Hour 3 - Marcedes Lewis

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 3: Mercedes Lewis

Release Date: July 21, 2025

Hosts: Colin Cowherd, Mercedes Lewis, and Guest Sports Analyst J. Mac

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1. Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the conversation delves deep into current NFL dynamics, features an insightful interview with NFL veteran Mercedes Lewis, and explores the evolving landscape of the WNBA. Hosted by Colin Cowherd, with contributions from sports analyst J. Mac and Pro Bowler Mercedes Lewis, the episode offers a comprehensive analysis of recent sports events, player performances, and investment opportunities within professional sports leagues.

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2. Current NFL Discussions

a. Detroit Lions' Future

At [04:25], J. Mac initiates a discussion about the Detroit Lions, referencing their recent playoff loss to Washington and the team's overall performance. The conversation highlights concerns about the team's future prospects, questioning whether their "windows" for success are closing despite strong organizational support.

J. Mac [04:25]: "It just feels like the ship has sailed."

Colin counters this sentiment by emphasizing the Lions' robust general management and scouting departments, suggesting that effective drafting and player development can keep the team's competitive edge intact.

Colin Cowherd [05:45]: "If you draft well, your windows may regress, but they don't close."

b. New York Giants and Jackson Dart

The focus then shifts to the New York Giants' recent first-round draft pick, Jackson Dart. Both hosts express surprise over the drafting decision, especially considering Russell Wilson's expected continuation as the starting quarterback.

J. Mac [05:45]: "They drafted Jackson Dart in the first round. It did not make sense to me."

Colin provides a more optimistic outlook on Dart's potential, highlighting the favorable conditions Dart inherits, including a strong offensive coaching staff and key player support.

Colin Cowherd [06:32]: "It's about having a really good offensive coach, protecting his backside, and giving him a weapon."

c. Kansas City Chiefs' Strategy

The conversation transitions to the Kansas City Chiefs and their recent contract extension with edge rusher George Carlastis. The hosts discuss the importance of investing in a strong pass rush to compete within their division.

J. Mac [09:12]: "If you're going to pay your defense, it's pass rush guys."

Colin underscores the Chiefs' strategic focus on defense, especially in light of their divisional rivals' offensive strengths.

Colin Cowherd [09:55]: "Well, if you're Kansas City now, the Chargers have two good offensive tackles... you got to pay a pass rusher."

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3. In-Depth Interview with Mercedes Lewis

a. Career Insights and Longevity

At [10:36], Mercedes Lewis shares her aspirations to play one more year in the NFL, highlighting her dedication and the challenges of maintaining a long career in professional football.

Mercedes Lewis [10:36]: "Right now the goal is to play one more year. You know, just to 19 is amazing."

b. Evaluating Tight Ends

The discussion progresses to Mercedes's perspective on evaluating young tight ends, focusing on qualities such as toughness, willingness to block, and flexibility.

Mercedes Lewis [21:57]: "The first thing I'll probably look for is toughness. Are you a willing blocker? Can you do the dirty work?"

She elaborates on the importance of mental fortitude and technical skills in excelling at the tight end position.

c. Facing Tough Defensive Players

Mercedes reflects on her experiences facing formidable defensive players, mentioning legends like Julius Peppers and contemporary stars like Miles Garrett.

Mercedes Lewis [24:02]: "Probably Miles Garrett, Max Crosby... they're just different. They're just different."

She emphasizes the competitive nature of the game and the respect she holds for these athletes.

d. Insights on Caleb Williams

Later in the conversation, Colin brings up quarterback Caleb Williams, comparing his developmental trajectory to that of Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Mercedes agrees with the assessment of Williams's potential, citing his attributes and the support from the coaching staff.

Mercedes Lewis [18:09]: "He can do it. So it's just about having a plan and making sure that you know what he wants and what he's really good at is in alignment with Ben."

