>> CHICAGO BASKETBALL FANS HOPES ARE SKY HIGH.

SEE WHAT I DID THERE AS THE WNBA TIPS OFFICE 2024 SEASON TONIGHT WITH LOTS OF STAR POWER.

THE CHICAGO SKY'S NEW-LOOK TEAM INCLUDES 2 FIRST-ROUND ROOKIES, ANGEL REESE AND CAMILLA CARDOSO AND TERESA WEATHERSPOON WEATHERSPOON AS HEAD COACH.

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SEASON ALREADY INCLUDES OFF THE COURT CONTROVERSIES LIKE CHARTERED FLIGHTS ONLY BEING AVAILABLE FOR SOME TEAMS AND THE ONGOING DEBATE OVER FAIR PAY.

JOINING US NOW, OUR JULIA PO SPORTS REPORTER WITH THE CHICAGO SHOW RE STOUT SPORTS REPORTER.

WITH THAT.

WE BE EASY.

CHICAGO CHARLIE BELL, HOST OF NO LIMITS THE CHICAGO SKY SHOW A MARQUEE SPORTS NETWORK AND SPORTS CONSULTANT SABRINA WHITAKER, WHO FOUNDED GROW THE GAME, A NONPROFIT THAT AIMS TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT IN WOMEN'S SPORTS.

LADIES, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU.

I'M SURE LET'S START WITH YOU.

LET'S START WITH THE SKY BEFORE WE BRANCH OUT TO SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF.

THEIR FIRST SEASON GAMES TOMORROW NIGHT IN DALLAS AGAINST THE WINGS.

FIRST HOME GAME.

A SEPARATE THE WHAT ARE YOU PREDICTING FOR THE SEASON?

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW IT COMES TOGETHER BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE PLAYERS.

>> WE PRACTICES.

WE SEE VERY SPIRITED, VERY ENGAGING TEAM RIGHT NOW.

THEY HAD 2 PRESEASON GAMES, ONE WITH NOT WEAKEN QUINCY, WHICH CAN COME BACK TO AND THE OTHER ONE THEY HAD A GREAT GAME OFFENSIVELY DEFENSIVELY.

BUT TO REALLY GET IT YOUR QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK THERE COULD BE BETTER.

I THINK THE RUBY DEFENSIVE TEAM, BUT I THINK THEY'RE GOING ISSUES WITH OUTSIDE SHOOTING.

CARLY WEATHERSPOON FIRST-TIME HEAD COACH FOR THE WNBA.

HAVE YOU THINK OR LEADERSHIP IS GOING TO THE TEAM?

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF THE CATALYST ON WHAT DETERMINES HOW GOOD THIS TEAM IS GOING TO BE.

SHE IS A FORMER PLAYER.

>> YOU KNOW, ALSO HAS EXPERIENCE AND PLAYER DEVELOPMENT IN THE NBA.

AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO TRANSLATE.

WELL, AND WHEN YOU ADD THAT NEW GENERAL MANAGER, HEADLEY, AKA, YOU HAVE 2 PEOPLE WITH THE PLAYER DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND AND REALLY ONE OF THE FIRST WNBA TEAMS OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN.

THE ACES DO THIS OFFSEASON THAT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON PLAYER DEVELOPMENT.

SO MAY NOT SHOW UP THIS FIRST YEAR, BUT GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

AND THIS COULD BE A TEAM THAT'S VERY MUCH WORTH GOING TO AND IT GOT SOME SUPERSTARS THAT GOT CHANGE WILL RESCIND CAMILLA CARDOSO 5 BLEND.

THERE NEEDS TO HOLD.

ALL THE CARDS WAS JULIA, HOW DO YOU THINK THEIR DEBUT SEASONS ARE GOING TO GO?

YEAH, DEFINITELY.

I MEAN, CAMILLA HAVING THAT EARLY INJURY IS NEVER THE WAY THAT YOU WANT.

A ROOKIE SEASON TO GO REALLY UNFORTUNATE.

BUT >> I THINK THE PROJECTION IS HOPING THAT SHE'LL BE ABLE TO GET BACK ON THE COURT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

IT'S A BIG GROWTH HERE.

AND THAT'S FOR LIKE CARLY WAS SAYING.

THAT'S WHERE THAT PLAYER DEVELOPMENT REALLY COMES IN.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT FEELING FOR BOTH OF THOSE PLAYERS TO HAVE SOMEONE LIKE TERESA WEATHERSPOON LIKE JEFF, YOU CAN REALLY COME IN AND JUST FOCUS ON GETTING THEM TO BE THE BEST VERSIONS OF THEMSELVES IN THAT ROOKIE YEAR.

