes to the idea and the mindset being
a positive one and one that's rooted in love, and
of course also having everything buttoned up enough so that
they feel like they're showing up somewhere that's got their back.
You know, that balance is so key, especially across the
women's space, you know exactly.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
And I will say even during the contracts, we got
feedback from agents and I would call up one and say,
tell me, tell me what doesn't sound or feel right,
and what would you like it to say? Yeah, And
they gave me the feedback and we employed it, you know,
to the degree that you can. In the business structure
we had, we were and they came back and said,
this is good. We're ready to go.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
You're gonna have a thirty four game season championship weekend
August twenty eighth to thirtieth, and the games Wednesday through Sunday. Right,
so you're trying to hit people on mostly weekends and nights.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Yeah, great, yes, great.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Yes, yep, you're coming. Would I just want to know
what game you're coming? I know, right, I'm sending your schedule.
I got to check the schedule.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Yeah, yes, you got to do that.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
I want to know. Maybe you know and you heard
about Shack.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Right.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
You heard that Shack's doing our uniforms, right, the dunk Man.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Yeah, tell me more about that.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
How cool is that? Right? He has his own he
has his own label, and we had we end up
getting connected and conversations just wet really quickly, and I'm like, okay,
so let's see what you got. Us have to bring
Taj in because she's like, oh, we gotta know what
fabric we gotta of course we do. And they just
they showed up big time the quality of the designs,
(30:09):
their innovation. So we're really excited to debut in Dunctman attire.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
So how will folks watch the players in those jerseys
and maybe Shack court side if you can lure them over?
Speaker 4 (30:20):
But I have lured them over. We don't know the date,
but we do. I'll let you know. We have lord
them over sure, and we don't have the lord too hard.
He really wants to come. He's a big fan, which
is great. We're launching our YouTube channel as we speak,
and so every game will be streamed on YouTube. We
have so we have a three prong kind of approach.
We have streaming basic, we have over the air in
(30:42):
each of the local markets. We have a package in
each of them, and I love all of our over
the air broadcast. For me, it's like back in the future,
having done media and negotiations for a lot of my career,
so it's really fun. And then on top of that,
we will be announcing in two days a national League partner,
which will kind of us put us the side the
big girls, if you will, and I'm really excited about that.
(31:03):
And then of course we'll augment with with social which
we're still developing. But we're out there and you know,
people will know we're here and they can find us,
and that's the most important thing.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Season openers Jacksonville Waves hosting the Charlotte Crown, Greensboro Groove
hosting the Savannah Steel.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
What can folks expect from the season openers?
Speaker 4 (31:22):
A lot of excitement, right, That's what I'm hearing. I
just feeling a lot of enthusiasm. I believe Greensboro is
already sold out. I had, Yeah, I had may Or
Mary Kay. She called me the other day wonder if
I was okay. I said, I'm just launching a league,
You're running a city. She goes, I know, but I
am so excited. I mean, oh on, that is so fantastic,
(31:43):
and so I'll meet her up there on the sixteenth.
And here in Jacksonville we will be sold out as well,
and people are talking, and that's what you want. Everyone's
talking about it. They want to be there, and I
think that's great. The players don't get the high quality basketball,
and I always worry about the first game because you know,
it takes a little while to get some mojo and
rhythm together. I saw that watching some of the WNBA
(32:04):
teams this weekend. But it's not because of the talent.
It's just a question of having the time. We even
added a week for sure training camp just so the
players can have more time to get, you know, to
play with each other.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Yeah, we know some of these players just coming off
w rosters and heading over to join these teams. So
these Friday Saturday games will be early, but a great
fun look at some of the talent. People you know,
remember from college and have been playing overseas and or
excited to be playing here. Watching the press conference that
y'all did via YouTube the other day, it was really
nice to hear from the players talking about how excited
(32:37):
they are for family to be able to come. You know,
when you play overseas, it's hard to get folks to
come over and see all the time. And to your point,
there's something very special about playing in small markets and
the fans having access to the players that they're watching
and really seeing an opportunity for the future self in
the people playing in their backyard. Okay, last question for you,
(32:57):
what does an upshot league look like in ten years?
Speaker 2 (32:59):
What is success look like to you? Ten years from now?
Speaker 4 (33:03):
Will fulfill our thirty eighteen Mitch and I believe our
teams will be professionally run, They'll be financially successful, and
will be a great destination for all the athletes that
the WNBA is now truly inspiring to play. I mean, listen,
I just have to share this. I remember Lisa Leslie
telling me early on that I don't want my daughter
(33:23):
to play women's basketball. There's not enough money. She'll be
a tennis player. I think her daughter is on the
way to be a tennis ball right. Moms are not
going to be saying that now, So I think there's
going to be such growth in terms of the desire
to play women's professional basketball, women's basketball. So I just
see us as being a desired and targeted destination for
the elite players of the world. And I think that's
(33:45):
going to be pretty excited and we will be connected
to the w NBA in the way that makes sense
for both of us, and I think that will reveal
itself in time. I always like, you know, sometimes you
just don't know and will enough to find out.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Yeah, I mean, we've been talking about the need for
some sort of established G league type league for the
w for some time now, and it'd be great if
that's what this grew into and became really the place
for all the talent to go and keep playing. Donna,
thanks so much for the time, and good luck getting
everything ready, and good luck this weekend with the openers.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
Hey Sarah, it is great to talk to you. You
are special, you know I think that.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (34:26):
I really appreciate spending the time and listen, I'll see
you this summer.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Thanks again to Donna for taking the time.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
And don't forget you could now watch full length good
game interviews on the iHeart Women's Sports YouTube channel. We
have to take another break when we return. It's more
fun in person.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Welcome. Max Sla says.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
We love that you're listening, but we want you to
get in the game every day too, So here's our
good game play of the day. Get tickets to an
upshot lead game near You will link to the ticket
site in the show notes, and while you're there you
get check out the teams who will tip off this
Friday as part of the inaugural season. We always love
to hear from you, so hit us up on email
Good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a
(35:13):
voicemail at eight seven two two four fifty seventy and
don't forget to subscribe, rate and review.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
I tell you this every day. Have you done it yet?
Have you done it? Have you done it? Have go
do it?
Speaker 1 (35:24):
It's easy watch my own personal support Rhino Rating Infinity
Levels of Cuteness review. When I find myself in times
of trouble, so like pretty much always these days, I
turn to the Instagram account for the Lincoln Park Zoo.
It's right here in Chicago, and I check out the
latest clips of baby rhino Huzina, who was born to
(35:46):
the zoo's Eastern black rhinoceros Kapuki. And I can't explain it,
but the little rhinos feet and chunky legs and wrinkles
and squeaky little voice are instantly healing and calming. I
highly recommend you go see if Baby Rhino works for you.
We'll link to the Zoos account in the show notes.
Now it's your turn, y'all, rate and review. Thanks for listening,
(36:07):
See you tomorrow. Good game, Donna, Good game, UCLA Softballs
and Basketball's Megan grant you a broken computer, held hostage
in the shop, a leak in my upstairs bathroom, tripping
into my kitchen, and spending one hundred and fifteen dollars
to fill.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Up my gas.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Take that's enough for today, Satan, Thank you very little.
Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports
production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You
can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network,
our producers are Alex Azzi and Bianca Hillier. Our executive
(36:46):
producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder.
Our editors are Emily Rudder, Lucy Jones, Britney Martinez and
Gianna Palmer. Production assistants from Avery LOFTUS and I'm your host,
Sarah Spain.
Host
Sarah Spain
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