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4. WNBA Negotiations and Investment Opportunities

a. Current State of the WNBA

At [30:57], Colin shifts the focus to the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), discussing recent player negotiations and the league's financial landscape. He argues against the notion that the WNBA doesn't deserve increased compensation, citing growing merchandise sales and rising ratings driven by star players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

Colin Cowherd [30:57]: "The WNBA is negotiating as merchandise sales are going up, attendance is going up... they've got a star that drives a number of things."

b. Comparison with Other Sports Leagues

The hosts draw parallels between the WNBA and other major sports leagues, emphasizing the importance of star players in driving revenue and fan engagement. Colin uses the example of Tiger Woods in the PGA to illustrate how individual athletes can elevate an entire league's profile.

Colin Cowherd [34:27]: "The WNBA merchandise, ticket sales, ratings up... they just put Caitlin Clark on all the time."

c. Investment Potential

The conversation delves into the investment potential within the WNBA, with Colin expressing his enthusiasm for acquiring a stake in the league's franchises. He counters skepticism by highlighting the long-term value appreciation of sports teams, comparing it to historical increases in franchise values across other leagues.

Colin Cowherd [35:07]: "The bottom line is you're buying into that... the bottom line is you don't own these teams who can afford that."

Mercedes questions the league's reliance on single star players and the sustainability of its growth, to which Colin responds by emphasizing the overall momentum and potential for expansion.

Colin Cowherd [38:32]: "I want to own a team... I'd put it in the WNBA tomorrow."

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5. Conclusion

Throughout the episode, The Herd with Colin Cowherd offers a balanced mix of in-depth analysis, veteran insights, and forward-looking perspectives on both established and emerging facets of professional sports. From dissecting NFL team strategies to exploring growth avenues in the WNBA, the episode provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of the current sports landscape, enriched by firsthand experiences and expert commentary.

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Note: This summary intentionally omits advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content sections to focus solely on the substantive discussions and insights shared during the episode.

Transcript

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks for listening to the heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Mercedes Lewis]

Now, let's get this party started.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. J. Mac, you're just figuring out that Stephen Colbert story. That was a big hot topic all weekend.

[Sports Analyst]

Listen, man, on the weekends, I try to spend time with the fam, do some sports. I play volleyball and basketball. Saturday was amazing. I'm not online, I'm not reading. Come on. I'm relaxing, enjoying summer.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Sports Analyst]

What are you doing in Chicago? You. You're reading about Colbert.

[Colin Cowherd]

The demise of late yesterday, by 11:30, I was watching the British Open, reading my Fox Sports college football preview book, and I may have tipped an early one just to feel good about myself.

[Sports Analyst]

So. By the way, do they have cigars in Chicago? Are you off the cigars now?

[Colin Cowherd]

Do they have cigars in Chicago? Yeah, they even have them in Wisconsin, the state above us. Kenosha has a cigar store, I bet.

[Sports Analyst]

Come on.

[Mercedes Lewis]

That's not.

[Colin Cowherd]

Keegan probably does as well.

[Sports Analyst]

Kenosha, that's a town.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, it's got. Yeah, it's a beautiful. You have to get out here and realize there's a world beyond the 213 area code. 818, you know, forgot what the area code was there. All right, J. Mac with the news.

[Mercedes Lewis]

No, no, no. Turn on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the Herd line news.

[Sports Analyst]

Let's talk a little Detroit Lions. Colin, remember that loss in the playoffs to Washington? Golf was horrible, but Jir Gibbs, the great running back for Detroit, he said he's ready to do whatever it takes to win a Super Bowl. He's willing to line up at safety or nickelback. I guess he's been reading about Travis Hunter. I. I don't know, Colin. I feel like the windows kind of closing for the Lions. Gibbs, well, the superstar. But it just, it feels like a. The ship has sailed.

[Colin Cowherd]