REAL TICKETS ARE GOING FAST.

PRICES HAVE CLIMBED.

THEY'RE IN DEMAND.

SOME HAVE SUGGESTED MAYBE MOVING.

>> THE TEAM TO A BIG ARENA LIKE UNITED CENTER FOR SOME OF THOSE IN-DEMAND MATCHUPS LIKELY.

I WHERE ONE OF THE FEW TEAMS THAT DON'T SHARE OWNERSHIP.

SO THAT IS WHOLE LOT HARDER OF A CONVERSATION TO HAVE.

>> I KNOW DC JUST MADE A SWITCH SO IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE.

BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AS EASY AS OTHER TEAMS.

OKAY.

IT'S NOT GOING TO JUST I APPRECIATE THE FALLEN.

SO CARLY, THE NEWFOUND BUZZ AROUND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL IS WHAT THEY'RE CALLING.

OF COURSE, THE CAITLIN CLARK EFFECT IN REFERENCE, OF COURSE, TO THE POPULAR INDIANA FEVER, ROOKIE.

FAIR, THOUGH, TO OTHER STAR PLAYERS TO ONLY REFERRED TO AS THE CABLE CAR?

FACTORS ACCURATE?

NO, NOT AT ALL.

NOT BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT, SHE DIDN'T WIN ANYTHING.

SHE HAS NOT WON A CHAMPIONSHIP.

SHE WON A LOT OF TROPHIES.

CONGRATULATIONS, NAISMITH PLAYER OF THE YEAR.

ALL THAT STUFF, BRAVO.

BUT I MEAN, ANGEL REESE IS AN ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, NATIONAL CHAMPION CANELO CARDOSO NATIONAL CHAMPION THEY ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALSO INTO REESE.

THE MOST FOLLOWED PLAYER IN THE WNBA PERIOD.

IT'S MORE OF THE INJURIES.

THE FACT THAT IS THE CAITLIN CLARK EFFECT.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE THAT THEY NEED TO GIVE HER HER DUE DILIGENCE OR FLOWERS WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME OF THE OTHER FACTORS THAT HAVE INCREASED INTEREST IN WOMEN'S WNBA, ESPECIALLY A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO A COUPLE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN JUST THE LAST FEW YEARS.

YOU KNOW NOT IT WASN'T UNTIL ABOUT 2021.

2022 THAT THE WOMEN'S GAME WAS ALLOWED TO USE THE TERM MARCH MADNESS.

>> THAT ALONE ALLOWED SOCIAL MEDIA GROWTH AND THINGS IN THAT REGARD.

AND IT WASN'T UNTIL JUST THIS PAST YEAR THAT THE ENTIRE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT WAS ACTUALLY BROADCASTED FROM THE FIRST ROUND ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

WE'VE NEVER SEEN THAT.

CANDACE PARKER, DIANA TAURASI, ALL OF THESE LEGENDS AND GOATS IN THE GAME NEVER HAD THEIR COLLEGE CAREERS BROADCAST ONLY FROM THE ELITE 8 SO WHEN YOU'RE ALLOWING ACCESSIBILITY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THE WNBA ALSO NEEDS TO WORK BUT THAT CAUGHT THE NCAA DID A LOT OF THE WORK FOR THE WNBA.

THEY'RE THE ONES WHO GOT THE EYES COMING IN.

AND IF THE WNBA CAN CAPITALIZE ON IT, THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT GROWTH TRANSLATE TO THE PRO LEVEL SET UP FOR SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THESE PLAYERS ARE GETTING PAID, THOUGH AND THEIR ENDORSEMENTS.

CAITLIN CLARK'S CONTRACT IS A REPORTED $338,000 OVER 4 YEARS.

ANGEL REESE IS A SOMETHING SIMILAR.

NOW THIS IS ALL COMPARED TO THE NUMBER ONE DRAFT PICK IN THE NBA.

>> 55 MILLION DOLLARS OVER 4 YEARS.

SABRINA, IS IT FAIR TO COMPARE THE STARTING SALARY APPLES TO APPLES?

IT'S DEFINITELY NOT APPLES TO APPLES.

I MEAN, JUST CONSIDERING WHEN BARELY WAS FOUNDED IN HOW MUCH OLDER IT IS COMPARED TO THE WNBA.

>> AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE MATTER OF THE SEASONS, RIGHT?

WE'RE COMPARING OCTOBER 2 MAY AND MAY THROUGH ACT LIKE OCTOBER AT THE LATEST.

THINK THE WOMEN SEASON AS WE GET TOWARD ARE DEFINITELY MUCH SHORTER.

AND SO I THINK EVEN JUST PUTTING THAT INTO TALK ABOUT THE SALARY.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE AMERICAN GETTING 76,000 A YEAR AND THEY'RE GETTING $76,000 IN MY 4, 5 MONTHS.

I THINK.

LOOKING AT MAYBE NATIONAL WOMEN'S SOCCER LEAGUE SALARIES WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT FEARS.

I THINK THEY'RE IN A GOOD SPOT FOR GROWTH RIGHT NOW.

AND I THINK IS GOING TO CALM WHEN THEY RENEGOTIATE THE CBA.

WHAT WE ALSO HEAR, YOU KNOW, THAT BECAUSE THE WOMEN SALARIES HERE ARE SO LOW, THEY HAVE TO GO TO RUSSIA OR EUROPE TO KEEP PLANES.

THEY CAN EARN EXTRA INCOME FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

HENCE BRITTNEY GRINER ON JULIA, THOUGH, WHAT YOU KNOW, THAT NBA'S TV DEAL ALSO WORTH WORTH LESS THAN THE NBA'S.

WHAT MIGHT IT TAKE TO BRING WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINANCIALLY UP TO PAR WITH IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHAT CARLY WAS TALKING ABOUT.

WHAT WE HAVE SEEN I FLY THROUGH THE QUESTION IS WHAT HAS BEEN WHAT IS GOING TO TAKE TO GET?

>> THE WOMEN'S GAME BROUGHT UP TO THE SAME LEVEL OF POPULARITY THIS YEAR.

HE'S GIVEN THE MOST SIMPLE ANSWER.

JUST PUT THE GAMES ON TELEVISION.

THE INTEREST HAS FOLLOWED EVERY SINGLE TIME.

THEY'RE BREAKING EVERY SINGLE RECORD THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE SET BY THE MEN IN VIEWERSHIP.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT, HAS TO COME INTO THOSE NEGOTIATIONS WITH A REALLY, REALLY STRONG TACK OF SAYING OUR PRODUCT IS AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER IN SOME AREAS IN TERMS OF INTEREST IN TERMS OF TIME OF YEAR.

THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO.

AND THAT'S WHERE ALL OF THIS STARTS.

IF THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE PLAYERS, THEY HAVE TO START OUT BY JUST BEING ABLE TO SECURE THAT MONEY IN THAT DEAL.

SO A LOT OF THESE PLAYERS, OF COURSE, THOUGH, STILL MAKE MORE MONEY ON THEIR ENDORSEMENT DEALS AS WELL.

BUT THAT THE CERTAINLY THE POINT CURRENTLY NO, NOT AT ALL.

YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO.

AT ONE POINT, LAKE.

>> I HATE USING THE PAY THE PAY GAP AND ALL THAT.

BUT IT PRETTY OBVIOUS RIGHT NOW IN THE WOMEN'S SPORTS GAME.

BUT THE ONE THING TO KIND OF GO TO JULIUS POINT IS, YES, THEY'RE GETTING THE INTEREST IN THE VIEWERSHIP THERE.

BUT WHAT YOU NEED TO KIND OF WORRY ABOUT NOW ARE THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST KILLING PARK FANS?

ARE THESE PEOPLE THAT ESSENTIAL?

REESE FANS ARE THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FANS BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT VIEWERSHIP FOR THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE SUSTAINED IN 2025.

2026.

2027 2028.

>> YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THESE PEOPLE AND MAKE THESE PLAYERS WAY MORE ACCESSIBLE BECAUSE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO TELL THEIR STORIES AND BE ABLE TO SHOW THEM AND HUMANIZE THESE PLAYERS VERY, VERY WELL, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT GROWTH THAT HAPPENED IN THE NBA WITH THE GROWTH OF JORDAN AND LEBRON PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT LEBRON.

WE'RE 17, 18 PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT PAIGE BECKERS INCHES.

14, 15 PEOPLE IN THE KNOW ABOUT ALL OF THESE OTHER GIRLS UNTIL THEY HAD ABOUT 1920.

