Special Edition: A Vibe Check on ESPN's 'Vibe Check'

Summary

---

Special Edition: A Vibe Check on ESPN's 'Vibe Check'

Podcast: Bloomberg Business of Sports
Date: October 30, 2025
Host: Jason Kelly
Guests: Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike, Ari Chambers

---

Episode Overview

This special edition explores ESPN's new sports talk show, Vibe Check, which delivers a fresh, authentic perspective on sports—particularly women’s sports. Host Jason Kelly sits down with Vibe Check hosts Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike, and Ari Chambers (each prominent figures in sports media and, in Chiney's case, a former WNBA player) for an in-depth, live conversation. Together, they discuss how the show came to life, its place within ESPN, and its impact on the broader women's sports landscape—especially as the WNBA collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expiration looms.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Conception & Purpose of Vibe Check

• Intentional Authenticity: The show was born out of a desire to create a genuine space where female hosts could talk about sports from their lived experiences—not as a token “female perspective,” but simply as themselves.
• Showcasing Talent: Vibe Check provides an “unlimited” platform for underrepresented voices and stories at ESPN, allowing in-depth discussion not possible on other programs.
• Warm, Inviting Tone: The hosts deliberately keep the vibe welcoming and familial, inviting viewers in rather than explaining from an outsider perspective.

Quote:
“Our perspective on sports, whether that be a women’s sport or a male sport, will skew women and female, because that’s what we are… [This show is for] everybody to… unpack everything they know in an environment that’s super warm. And I think it’s going pretty well.”
— Elle Duncan [03:46]

---

2. The Origin Story

• Format Inspiration: The “vibe check” concept started as a quick, informal segment during tournament coverage, checking if they were “on the same vibe” about key game storylines.
• Organic Growth: What began as a fun exercise between colleagues turned into a more structured platform for candid conversations, analysis, and letting personalities shine.

Memorable Moment:
“What’s going to be the second half storyline? 3, 2, 1… both said, the refs.”
— Chiney & Elle [04:37]

---

3. The Rise of Women’s Sports in Media & Culture

• Narrative Shift: Women’s sports no longer require advocacy alone. The focus now includes storytelling and amplification, reflecting growing popularity and acceptance.
• Greater Representation: The show reflects ESPN’s efforts to make space for more diverse voices, and it’s now a “destination” both for women working at ESPN and for families.
• Connection with Audience: The set and supporting visuals (college flags, Outkast bobbleheads) help viewers get to know the hosts as people.

Quote:
“I can change or transform, transfer my energy from advocacy to storytelling… All I ever wanted to do is amplify and storyteller around women’s sports, women athletes, and Vibe Check gives me the opportunity to do that.”
— Ari Chambers [05:24]

---

4. Vibe Check’s Unique Position in the ESPN Ecosystem

• Digital Disruption: It’s one of ESPN’s few studio shows designed for Disney’s streaming platform, merging traditional and digital audiences.
• Talent Magnet: Female talent at ESPN sees the show as a coveted opportunity.
• Family Engagement: The streaming model allows viewers to watch together at their convenience.

Quote:
“It is one of the only studio shows that we put on Disney… that gives you an ability to sort of merge the worlds of linear TV and digital.”
— Chiney Ogwumike [08:06]

---

5. The State of Women’s Sports – Focus on the WNBA

• Dramatic Moment: With the WNBA CBA expiring soon, the league faces both excitement (rising investment, valuations, and audience) and challenges (negotiation pressure, labor issues).
• Transformation in Business: Team valuations (e.g., Angel City, Golden State Valkyries) and investments are rising rapidly, reframing women's leagues as shrewd business opportunities rather than “charity.”
• Ownership & Agency: Players’ business acumen and leadership are forcing leagues and owners to evolve.

Quote:
“With great change comes great responsibility. But also it comes with disruption… seeing the investment, that’s been the biggest disruptor in the best way, because people are starting to see that you can get in on something right now that is huge for years to come. It’s a generational asset.”
— Chiney Ogwumike [10:08]

• Labor Negotiations & Player Empowerment:
  • Players today are more informed, engaged, and united than ever, demanding fair treatment and voicing their value.
  • Players also have greater financial stakes, sometimes even ownership roles.

Quote:
“The players, who can’t be as Nneka is a president for a reason, right? So the players are feeling like, okay, no, we’re worth this. We’re not going to stop until we get the demands… The value is there. Numbers talk. The numbers are talking and the players are able to be louder in a way that they haven’t before.”
— Ari Chambers [14:17]

• New Era for Athletes:
  • Women athletes now build multimillion-dollar brands, own businesses, and leverage collective bargaining much more audaciously than in previous generations.

Quote:
“You have players that are multimillion dollar brands that understand their worth. You have players that are launching their own leagues… That’s a good sign for business. But what they want is to be able to share in the growth of that.”
— Chiney Ogwumike [17:39]

---

6. The Future for Teams and Ownership

• Team Valuations Soaring: Expansion fees and team valuations have skyrocketed, signaling a fast-maturing business ecosystem.
• Diverse Ownership Attitudes: Some owners invest heavily; others remain “cheap” and risk being left behind as expectations rise.

Memorable Quotes:
“You’re going to have huge investment from some owners, and you’re going to have some owners who are cheap… those cheap ones that don’t want to spend any money… need to be, you know, continue to weed out by making sure that there is a huge investment in these people.”
— Chiney Ogwumike [20:54]

“You’re gonna lose money, but if you keep investing, it will come back to you tenfold. And I think to your point, like, Mark Davis is a huge symbol for that. You buy, he lost money until he didn’t, and now he’s got the most important franchise in the W.”
— Chiney Ogwumike [21:41]

---

7. Looking Forward: Vibe Check’s Next Steps

• Steady Growth over Expansion: The hosts agree the priority is quality and authenticity over hasty expansion.
• Audience Building: The team is still refining content based on audience feedback and determining what resonates most.

Quote:
“For me, I care purely about making sure we do the absolute best version of the thing we have before we talk about expanding and spinning... We are still figuring out combinations… what topics they’re interested in. And so, for me, I’m far less interested in like, what’s next for vibe check in terms of scale and much more in like how we each own our little space of vibe Check and continue to try to make it authentic and real and a place that’s a destination for families.”
— Chiney Ogwumike [22:45]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The vibes are immaculate.” — Chiney Ogwumike [03:47]
• “Women are owning their own narratives and statements… their power is in the collective. It’s unlike anything we’ve ever witnessed before.” — Chiney Ogwumike [11:38]
• “Players are now having ownership positions… They’re challenging the conventional thought of, we cannot accommodate this because this is not how the business model is, when you have them running businesses now.” — Ari Chambers [16:37]
• “It’s no longer a charity. You’re not doing it out of your foundation. This is a business.” — Elle Duncan [20:36]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:26] — Vibe Check conception and goals
• [05:24] — Impact of women’s sports popularity on storytelling
• [10:08] — State of the WNBA & the business shift
• [13:33] — CBA negotiations and player engagement
• [17:39] — Athlete empowerment and economic interests
• [20:34] — Evolution of league ownership and investment
• [22:26] — Future plans and vision for Vibe Check

---

Final Vibe & Takeaways

• Vibes are high and hopeful. The hosts project optimism about both the future of Vibe Check and the trajectory of women’s sports.
• Change is here—driven by players, investment, and bold storytelling.

---

Transcript

[FedEx Advertiser]

The FIFA World Cup 26 is coming to North America. Get closer to where business meets the beautiful game with a hospitality package featuring premium seats and entertainment. Get closer to wins on and off the pitch. Register interest@hospitality dota.com Interest your next product.

[Metronome Advertiser]

Launch is coming fast. Don't let billing slow you down. Legacy systems can't handle usage based billing. That means your team is stuck gluing code together, piecing through spreadsheets and running ad hoc queries just to figure out what to bill. With Metronome, you can roll out new pricing in minutes instead of months, whether it's usage based, seat based or a hybrid model. Visit metronome.com to see how companies like OpenAI and Anthropic launch billing as fast as they launch products.

[Amazon Business Advertiser]

That's metronome.com Every business starts with an idea. How can you go from daydreamer to industry leader? Amazon Business accelerates your journey with smart business buying. Get everything you need to grow in one familiar place. From office supplies to IT essentials and maintenance tools. Amazon Business takes the buying experience you know and love from Amazon plus tools that help you save costs and make insights based decisions ready to bring your visions to life. Learn [e-mail] welcome to a special edition.

[Jason Kelly]

Of Bloomberg Business of Sports. I'm Jason Kelly, chief Correspondent for Bloomberg Originals and the executive producer and host of the Deal and Power Players right here on Bloomberg. Recently I got a chance to co host the US Senior Next Level Sports Conference out in LA alongside the deans of USC's Annenberg and Marshall schools. We had tons of interesting conversations around the intersection of business, sports, culture, technology and media, and that included a live taping of Vibe Check. That's a new ESPN show that's streaming on Disney. It's a different kind of sports talk and highlight show with a heavy emphasis on women's sports.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

And that day I got a chance.

[Jason Kelly]

To sit down after the conference was over with host Elle Duncan Cheney, Ogumike and Ari Chambers to get, well, a vibe check on Vibe Check, as well as their take on the stories of the day in women's sports. We went especially deep on the state of the wnba, which all of them obviously have been watching closely. Ogumike herself played in the league for seven seasons and let me tell you, they did not hold back about the drama in the W right now, especially as the current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on October 31st. Take a listen.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

So Ella, I'll start with you. Like tell us about this show, like what Is it like, what. What did you conceive of it and how's it going?

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Yeah.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

So I think that the conception of the show was a space where, like, we could talk about women's sports, but talk about them from our own perspective. And I think, you know, the goal in putting Vibe Check together was not that, like, we wanted to be super overly intentional about, like, let's get the female perspective. We are women, and so our perspective on sports, whether that be a women's sport or a male sport, will skew women and female, because that's what we are. So for us, it was just more about being able to unpack more stories, bringing in amazing people like Ari, who has such a temperature on the women's sports culture and has for so many years, like, giving her a place where she could cook and have all of this information that she's got about whatever it is from gymnastics to women's basketball. And I think that's, you know, the ability to showcase all of this incredible women talent at ESPN was really probably the force multiplier of wanting to do this show, because in their respective roles, we're all sort of limited to the time that we have and the role that we have. But this is a place where everybody can come and unpack everything that they know in an environment that's super warm. And I think it's going pretty well.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Brandon, what do you think, Shanae?

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

I think the vibes are high. I would say the vibes are. The vibes are immaculate.

[Ari Chambers]

Yeah.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

You asked about the inception or conception of it. It came from authenticity. So, girl, were we working the tournament. We're working the NCAA tournament, and they give us so much content. And obviously working with Andrea, it's like you're going into this basketball matrix. So Elle needed an easy way to get our thoughts because we're going to break. We're cutting through so many different games. And so she's like, let's just do something like a vibe check where I give out two answers and you pick from them and see if you two are on the same vibe. Oh, so that was a start of vibe check because both of us just can go into these basketball crazy dark corners. But, yeah, I remember the first one, too.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

Do you remember what it was?

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

No, what was it?

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

It was the refs. Yes, the refs already knows.

[Ari Chambers]

I asked them.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

I go, what's going to be the second half storyline?

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

3, 2, 1. And they both said, the refs.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

The refs.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

I think Drea said the refs, and I said the referee. We Got to work on our line, just shorten it. But that's where it started. Just seeing if we're on the same page. And from there, it was like the most authentic thing. It created a greater space for more voices, more sports, and just for us to be ourselves. Yeah, because oftentimes at ESPN, she's working sports center. You're working 100 zillion different events. I'm working NBA. But this was a space for us to be ourselves.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

So, Ari, come in here. Tell us about that exact point. Because, you know, obviously, women's sports, we're going to talk a lot about that. Are rising in popularity, in viewership, in attention at ESPN and elsewhere. What are you. How is that manifesting in your work, and how do you see it showing up?

[Ari Chambers]

Well, because it's increasingly popular, I can change or transform, transfer my energy from advocacy to storytelling. All I ever wanted to do is amplify in storyteller around women's sports. Women athletes, and vibe check gives me the opportunity to do that. We have this big, comfy couch that. That Elle typically sits on with their feet up, and we bring in guests and get to just be the voice for them or help relay whatever they want to relay. And then we can share our perspectives, and I can focus on with my great teammates sharing instead of breaking down these doors. Yes, it exists to be the standard be in an innovative space, but it also exists as another megaphone for what we're already doing.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Right. And it's interesting that you frame it like that, because it does feel like they're in the best possible way. When you turn on the show, everybody's sort of in. You know, there's not sort of a like, okay, we're gonna explain to you what's going on. It's like, welcome in. This is happening. So just like. And we've been felt that on stage. I mean, that feels very intentional. Cheney.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Yeah, it absolutely is. Because, one, we understand that every second is an opportunity for us to talk about what we love. We don't take this for granted because it doesn't happen often. We're always a mix of people because we have so many amazing voices at ESPN and beyond that can be a part of it. So the moment we say show's on, we're in it. Elle always has something cooked up. Some jokes, some scheme, some skit. I am already prepping for how I'm gonna take down Draya in an argument. Ari is telling us what is the most important thing that happens in women's sports this day and communicating with guests she's known her whole life, basically. So I think we understand that the show is shorter and so we want to give it the best punch ever. And that's why I think it's always.

[Ari Chambers]

But even beyond that, us getting to know us. It's a bigger or a better space for you to know us as people. I look on the wall and I see a Stanford flag. I see Tennessee flag. I see all of Elle's ATL trinkets.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

There are outcast bobbleheads, literally, there are.

[Ari Chambers]

Bobbleheads of outcasts right there. Andrew 3000 is right there. But it helps you get to know us better so that they have great platforms that they're going to continue to build. I'm still building mine. So it kind of adds to our credibility when we storytell around other ESPN entities.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

And so how does it fit in your mind? You know, you work across all of these different aspects of espn. How does it fit into the ESPN ecosystem, which is. Feels like it's changing every day. The media landscape is changing every day. Like Elle, how do you see it sort of like fitting in or maybe defining where it's going?

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

Yeah, it's actually a bit of, by nature, a bit of a disruptor because it is one of the only studio shows that we put on Disney, along with sc, which premiered a little bit before ours did as well. So I think that gives you an ability to sort of merge the worlds of linear TV and digital. Ari is like a monster in the digital space. I've done more linear, although I've also dabbled in digital. You've done like, she's fantastic on social media and those things as well. But mostly her day job is social media. It's been really cool to see the different groups sort of come together and conceive what this would look like, knowing that it's on a streaming platform, but also like understanding that it is still TV and we still want to have the same goals, which is to educate, to entertain, to be fast paced, to get big interviews, to talk about what's happening. So I would say in the space at espn, it's looked at incredibly favorably. And also it's become a bit of a destination for the women that work. Like, the ones that haven't been on the show or hosted yet are like, when do I get my vibe?

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Check in.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

And I'm like, bring some stories. Like, tell them that you are interested and that you want to bring it to the table.

[Ari Chambers]

Also for the women talent, they sit down and watch it with their families. Jess Mendoza was telling me she watches it with her family, and because they can't watch it live often, they can just turn it on Disney and stream it after.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Right, right.

[Jason Kelly]

All right, so let's talk about the.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

State of women's sports, if we can. Fascinating moment. You know, today we heard a lot of what was going on. You know, you guys had Ali Reilly on, you know, literally days after her retirement from the NWSL with local team Angel City. We had Jeff Smith from the Valkyries. It feels exciting, but also, like, a little bit precarious given everything that's going on with the W especially. I mean, Janae, maybe start with you, the W. What should we be thinking right now? I mean, we're talking a week before the CBA is up.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Wow.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Yes.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

You know, I have plenty of experience with the WNBA with change, considering that I'm, you know, I was a member of the wnbpa. My older sister is currently the president of the Players Association. But with great change comes great responsibility. But also it comes with disruption. You used the perfect word, Elle. I look at Andal City, and that was the blueprint for its time and considerably for the future with what is possible. I played in the WNBA when I went to my first Andel City game, I was still playing, and I was like, whoa. I'm literally across the street and I'm like, what they have going with the business infrastructure, the support, the influencers, the investors, I brought some of my family to that game, and they're like, I didn't know this was possible in women's sports. Then you take that blueprint literally, shout out to Jeff Smith and take it over to the Golden State Valkyries and build something that shocks a lot of people in its valuation. So, one, the players have always been the best in its kind. Right. Always going to put out the best product. But now seeing the investment, that's been the biggest disruptor in the best way, because people are starting to see that you can get in on something right now that is huge for years to come. It's a generational asset, and I do believe that's transforming above all sports, the future of the industry. NFL's at its peak. NBA is at its peak. You know, NHL at its peak. Women's sports is rising. And we're seeing that generational change through disruption. Positive disruption, good leadership. I'm excited. And it's wild because the headlines are wild.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Yeah.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Women are owning their own narratives and statements. I often say that, like women's athletes, they tend to have multiple degrees. They know what they're doing. They understand that their power is in the collective. It's unlike anything we've ever witnessed before. We're glad to be storytellers of it. But I do think that we will continue. And I say we because I can never say like I'm on the other side of, you know, Jeremy, you earned.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

That right to say we, girl.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Oh, some people say, I don't know how it is, but I'm excited for the future because the business is booming, the players are becoming worldwide stars, and the sky is truly the limit, and we'll see where it goes.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

How worried are you about this?

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

I knew you were gonna come back to me.

[Odoo Advertiser]

All day.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

I'll say this every day. Things change. But one thing I do know for sure is that everyone wants to keep the product on the floor. We just. And I say we again. Languages have to be spoken that are the same. I think that there was a huge moment, obviously, with Nafeesa Collier putting out her statements. While that was quite a bit to process, particularly from the league standpoint, it did create an opportunity to reset. And right now it's crunch time. And hopefully all parties, which I believe they are, are working towards reconciliation and moving forward because this is the momentum that women's sports has been dreaming of. And it's not just basketball. This is a moment that will define women's sports by the cba. Bigger paid maternity leave opportunities for veterans when they're done playing. There's so many intricacies that touch the workplace overall, not just sports. So the time is now. Every day it's like a coin flip. But I do think they have the same goal now. It's time for them to speak the same language.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Ari, what do you think? I mean, you understand sort of the landscape of women's sports as well as anyone, and she can be way more real than me. What do you think as far as revenue?

[Ari Chambers]

I remember having conversations with people in 2018 saying the cost of inaction is greater than the risk. Right. And you see the return on investment. And people like Mark Davis, who bought what, the aces for 2 million, 20.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

21, 200 plus million.

[Ari Chambers]

It's a ridiculously great investment to have. Now, as far as the cba, I am not as close as Cheney is in it. I will say historically, they have not met the deadline, but they have come into a consensus before the season starts. Knowing what they're up against, between expansion, draft, free agency, and the trajectory that women's sports is right now, they want a common goal to keep the product on the Floor to reiterate, but what's.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

The vibes from the players? No one's closer to more players than you.

[Ari Chambers]

The players, I'll quote Nneka Neca told me that for the first time, they have a real strong foundation that they're willing to waver in their foundational requests. Right. But the players, who can't be as neck as a president for a reason. Right. So the players are feeling like, okay, no, we're worth this. We're not going to stop until we get the demands. Like, we're going to demand this. But the collective bargaining agreement is a bargain. It's going to have to have a little give and take. But the value is there. Numbers talk. The numbers are talking and the players are able to be louder in a way that they haven't before. Swin Cash, when she renegotiated in 2016, said we had to know when to walk away from things. We had to know what to ask for so that the league can sustain. And I think that there's apprehension on the league side with sustainability if you fulfill all the requests right now with the trajectory and the way it's growing. But the reality is, how long do you lean on skepticism before you completely make your product that's so great feel less than what they deserve?

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Yeah.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

To echo what they're saying, I did talk to Sue Bird recently on her podcast and I thought one of the things that she said that stood out to her about this negotiation and she couldn't get much into it. She is part owner.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Right.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

But she was just really inspired by the interest from the players. She's like, I remember past CPAs child.

[Ari Chambers]

They wouldn't even answer the phone for the little me.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

They wouldn't answer the phone. They wouldn't show up to meetings.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

They didn't.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

She's like, I don't even know if I knew who my team rep was for the first part of my career. She was like, just. Because there was just almost this hopelessness of like, well, they're not going to give us anything.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

And we're at the mercy of, yes.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

Like, we, like, we can't be audacious enough to ask for anything, so what's the fricking point? And so for her to see the engagement from the players and to see the confidence to stand up there and say, like, this is what we deserve. These are the non negotiables. This is what we want to see. The like, you know, movement of the T shirts and the speaking. She said that. And I think that's probably what's been the biggest difference, Cheney, is the engagement from the players who are standing in purpose and saying, like, we know what our value is and we are going to speak for what's right. Because to her point, this has the potential to really be a defining, seminal moment in women's sports.

[Ari Chambers]

And there's a. Players are now having ownership positions, whether that's within, you know, being a retired player, having a team of their own, or creating their own leagues or owning their own businesses. Like Janae said, they have multiple degrees. They're challenging because the league is the mouthpiece for the owners. So they're challenging. The conventional thought of, we cannot accommodate this because this is not how the business model is when you have them running businesses now. So it's just the stronger business sense and grasp for what the reality of the landscape is reflected when they're. They're coming to an agreement.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Yeah, it's such an interesting point because in sports writ large, not just women's sports, you now have athletes with economic interests and economic power that literally they've never had before. You know, whether, you know, today, Chris Paul, Maria Sharapova, you know, the three of you, you know, I mean, it's an entirely different landscape when it comes to athletes and the business of sports.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

You have players that are multimillion dollar brands that understand their worth. You have players that are launching their own leagues and finding creative ways to be sustainable, but also go beyond that, create new partnerships. And then you have players that still do. The traditional mode of going and playing overseas, the options are much different than where they were in the past. And I do think that this is a good sign. You know, when players can feel like they stand with a individual or collective value, that's a good sign for business. But what they want is to be able to share in the growth of that. Not saying that it has to be equal to what we compared to in other sports leagues, but something that is proportional for what they reflect and where the business is today. And these players, that's what I loved about what Ali said. They talk to each other. I'll never forget in the last cba, sue was on. So you know, who else was listening in the background? I don't know if that was fair. I don't know if I was going to my seat. Megan was in the background.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Megan Rapinoe, her partner.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Yeah, Rapinoe. And they just accomplished going to Capitol Hill and fighting the ticket tape parade was crazy. I remember then they take that institutional knowledge and say, hey, wnba, what do you need to know. And they're like, oh, this is how we're going to help our league grow. We're going to take this and build our own leagues, you know, so they're problem solving on the fly, but you don't want the problem to be with an institution that you love and adore, you dreamt of since you're a kid. You want to be partners in that.

[Ari Chambers]

Oh, and then lastly, the valuation of teams and what the owners are willing to pay now that there's a higher demand for. When you bring in a team, you have to meet a certain standard of economic stability. That makes a difference, too, because there's a inequity of ownership willingness to compensate the players. And I think that if all ownership groups were able to come to a consensus of what it looks like to be a successful team and what the ownership groups are willing to put in the. Into the players, it wouldn't be so back and forth again. I think the league is the mouthpiece for the owners to help bridge the gap between the seven wealthiest versus the rest.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

My sources tell me that's not a problem. My sources that have negotiated the last few expansion teams have told me that in terms of that valuation, that they. They had three teams that were willing to pay that $250 million expansion fee and that if they wanted to, they could have had 12.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Right.

[Ari Chambers]

Yeah, exactly.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

The new one, but the existing ones.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Is what I'm saying.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

Yes, absolutely.

[Ari Chambers]

Yeah.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

And I think they're going to have to force.

[Ari Chambers]

They're going to have to force in for the one.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

They're going to have to.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

And that is the ownership side. We've seen this in soccer and now we're seeing it in basketball. Just as much that, you know, this is. This is the evolution of a league. Right. In the sense that, like, it's no.

[Jason Kelly]

Longer, you know, you guys have heard.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

This as much as I have. It's no longer a charity. You're not doing it out of your foundation. This is a business. You know, when Willoughby and Bob Iger bought Angel city at a $250 million valuation, that was a business decision.

[Ari Chambers]

Franchise.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

So now sitting in 2025, about to be 2026, that looks like a steal. Absolutely. Where that's trending.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Right.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

But, you know, I do also think, like, Ari, to your point, there is always going to be cheap owners. Like, it's across. It just is. There are. I mean, how many times do you see the NFLPA warn their players, don't go play for them? Like. Like, this is just A reality of it. You're going to have huge investment from some owners, and you're going to have some owners who are cheap and like, the. But to her point, it's the few and far between those cheap ones that don't want to spend any money, don't want to upgrade facilities, don't want to do any of those things that need to be, you know, continue to weed out by making sure that there is a huge investment in these people. And I think my sources are telling me that one of the biggest, like, sort of tipping points and selling points to these prospective new owners is, like, just like any other business. As an entrepreneur that you have started, you are going to lose money up front.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Right.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

You need to be okay with that. You're gonna lose money, but if you keep investing, it will come back to you tenfold. And I think to your point, like, Mark Davis is a huge symbol for that. You buy. He lost money until he didn't, and now he's got the most important franchise in the W. So I think multiple rings.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

I was gonna say.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

That'S why they're the most important franchise.

[FedEx Advertiser]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

All right, so. So to wrap it up, it feels like just based on this discussion, vibes are good. Like, yeah. And. And so what's next for Vibe Check? Like, how do you guys think about, you know, the next year or two, you know, looking out? Does the show grow? Does it spin off? Like, what's. What is the. The. The grand vibe Check plan?

[FedEx Advertiser]

Oh.

[Ari Chambers]

Oh, man.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

We both want to.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

You're sitting right there in the middle.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

Gave me the middle seat.

[Odoo Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

I mean, I think, you know, the goal is always to, at least from this side. And, like, that question may be better answered by a marketing executive or, you know, one of our executives.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

But what do you want it to be?

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

For me, I care purely about making sure we do the absolute best version of the thing that we have before we talk about expanding and spinning. And I am completely driven by content. And I am also a bit of a perfectionist in that, like, until I feel like we have executed and nailed this thing, and we're still figuring it out. I mean, Vibe Check premiered in May. Like, it's just been around for a few months. We are still getting our sea legs under us. We're still figuring out combinations, because, again, we do have so many. We're still figuring out audience metrics. I mean, you know, something can be sold, and that's amazing. Like, we want it to be sold, but it takes some time to get research, to figure out what people are resonating with, like what topics they're interested in. And so for me, I'm far less interested in like, what's next for vibe check in terms of scale and much more in like how we each own our little space of vibe Check and continue to try to make it authentic and real and a place that's a destination for families to come and learning over the last few months what our demos are, what our audience looks like. That to me is information that we'll use moving forward.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Can you add to that mic drop? That's what it says. Well, I appreciate all three of you.

[Ari Chambers]

Spending the same time.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

This is really fun to chop it up. Vibes are great.

[Ari Chambers]

Vibes are great.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Wait, I feel like we should have done a vibe check with.

[Ari Chambers]

We should.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

I know.

[Ari Chambers]

Yeah.

[Janae (WNBA Player/Analyst)]

Wait. Ooh.

[FedEx Advertiser]

Okay.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

I got one.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Okay.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

Georgia or Georgia Tech?

[Jason Kelly]

Georgia Tech.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Georgia Tech.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

Sorry, you went to Georgia though.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

I didn't go to Georgia.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

Oh, you're just a Georgia fan.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

I'm a fan of like I have a lot of family from Georgia Tech, which is probably where I attend, and then I have a lot of family from Georgia.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

Ah, so you're.

[Ari Chambers]

So you just picked one.

[Shanae (ESPN Host)]

Clearly not Georgia Tech, Georgia State, or Georgia. I'm just kidding.

[Elle Duncan Cheney]

Georgia Southern.

[Jason Kelly]

Thanks so much for listening to this special edition of Bloomberg Business of Sports. For more from me, check out my podcast the Deal. I host that alongside MLB legend turned NBA and WNBA owner Alex Rodriguez. Recently we've had conversations with everyone from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to peloton instructor Robin Arzon and former New York Giant and current Goldman Sachs managing director Justin Tuck. Check that out and stay tuned on this feed for more. For more great episodes of Bloomberg Business of Sports, I'm Jason Kelly and this is Bloomberg.

[PayPal Advertiser]

Ah, greetings from my bath festive friends. The holidays are overwhelming but I'm tackling this season with of PayPal and making the most of my money getting 5% cash back when I pay in 4. No fees, no interest. I used it to get this portable spa with jets. Now the bubbles can cling to my sculpted but pruny body. Make the most of your money this holiday with PayPal. Save the offer in the app ends 1231.

[Jason Kelly]

See PayPal.com promoter terms. Points can be redeemed for cash and more paying for subject to terms and approval. PayPal Inc. And MLS 910457 this podcast.

[FedEx Advertiser]

Is brought to you by FedEx. The new power move. Hey, you know those people in your office who are always pulling old school corporate power moves like the guy who weaponizes eye contact. He's confident, he's engaged. He's often creepy. It's an old school power move, but this alpha dog laser gaze won't keep your supply chain moving across borders. The real power move? Having a smart platform that keeps up with the changing trade landscape. That's why smart businesses partner with FedEx and use the power of digital intelligence to navigate around supply chain issues before they happen. Set your sights on something that will actually improve your business. FedEx the new power Move Running a.

[Odoo Advertiser]

Business is hard enough. Don't make it harder with a dozen apps that don't talk to each other. One for sales, another for inventory. A separate one for accounting. That's software overload. Odoo is the all in one platform that replaces them all. CRM, accounting, inventory, E Commerce, hr. Fully integrated, easy to use and built to grow with your business. Thousands have already made the switch. Why not you try Odoo for [e-mail] that's odoo.com.