Windows don't close when you have a really good general manager and scouting department. And the. And. And unlike the Bengals, the Lions have poured more money into it. So this is an organization that has drafted similarly to Philadelphia, has hit on so many first, second and third round draft picks that they are going to keep the books reasonable. Aiden Hutchison comes back this year. They did lose a center and they addressed that in the draft. They went heavy. Interior lineman. I think they're. I Think there are certain team Baltimore drafts too. Well, Philadelphia, the RA Buffalo's drafted very well. Green Bay historically drafts well. If you draft well, your windows may regress, but they don't close. Dallas is closed because they have not New England. Belichick at the end closed. They drafted for me.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah, I did see that they suffered another injury. The Lions over the weekend lost a defensive starter for the season. They just can't stay healthy. It's unfortunate. But let's move on to next up, the New York Giants. Colin, I think both of us were were shocked when they drafted Jackson Dart in the first round. Did not make sense to me. Russell Wilson still expected to get the start, but everybody's expecting a lot of Jackson Dart this season. Dart told the New York Post he ain't scared of the pressure that comes with playing in New York, adding that this is where he wanted to be. Any Any thoughts here on Jackson Dart? Who I'm I'm just telling you, every time I read about the Giants, the coaching staff loves Jackson Dart. Loves him.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, there's things that I think work in Jackson Dart's favor. He inherited. Think about it. As a rookie quarterback, if I said, what three things do you want? Number one offensive coach. Number two, a good left tackle. Number three, a number one receiver. He's got all of them. If I, if I was, if I came into the league or my son did, I'd say please give him an offensive coach. Please protect his backside and give him a weapon. And, and they have all so the idea this is a bad place for Jackson Dart now a bad place for Jackson Dart would have been drafted to the Bears last year where Caleb Williams got an O line that regressed a defensive coach kind of a number one. But there was just in a, in a really good division. This is a, this is about as good as you're going to do as a rookie quarterback. And it's funny about the Giants. I like their defensive front. So I do think defensively, you know, it's, it's. They can make things uncomfortable for you. They. Whoever quarterback backs then will not have to win shootouts every week. It's, it's if, if the Giants right now had the quarterback right. I'd think differently about them. The schedule is brutal, but there are elements defensive line, receiver, left tackle, coach. There's some stuff there I like.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah. I had a analytics guy on my podcast last week and he said the Giants unequivocally have the toughest schedule in the nfc.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Sports Analyst]

So I mean, I feel bad for Jackson Dart. I, I mean I don't see a ton of wins on this schedule. You go, maybe you get the layup in new or. But again, facing right out of the gate, Washington, Kansas City, Chargers, Eagles, Broncos, Eagles. Those are all playoff teams from last year. Like that. I don't know how Russell Wilson's going to still be the quarterback. Come like Halloween. They're going to just have to try Dart. The only reason I don't think this is good, Colin, is because what happens if Day Ball gets blown out? If they win four or five games, he's getting dusted. Right. And then it's like Dart has to win over the new head coach. Yeah, I don't, I don't see it now. Maybe Malik Neighbors is heroic. I'm still surprised. He's considered like a top seven receiver in the league already, but I don't see it happening for Jackson Dart and the Giants this year. Final story, Colin. Let's go to the Kansas City Chiefs. So we got some good news for them. George Carlastis, the edge rusher, I believe he went to Purdue. He got a four year, $93 million contract extension. First round pick of the Chiefs. He's been solid since his rookie year. I don't think he's been spectacular. But you need a bunch of these good edge rushers well, to deliver because you got to rotate them in and keep them healthy.

[Colin Cowherd]

Look who's in the division now. Bo Nix and Sean Payton, Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh. If you're going to pay your defense, it's pass rush guys. So he was a good player at Purdue. He's been a very productive. Chris Jones getting a bit older, although Chris still has some years remaining on his deal. But if you're going to pay when you get into a division, you got to look at your division and say, who do we have to stop? Well, if you're Kansas City now, the Chargers have two good offensive tackles, a real run game. Harbaughn Herbert, you probably want to pay a pass rusher. And by the way, you got Sean Payton, Bo Nix, Garrett Bowles is a great left tackle. So if you start looking at the matchups in the division, Carloft, this is a guy I'm probably gonna pay.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah, they. I'm looking at the chief super bowl stats. Carloftis actually had one of the two sacks in the Super Bowl. Not a lot of highlights on that team. They got just boat raced by the Eagles. One of us on the show called that, but you know that's neither here nor there.

[Colin Cowherd]

J. Macle the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the Herd lie news. Not only has he played more NFL games than any current NFL player, he didn't miss a. He didn't miss a game for the Chicago Bears the last two years. Now he's a free agent. He's our buddy. Mercedes Lewis, a Pro Bowler, 19 years in the NFL, who I'm told, just got done working out. Now, last time I talked to you, wanted to play. Do you still. Are you still willing to get on a roster? Would you play today?