SO IT'S ALL ABOUT THAT STORY, TELLING THEM THE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND THEY MAKE THESE WOMEN THE MORE CONSISTENT THAT GROWTH OF YOUR SHIP WILL BE AS YEARS PAST.

>> CHERYL, THIS IS THE FIRST SEASON.

WNBA TEAMS ARE TRAVELING ON CHARTER FLIGHTS RATHER THAN COMMERCIAL, BUT IT IS UNCLEAR WHEN ALL OF THE TEAMS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.

SO FAR JUST A COUPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FLY PRIVATE ON THEIR OPENING DAY GAMES.

WHAT IS THE LATEST AND WHEN WILL EVERYBODY GET A FLIGHT?

WE DON'T KNOW.

EXACTLY.

THERE'S STILL SEEING THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK THINGS OUT.

I MEAN, IT WAS INTERESTING THAT THEY MADE SURE THAT CAITLIN CLARK IN INDIANA GOT ON A FLIGHT YESTERDAY TO GO TO CONNECTICUT.

THEY DID GET MINNESOTA ON THE FLIGHT TO SEATTLE.

THE SKY HAVE FLY COMMERCIAL.

AND SO SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS STILL WORK IN PROGRESS.

WHAT BOTHERED ME ABOUT IT?

THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO THIS AND YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF IT WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT INSTEAD OF BEING, YOU KNOW, PIECEMEAL TOGETHER.

THIS POINT.

AND IT ALSO SAYS TO A LOT OTHER TEAMS, WHY ARE YOU TAKING CARE OF THIS ONE PLAYER?

THIS ONE TEAM AND NOT THE REST OF US.

AND THE ONLY REASON THEY REALLY TOOK CARE OF MINNESOTA'S BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE CHERYL REEVE.

LET HIM UP TWITTER.

MEAN YOU HAVE TO KIND OF REALLY LOOK AT YOU IF YOU'RE GOING IT'S IT'S NOT JUST ONE TEAM.

THERE'S 12 TEAMS.

AND THAT ALSO GOES WITH THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN.

IT'S NOT JUST ONE OR 3 TEAMS.

IT'S 12 TEAMS AND YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET ALL 12 TEAMS.

THE SAME AMOUNT COVERAGE.

>> SABREE ON THE ENDORSEMENTS.

AGAIN, THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT A RACIAL DOUBLE STANDARD IN SOME OF THESE ENDORSEMENT DEALS.

WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT HAPPENING?

OH, ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, THERE'S LEVELS WITH COLORISM.

>> WE'VE SEEN ALIVE JUST IN THE LAST 24 HOURS WITH THE RELEASE OF THIS GAME'S CAMPAIGN AND THE REPRESENTATION OF PREVENTING WOMEN MORE THAN MASS PREVENTING WOMEN.

SO THERE ARE A TON OF LAYERS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT WITH NOT JUST THE LEAGUE BUT ITS PARTNERS AND START HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY REPRESENT THE MAKEUP OF THE LEAGUE.

AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE W SUCH A GREAT SO MUCH MORE TO UNPACK THERE.

OKAY.

I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS JULIA, IS THE LEAGUE READY FOR THIS LAKE?

DOESN'T HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO MANAGE THIS, INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF SCRUTINY AND DEMAND.

I MEAN, I THINK THE BIG QUESTION IS, IS ANY LARGE ORGANIZATION ARE READY FOR THIS LEVEL OF GROWTH?

LIKE ANSWERS TYPICALLY KNOW.

>> AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE GROWING PAINS AND I THINK THERE'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE GROWING PAINS.

OBVIOUSLY CHARTER FLIGHTS FOR THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THIS OF IT'S A REALLY GOOD THING, RIGHT?

AND THEN JUST NOT QUITE BEING ABLE TO STICK THE LANDING ON.

OKAY.

WE'VE GOT THE MONEY ABOUT 25 MILLION DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO TRANSFER PORT.

THESE ATHLETES.

BUT WE DON'T QUITE HAVE A PLAN TOGETHER.

AND I THINK THE BIG THING HERE IS JUST THE LEAGUE CONTINUE TO LEARN FROM THOSE MISTAKES, BE ABLE TO LEARN FROM THOSE GROWING PAINS.

AND I THINK THE MORE THAT THEY CAN KIND OF ABSORB THAT THE QUICKER THEY CAN LEARN THERE, THAT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO KIND OF TAKE THE MOST TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF THIS MOMENT.

OKAY.

I WOULD LOVE TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT