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The Fever Report with John Robertson & Michelle Garmon (2.187.2) · The Central Indiana Sports Report

• 0:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: Welcome basketball fans to the Central Indian sports report for this week's fever report with John Robertson and Michelle Garmin and John is there anything to report.
• 0:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think there's a couple stories that really are relevant to fever fans.
• 0:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: The first one is going to have to be what's up with the Leah Boston's leg.
• 0:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: took an injury in Unrival to had to leave the game for the fourth quarter and did return and then they said she would come and back for the rest of the season for Unrival to which I was she wouldn't have played it at all but she's out for the Olympic basketball so it's clearly bigger than nothing so you have to wonder how that's going to put it into the fever.
• 0:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 0:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: The other story is we'll even have a season.
• 0:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't.
• 0:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Those are the two biggest questions, right?
• 0:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Do we have a WMBA season?
• 0:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: If yes, what's up with Leah Boston?
• 0:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And hopefully Caitlin doesn't get her playing USA basketball.
• 1:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Those are the three big big things to talk about.
• 1:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we'll just not bury the lead.
• 1:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll get all three out right in the open at the beginning.
• 1:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: So which one you guys want to talk about first?
• 1:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, let's just talk about Boston first.
• 1:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: I guess that's one of the
• 1:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: things about playing unrivaled and you always have that chance of an injury when they play off in something off season.
• 1:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think this is Boston's first year of playing in the unrivaled league right.
• 1:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think she played last year.
• 1:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't watch it much.
• 1:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Even though Lexi's in it, I don't watch it.
• 1:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I don't watch it.
• 1:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just thought the Boston did a lot more television work last year during the off season.
• 1:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: She did do some broadcasting for a college basketball.
• 1:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: She did a couple of you South Carolina games, I think.
• 1:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: She has been last year in this year.
• 1:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I just, so to segue into the negotiation talks, if I'm the WNBA, if I'm gonna give these people even close to what they're wanting, I'm forcing non-compete clauses where they can't compete in other leagues.
• 2:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.
• 2:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's gotta be done.
• 2:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't think they're gonna wanna do it.
• 2:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's gonna be a sticking point because they want more money and they wanna be able to play another stuff.
• 2:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: But if I'm an owner, I'm gonna protect my investments.
• 2:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Exactly.
• 2:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you know, it's,
• 2:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's kind, and that's why, again, that's another reason that Stuart and call your should not be involved in the negotiations because it's a conflict of interest for them, because they're not going to want to disband unrivaled.
• 2:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: Unrivaled must die.
• 2:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, and I think that we're seeing if you really read into the what's going on in negotiations.
• 2:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't really want to open this political can of worms, but like, new leaders tend to negotiate for union leaders, they'll tell you it's for the good of everyone and all of the workers, but at the end of the day, I don't think that's always the case.
• 3:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't even think it's the right way.
• 3:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: Are you saying unions are corrupt, John?
• 3:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm saying that you come on.
• 3:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm saying there's a lot of corruption within Union's leadership.
• 3:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes, yes, I'll say that.
• 3:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I think you're starting to see a lot of infighting within the players union themselves.
• 3:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because I feel like the majority of the players just can't afford to take the season off.
• 3:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: They can't afford to just chill and not get stuff.
• 3:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think you've probably got about 10 WMV players who make enough on other things that they
• 3:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: make it enough to survive and be okay, but there's a majority of them can't.
• 3:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I think you're starting to see the cracks, but the deadlines in two days before we start to see season impacted.
• 4:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: March 10th is supposed to be the the hard deadline for a season non-impact.
• 4:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.
• 4:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know that we'll get it done.
• 4:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Are they all going to
• 4:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is interesting for those players that are on USA basketball, they're still gonna have something to do and keep them focused.
• 4:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just find it funny.
• 4:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm sure that the players union, I'm sure call your instructor would just love for Caitlyn Clark to put input and kind of throw, support that way.
• 4:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just love the fact that she's just letting it all play out.
• 4:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I really don't think they want her input.
• 4:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I think they'd like her support though.
• 4:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I think they'd like her support.
• 4:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not saying her input.
• 4:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: I said I think they would like for her to throw support their way.
• 4:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I don't think she'll do it.
• 4:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's good for her.
• 5:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hope she doesn't.
• 5:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: I agree.
• 5:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't.
• 5:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think what's house she's doing is perfect.
• 5:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: Good for her.
• 5:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: She's the key.
• 5:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: She's the key to the whole thing and everybody knows it.
• 5:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: every other at WMBA player could retire right now and you could just rebuild the league around Caitlin Clark and the numbers would continue to go up.
• 5:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: Sorry, the rest of the WMBA and don't get me wrong, there are players like Paige Beckers and others who could be that level of player to some day.
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: But right now, this league has built around Caitlin Clark, everybody knows it and you just
• 5:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: You've got to market what sells and what people are interested in.
• 5:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: That doesn't mean that you have to play her soft or treat her different or whatever.
• 5:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: But you have to acknowledge that she's what's moving the needle.
• 5:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: She's what's getting people's eyes on the WMBA.
• 5:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, there's a rising girl's basketball all over, but I would argue that.
• 5:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Katelyn Clark has the majority of the world's attention.
• 5:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And if you, if you fumble that, because you're trying to get whatever, then you have generally fumbled a lot of money.
• 6:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: And you're right, there's a lot of talent coming.
• 6:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: There's a lot of Katelyn Clark level talent that's coming, maybe not that level, but close to that,
• 6:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: all out throughout the grades and high schools and colleges, just based on her influence of some others.
• 6:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: And by the time Caitlin's a veteran, if they do things right, this can be a successful league.
• 6:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: All right, this is an important moment for that.
• 6:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: When I'm gonna go on, I think Caitlin Clark's the best player, but you don't even have to believe she's the best player and still acknowledge she's the one that brings the attention.
• 6:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's the thing that people can't separate, right?
• 6:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: she's got charisma, she's got eyes on her people want to watch her.
• 6:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: So even if you don't think she's the best player, that's fine.
• 6:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: But you have to acknowledge this, she's the one that's bringing me attention.
• 6:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, she's the most marketable player.
• 6:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe some of these others should take a look at her.
• 7:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: She doesn't need to play off season basketball and why.
• 7:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Her, she's got a great advisor's around her.
• 7:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: She stays apolitical.
• 7:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: She does.
• 7:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: events that promote kids and those out there, she's accessible.
• 7:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm telling you, she is, she's the model of what you want to see in a basketball player.
• 7:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Her actions and everything, she plays, she sticks to the game, you know?
• 7:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: She's what she does, she plays basketball.
• 7:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: And she, because of that and she draws in endorsements because she draws a ton of crowds.
• 7:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I still say a lot of that is because she just, she sticks the basketball kind of on and off the court.
• 7:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that's what I want to see from athletes.
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: And they don't care if you, they want to see you stick to what you do best.
• 8:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, the social wins have told these players recently that they need to get involved.
• 8:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: They even tried to tell, say, that Michael Jordan made a mistake by not getting involved in its nonsense.
• 8:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: The political wins, when again, we're not here to talk about politics, but are moving back the other way and Caitlin Clarks in the right spot to take advantage of it.
• 8:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: But again, huge week or two here to make a decision and get this thing going, because if they blow it, it's a big, big setback for this league.
• 8:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think the league survives a strike.
• 8:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it.
• 8:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it survives.
• 8:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it will exist.
• 8:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just don't think it will ever be any good.
• 8:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: No.
• 8:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it will ever get the attention that it had.
• 8:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: You have the potential for a lot of people who care about a league.
• 8:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: You've got your filling stadiums.
• 8:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: You're selling out the game bridge field house.
• 8:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think if they strike, you see that nowhere.
• 9:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: It just never happens again.
• 9:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, especially this in with this expansion, they want expansion.
• 9:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: They want more players here, everything, but yet they're killing themselves.
• 9:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm here to you just kind of this, you just have this investment from owners and groups.
• 9:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: And now, you make Kilda Pratt, you make Kilda Pratt it.
• 9:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: And apparently the key day is two days from now.
• 9:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: Tuesday, the WMBA scene, if they passed that, we're starting to look at cancellations and things like that.
• 9:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, well, because you got to remember we still got expansion draft.
• 9:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: We got regular draft.
• 9:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: We got free free agency all of it.
• 9:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like it's I don't see.
• 9:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're playing a game of chicken and I think the owners have the the leverage and we'll see what happens.
• 9:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like again, I think that the players deserve more money.
• 9:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: I definitely don't want to get it to where people think I don't think the players deserve raises.
• 9:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: They deserve raises.
• 9:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think you said that off the beginning, John, when we give them raises, just make sure that we protect the assets, we all agree they're going to and should get raises.
• 10:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: That's not the issue.
• 10:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's absolute, but I feel like when you hear people who are not as informed talk about this, they feel like there's either one of two camps, give them raises or don't give them raises.
• 10:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: And there's an in the middle where you give them raises, but expect more from them.
• 10:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 10:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: They want so much of what the men have, and I know if somebody was talking about, well, women's soccer, well, women's soccer drew higher ratings, drew more people in the
• 10:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: They had proof that they were a bigger, as big or a bigger draw.
• 10:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: WNB does not have that, and they don't, one, they don't play as many matches or as many games as the men.
• 10:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: and everything.
• 10:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: So one thing though, the fever can be just as big a draw as the Pacers, if they do it, but I'll continue to do it right.
• 10:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.
• 11:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: I got here, you, but I'm saying that can be the benchmark of the model for the other teams if they just start doing it right.
• 11:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: They could actually, in theory, be better than the NBA.
• 11:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not saying they are easy to support.
• 11:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's the rest of the teams that saw.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sure.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: If they would drop the political and activist nonsense, I think that you could get more people that would want to watch, but women's basketball.
• 11:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: I really think you could.
• 11:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: But
• 11:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: And something else, I don't think they realize one of the reasons to that so many people enjoy the women's basketball and you see a lot more families there is because it is more affordable.
• 11:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you want these gigantic raises, then they're going to have to make it up and they're going to make it up in ticket prices.
• 11:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: And when it doesn't become affordable for people to take their young kids, their girl, their daughters and their daughter's friends and go.
• 11:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: are going to drop a little bit too.
• 11:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: One of the things about women's basketball at collegiate level and at the professional level is it is more family friendly because it's more price-print friendly for families.
• 12:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well that's starting to slowly slip.
• 12:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: I can tell you I bought season tickets and they were about the same as when I bought pace or season tickets so they're getting close.
• 12:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was about, well, for full season, on average, it ended up being about $60 per ticket per seat.
• 12:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it wasn't, I'm trying to remember what we paid for pace of season tickets when we had them, but it's starting to get up there.
• 12:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you wanted lower, if you wanted lower bull season tickets, it was minimum of eight grand per seat or a total, I think.
• 12:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I know, but I'm just saying it wasn't, it wasn't cheap.
• 12:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: You pay the Caitlyn tax, which is fine.
• 12:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, yeah, I'm fine with it.
• 12:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: All right, of course, we all welcome it.
• 12:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: We all welcome paying that tax, of course.
• 13:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I guess that's kind of where we are as far as fever goes.
• 13:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: We don't know if we're going to have a season.
• 13:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: If we get that settled, it's going to be a whirlwind of activity when we go from one day of free agency into the draft into expansion draft.
• 13:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Or I don't even have that orders cry.
• 13:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: No free agency the way they have the schedule plan if they get this done on March 10.
• 13:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have one day for free agency and then.
• 13:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Either expansion draft or regular draft happened in the next one happened the next day.
• 13:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was just it's a whirlwind because we got preseason coming up at the end of April.
• 13:40
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, seems like we should be back here next Sunday to talk about it either way, because some it's gonna be big news either way at this point and we'll keep everybody informed on my new daily podcast, Greg and his friends talk sports.
• 13:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you so much guys for your time and go fever if there's a fever to go.