[Mercedes Lewis]

Yeah. I mean, right now the goal is to play one more year. You know, just to 19 is amazing. I'm super grateful for that. Obviously, we've had conversation about it. 20 kind of grounds off the legacy for me, so right now it's just standard operating procedure. Just working out and doing my thing, man.

[Colin Cowherd]

Is there a team you fit? Who needs a blocking tight end, who's smart, who needs a guy like Mercedes Lewis? Where do you fit?

[Mercedes Lewis]

I mean, obviously a team that's definitely going to run the ball. A team that play pass and play action. It kind of ties the running and pass game together. I'm not necessarily going to throw teams out there, but there's been a few that have kind of reached out, kind of probing to see if I'm going to continue to play. So we'll see how it sorts out. You know, obviously, with me, it's all about controlling what I can control. And what I can control is being in great shape and being ready when my name is called. So, you know, here we go.

[Colin Cowherd]

Did Green Bay reach out? Baltimore?

[Mercedes Lewis]

No, those two didn't reach out.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, well, they both have a very extensive run game. Okay. All right. Throw that there. Did Arizona reach out? What'd you make of that one? Arizona reach out. Okay. Hey, man, I'm a journalist, Mercedes. This is what journalists do. I'm fishing.

[Mercedes Lewis]

No, I know. No, I get it. I mean, it's again, it's been like three or four. Obviously, they're trying to make sure they have what they need on the roster, and, you know, we'll see what happens once camp gets going. You know, the grind it is as far as camp and how hard it is to stay healthy in this league. So for me, it's just about kind of figuring out what that. That magic number is going to be for me in my mind of when I want to go ahead and retire, you know, because I. I don't see myself necessarily waiting the whole season right now. I'm still very inspired and motivated to go for one more year and I'll just take them one day at a time and see what happens.

[Colin Cowherd]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[Covino]

Hey, we're Cov and Rich, Fox Sports radio every day, 5 to 7pm Eastern. But here's the thing. We never have enough time to get to everything we want to get to.

[Podcast Host]

And that's why we have a brand new podcast called Over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun in our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly, because this guy is over promising things we never have time for.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, you blubber lips, blaming me.

[Covino]

Well, you know what? It's called Over Promise. You should be good at it because you've been over promising women for years.

[Podcast Host]

Well, it's a Covino and Rich after show and we want you to be a part of it. We're going to be talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing about something or we didn't have enough time, it will continue on our after show called Over Promised.

[Covino]

Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make sure you check out Over Promised and also uncensored, by the way, so maybe we'll go at it even a little harder. It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks.

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[Colin Cowherd]

FDIC well, you didn't miss any games with the Bears. We talked about Caleb Williams. I said one of the things that's fascinating about him, there's a wide range of outcomes problems. Most of his issues, in my opinion are solvable. Like Lamar Jackson when he came into the league, didn't have much of a pocket presence because he had such a scapability. Like he didn't have to sit in the pocket. Two years later from about year three to now you're like, okay, he's very comfortable in the pocket. He senses pressure. He doesn't just bolt. Josh Allen wasn't accurate by year three, you're like, oh, he's developed accuracy. I think that's kind of Caleb. It's not an arm. Elusiveness, toughness, smart. I don't worry about that stuff. You played with him. I don't worry about that. But he does miss layups. He can be a little hero ball. He does hold on to the ball too long. Is there when you are playing with him, the holding on to the ball too long. I think that's understood. A lot of people have talked about that. How do you solve that?

[Mercedes Lewis]

Having a plan? If you remember when we spoke a little while ago about Caleb, it was about just the disarray that the offense was in and the firing of the coaches and just different philosophies. I think it was just too many cooks in the kitchen at that time. And obviously coming in for his rookie season, it's kind of tough to kind of go through that. But at the same time, you know who he is as a player, as a person who he sees himself as every day when he wakes up in the morning. The guy wants to be great. He wants to be coachable. I think right now he's in a really good situation now with the new coaching staff and they added some support there for him. And I think everything that you just mentioned won't be an issue soon. I mean, he's a guy that as far as just a dude being able to play the game of football, he can do it. So it's just about having a plan and making sure that you know what he wants and what he's really good at is in alignment with Ben. And I'm pretty sure they're over there working, working hard at it to make sure they're putting in things so that he's successful this year. And I just look forward to seeing him play. I think he's going to be solid.

[Colin Cowherd]

So quarterbacks over 40 in the NFL have won 12 playoff games ever and Brady's got 10 of them. All right, so it's hard. And I was surprised Aaron went to Pittsburgh. My take is first ballot hall of Famer. He did New York like far. It was messy. I could see him just retiring. He's a West coast guy. And I do think that Pittsburgh's been a little tone deaf on offense. They can't get the O line right for six years. Even though I like some of their offensive personnel, I think they've drafted the West Virginia center, the Oregon State lineman. Like, I like some of their offensive line personnel, they can't get it right. Were you surprised he did decide because he could have retired? Were you surprised he decided to play out east with the Steelers?

[Mercedes Lewis]

No, I wasn't surprised. And I don't know if you remember when, you know, you asked me that question maybe a couple months ago, I picked for him to go to Pittsburgh. I just felt like, you know, to get out of New York, get on a team where defense is solid. Obviously they, you know, they're trying to figure it out on offense, but a rod may be that piece, right? Like, if we think about it, the quarterbacks that were there, if you name, you know, five or six quarterbacks that they've had, I'm still pick a rod over all of them. And they've been able to get to the playoffs and have a winning season. So, you know, I'm looking forward to see how a rod meshes in with Pittsburgh and see if he can get that offense going. But I think with him there, it gives him a good shot.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, it's funny about. You came into the league big, tall, athletic, you could go vertical, and then you pivoted at some point in your career to more of a blocking tight end. You always blocked, but you became more of a blocking tight end. You know, tight end is weird. Antonio Gates was undrafted. That's crazy. Travis Kelsey, George Kittle, like, fifth round guys, it just. It's crazy to me. And I go back to, you were a fir. You were at the end of the first round of Jacksonville. It does seem, though, that many tight ends have surprised us. Nobody thought Kittle was going to do this. I mean, seriously, Antonio Gates is an undrafted hall of Famer. When you watch young tight ends, what do you look for? That maybe I wouldn't. You watch college football and you say that works, that doesn't. Like, what would you look at if you ever coached or you went into a front office and I said, mercedes, we got four tight ends on the board. What do you like and what do you don't like? What. What would you pinpoint?

[Mercedes Lewis]

I think the first thing I'll probably look for is toughness. You know, obviously you can go out there, run around, catch a ball. Cool. But are you tough? You know, are you a willing blocker? Are you. Are you down to get dirty? Can you, you know, do the dirty work? And then as far as, like, your skill set, can you bend right? Like, a lot of the guys that, you know, block really well in this league can bend. And for me, that was one of the things coming out. Obviously I was a high, like, high cut guy, long legs, but I was flexible and I can bend and I was a willing blocker. So as far as where I am today in my career, yeah, it's just been a steady progression of just getting better at the basics while still keeping my flexibility and being able to bend. And then most of all, just my toughness. So when I, when I watch the film, I'm looking at how tough you are as a person. Like if, when everything is not going good and when you're, you're down, are you still doing your thing? Are you still blocking and doing the little things? Because when you're playing tight end, it's not just about catching touchdowns. Like we, there's so much that gets put on our plate that, you know, just the naked eye wouldn't even understand. And you have to have a certain mental fortitude to kind of battle through, you know, those fault lines of, you know, trying to be the best you can every day at the edge, tight end position. And so those guys that you name all have that similar thread about them and, you know, that's, you know, why they are where they are now.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, I love asking this question. So occasionally you have to get a lined up across from a Miles Garrett or a Jared Verse, and because of the situation in the set, you're like, oh brother. If I told you there's one player that you've played against in 19 years that you wish you didn't have to play against. If there was one guy, when you're sitting in that hotel the night before a game, you're like, oh, crap, this is, I'm just, I gotta get ready for an ice bath. Who is the single toughest guy when he shifts over that you have to block talk? You'd never show him, you'd never let us, you never let him see it, but you were like, not a good time.

[Mercedes Lewis]

I mean, I'll say this, so I'll give you, I'll give you a couple. One, I'll say probably Julius Peppers or Javon curse, right? That was earlier on in my career where those dudes are monsters, right? And like, that's who I kind of like looked up to when I was in college. And when I had the opportunity to play against him, I learned a lot of lessons and it kind of made me better as a player. But those guys were just animals on the edge and it kind of helped me build my gristle for who I am today and, you know, being able to go against all these freaks at this point in my career, and I would say right now, literally, it would have to be Miles Garrett, Max Crosby. I think those two are just dynamic and what they do. Both different, but the same in how they get after it as far as their motor and them having a plan, Right. And those two have really good counters to whatever their favorite moves are. So you just always got to be on your toes because they're. They're just different. They're different. Like, those guys jump off the screen and you know what type of game is going to be when you play against those guys. And the last time we talked about it, I kind of alluded to the night before the game. Like, if I'm playing against, you know, either of those guys or guys, they're like. Like, my whole body feels different. Like, my. My mentality, it kind of shifts in a way, but my body feels different because I know that I'm going to be in a dog fight and. And, you know, at the end of the day, it makes this game what it is. Like, I'm grateful to have those moments and kind of be in position to kind of feel what it feels like to compete at the highest level, and those guys being the best out of me.

[Colin Cowherd]

One more question for Mercedes Lewis. Can you tell how long does it take you as a guy who's been in this league, 19 years? If you go to a camp, go to your last six or seven years, do you know instantly how many practices does it take for you to go, oh, crap, that kid's not going to work here, or, holy, that guy is like Jared Verse. Literally, game two, you're like, yeah, that's going to work, but how many practices do you need to see? And you're better at this because you're blocking them. Do you need to see, oh, that's not going to work. That kid's not going to work?

[Mercedes Lewis]

It would take me three practices with Pat with full pads to know that, like, if I'm going against somebody, if. It's. Obviously, it'll probably vary depending on the position, right? But if I'm going against a guy who's either a linebacker or defensive end is over me. And I'm actually getting, you know, to feel that. That interaction or that side of it. I would probably say about three practices with full pads. If. If you're like a skilled guy or quarterback, maybe it take a little longer. But as far as, like, being in the trenches, probably like, three practices to know that like you're either going to be a dude or you're just going to be a guy.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Mercedes Lewis night, teen years still available, man, I don't want to get nosy, but that NFL pension, that's gonna be slick, dude.

[Mercedes Lewis]

Yeah, man. I don't maybe when, I'll probably look at it when I'm. When it's all said and done, but it should be sweet.

[Colin Cowherd]

You'll go to Craig's four nights a week and order chicken parm and not even worry about it, bro.

[Mercedes Lewis]

Yeah, just work out, order good Italian food and mind my business.

[Commercial Announcer]

Great seeing you.

[Colin Cowherd]

We'll talk soon.

[Mercedes Lewis]

Likewise, brother. Thank you, man.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right. 19 years playing pro football. Oh my God. And didn't miss a game with bears last two years. Like some guys like LeBron's like that LeBron got. I mean, LeBron's obviously worked at it, but some guys, I mean, John lynch at safety, I asked John, John lynch led head first. I mean he was one of the hardest hitting safeties. He and Chuck Cecil for over a decade. And I asked lynch once you ever have a concussion? He's like, no, never had one. Like what? How did you not.

[Commercial Announcer]

What?

[Colin Cowherd]

No, never had one. Like, some guys just got the man upstairs. The entity upstairs, you know, touches them with something that very few players have. They just, they just stay healthy in very physical environments. Wrap it up next in Chicago, it's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

At [e-mail] aipc how those ahead Stay ahead.

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[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks.

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[Colin Cowherd]

Welcome back. I think one of the interesting stories and this has been the case, and I think we're a long way from over, the WNBA again is in the news because the players went out this weekend and you know, wore shirts. Pay us what you owe us. So it's very easy to say this league has lost so much money over the years, they don't deserve any money. But the truth is, as an investment, it only really matters when the negotiation process takes place. And it's taking place now. And the WNBA finally is hot. Now you could say it's only hot because of Caitlin Clark, but when Tiger woods came on the tour, nobody else was driving the revenue that Tiger was. So what if you were an advertiser, you wanted to be part of the PGA because everybody was watching Tiger. The truth is, whatever broadcast network has the WNBA games, they put Caitlin Clark on all the time. And Angel Reese is getting a brand. Not to that point, but I mean the point is right now it's negotiation time and IT projects for 10 years to be very positive and there hot right now. So like you have to pay them now. What are you going to pay them? The NBA players make 50% of revenue, but the NBA players drive shoe sales, they drive all sorts of apparel. They, they drive social media. A handful can drive television ratings, they drive attendance. WNBA players. Caitlin Clark is sort of a one of one, but there's still value there. I don't think they'll get 50% of revenues. Could they get 30% of revenues? But the idea that like they, well, they've always lost money. Again, think of it like you have an investment and all of a sudden. I was talking about earlier in my little podcast company, if I had a podcast for four years that lost money for four years and there was five months left on the contract and it suddenly got hot. Well, I'd probably resign them if they, they made me a bunch of money for the first three years. And in the last year of the contract, they Hemorrhaged money. I probably wouldn't sign them. It's all about momentum. WNBA has it. When are we negotiating? Well, the WNBA is negotiating as merchandise sales are going up, a tenant is going up, and ratings are going up. Even if it's only driven by one or two players, it's still working. Attendance through the league is up. I would think about extending the season 10 games. I, I that my take on what to do with Caitlin Clark. Lighten up on the officiating, call more fouls, keep her healthy. Secondly, I'd add 10 more games to the schedule. More revenues as the merchandise goes up. And again the players then say, okay, we'll pay a 30%, but we want 10 more games or eight more. Because right now the WNBA schedule is. It's like a college schedule. There's not that many games. But the idea that, well, they've lost a bunch of money. All sorts of companies sell at a premium, having lost money. The example I used earlier was the Athletic. It was hemorrhaging 45 million a year. The New York Times still bought it. It still doesn't make a profit. It adds scale and subscriptions to the New York Times. That's very interesting. A lot of these companies that get purchased are not making an annual profit. The bottom line is the wnba merchandise, ticket sales, ratings up, and they've got a star that drives a number of. I want to be in that business for the next 10 years.

[Sports Analyst]

The problem, Colin and I was reading about this last night is some of the teams are profitable. And I can guarantee you the Indiana Fever are going to be profitable this year. Yes, but do you all of a sudden want a blanket statement that, you know, they players go up from 9% generating revenue to all of a sudden everybody gets 33%. Well, if I'm one of these bad teams where I'm losing money and all of a sudden I've got to pay my players way more. I don't know that we could do that blanket thing because.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, well, you know what? You know what? Then sell your franchise. Because I can assure you there are billionaires and 500 millionaires around the country that would buy these franchises for $250 million.

[Sports Analyst]

You just lost money on the, I don't know, pick a team here, you know, Atlanta Dream. You've been losing money on them for years, and now all of a sudden you've got to pay everybody way more money. Why would I, why would I sell? You're gonna force me to sell now as the league's ascending.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, you Just said you don't want to pay money. The bottom line, when you buy a pro sports team, you're parking income. That's all you're doing. The bottom line, if you lose at an annual basis, but you buy it for 250 million, what you're predicting, it'll be worth 375 million in four years. If you go back and look what WNBA franchises were seven years ago and today they've gone up like 10 times the ML. I've tried to buy into the MLS twice. I didn't have the money. When I wanted to buy in, it was 35 million. They were then three years later worth 85 million. I tried to buy in small number at 85 million, they're now worth 270 million. The bottom line is you're buying into that. You don't. It's not the people that can afford that own these teams. They've got 38 businesses. Mark Cuban owns 70 businesses. Not when he owned just the Mavericks. You have an operating loss in some of your businesses.

[Sports Analyst]

So Colin, the problem with that is the league is so dependent on Caitlin Clark now. If Caitlin Clark decides, I've had enough of basketball, I'm retiring, that's not happening. She walks away. Tell me where the WNBA growth is. Is it still going through the roof? Well, Paige Beckers is a really nice player. She ain't moving the needle like Caitlin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Tell me a bunch of, Tell me a bunch of pro athletes who at 24, 25 said, I'm just tired of.

[Sports Analyst]

My sport, she's out for the year, Boom, the league's hurting. Well, like again, she, the league is very reliant upon her. Why can't we do the baseball model where we institute some kind of salary floor around the league? Like, hey, owners have to spend X amount. Maybe baseball fans want. I just don't. Like all of a sudden, hey, the league is growing. Everybody has to get paid. No, no, we're just going to pay those that are profitable. By the way, those guys get paid.

[Colin Cowherd]

The. When Michael Jordan retired, the league lost 50% of its ratings. They were very reliant on MJ.

[Sports Analyst]

Very.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, they just signed a $76 billion, 11 year contract 30 years later.

[Sports Analyst]

Come on.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, no, I mean after that, Kobe and Shaq, you know, there were a lot of great financial stories. We've had the spurs, you know, legendary dynasty. We had the Kobe and Shaq dynasty. We had the warriors dynasty, we had the Heatles. These were the safest place you can park money in the world is in pro sports. Franchises. The Yankees are going to be around in 100 years. You don't know if Google is. You don't know if Apple is. People used to think Apple was untouchable. Steve Jobs left. It tanked. I mean, Phil Knight stepped out of Nike for a couple years. Nike tanked. Then he came back. It rebounded. These big companies, you don't know what they're going to be in 15 years, bad management. Starbucks has been all over the map the last three years based on who they hire as CEO.

[Sports Analyst]

That's interesting. You said you tried to buy into mls. I bought into a Liga MX team in Mexico. By the way, another team right now is on the market for 400 million. I won't even tell you what we bought in at, but it's significantly lower. So if you were given the opportunity right now, would you buy into a WNBA team?

[Colin Cowherd]

Absolutely. In one second.

[Sports Analyst]

All right, well, I'll play middleman and see what I can do for you, big guy. You know, I know some people, but I, I would like to see you put your money where you're. I mean, like, no, I would love to.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nobody's offering Seattle Storm.

[Sports Analyst]

If they were looking for an investor at a certain evaluation, you would invest in the wm?

[Colin Cowherd]

Absolutely.

[Sports Analyst]

Now that's interesting.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, yeah. Two years ago I was interested. I want. I was interested in the MLS again for the third time.

[Sports Analyst]

I mean, listen, soccer is going to get massive over the next 18 months with the World cup coming up in this country. That, that is 100% coming. I just, I do think there is upside in the wnba. This rapid expansion has me a little concerned. Are the rosters deep enough? There's just not that many great players in the league. Colin. Are there enough to justify like two more teams? They said there. Were they going. Cleveland now is one of the expansion teams.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, every league is overbuilt. You could cut six hockey teams. If the St. Louis Blues left tomorrow, how's the league? You could cut four to five NFL teams and NBA team. Look at Major League Baseball. The bottom six teams payroll can't compete. If the Pirates left tomorrow. I love the Pirates as a kid. If they left tomorrow, the sport would be buying.

[Sports Analyst]

But those are all leagues with like 30 teams. WNBA has like 15 teams, 16 teams.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, you know, I think they'll get. I think they should get to 20 very quickly and I think they will it. All I'm saying is if I had a. If somebody just said, here's $2 million, I go, I go tonight and I, I scratch off ticket and I have $2 million after taxes. I keep 1.25. I'd put it in the WNBA tomorrow. Really?

[Sports Analyst]

You would just put it in a low cost ETF and just watch the money roll in?

[Colin Cowherd]

Boring.

[Sports Analyst]

I know you're an exciting guy.

[Colin Cowherd]

I want to own a team and be like, hello, Another cocktail for Uncle Colin. I want free fun cowherd the coastal.

[Sports Analyst]

Elite now owning sports teams. What a life. What are you having for dinner tonight? Lobster.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm just telling you the way, the only way you can get good a good value on anything you buy is not when it's the hottest thing in the world. So as there's all this, oh, the WNBA is not worth it. I think the smart people are like, yeah, I'll invest. I'll invest now. I, I would invest. I'd have no problem. I'd like to really invest in the Indiana Fever. I admit that.

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[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks.

[Commercial Announcer]

Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC.

[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast.