The Biggest Stories in Women’s March Madness Right Now

Summary

Welcome to the Party: "The Biggest Stories in Women’s March Madness Right Now"

Podcast: Welcome to the Party
Date: March 24, 2026
Hosts: Julie Foudy, Abby Wambach, Billie Jean King
Special Guest: Jordan Robinson (Women’s Hoops show podcast host, author of "Court Queens")

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Episode Overview

This lively, jam-packed installment of "Welcome to the Party" brings together soccer legends Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy, tennis icon Billie Jean King ("the Kinger"), and hoops expert Jordan Robinson to break down the hottest stories in Women’s March Madness and beyond. The episode spotlights the historic new WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) as a sea change for women’s sports, recaps surprise upsets and emotional storylines from the NCAA tournament, and celebrates milestones in women’s hockey and swimming.

The conversation is candid, energetic, and informed—mixing perspectives from athletes turned advocates with real-time bracket banter and heartfelt stories about the people behind the moments.

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Table of Contents

• March Madness Party Bracket: Pod Update
• Standout Stories from March Madness
• Cinderella Stories & Memorable Moments
• Historic WNBA CBA: What Changed and Why It Matters
• Other Key NCAA Championships: Hockey & Swimming
• Women in Soccer: Owner Spotlight & Angel City Hype
• How to Support Women’s Sports: Listener Guide
• March Madness Deep Dive: With Jordan Robinson
• Notable Quotes & Memorable Banter
• Key Timestamps

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March Madness Party Bracket: Pod Update

[04:43-09:54] Bracket Challenge Rundown

• The pod-to-pod March Madness bracket challenge has gotten over 1,000 listeners involved.
• Leaderboard drama:
  • "Welcome to the Party" and "Good Game with Sarah Spain" co-lead with 420 points each.
  • Glennon Doyle (with her unique heart-picking bracket method) is close behind.
  • Listener leaderboard: 29 teams tied at 460 points, with standout names "Swishful Thinking" and "Best Balling Babes."
  • Staff shoutout: Intern Emma sits atop internal rankings at 450 points.
• Abby notes: “Jules, you want to know what I know? That doesn’t matter. Last year’s brackets? Don’t matter.” [07:48]

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Standout Stories from March Madness

[10:15-15:49] Dream Runs and Emotional Wins

• D3 History: NYU Violets’ 91-game streak snapped by Scranton; Denison crowned D3 Champions.
• Minnesota’s Sweet 16 Return:
  • Amaya Battle’s game-winning shot sends hometown Gophers to the Sweet 16 for first time in 20 years.
  • Emotional resonance: She honors her late mother, also a Minnesota alum.
  • Blanket Lady (Peps Newman, 80-year-old superfan) gets New York Times feature for her “blanket runs.”
• Coaching Moments:
  • Maryland coach Brenda Frese’s intense, affirmative “I believe in you” moment with Luchi Okanawa.
  • “This is why good coaching and understanding your players is so important... I loved tough coaching because that’s the motivation I needed.” – Abby [14:45]
  • Team discusses perceptions of gender and coach-player dynamics.

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Cinderella Stories & Memorable Moments

Virginia’s Run:

• First Four team; multiple wins for first time since 2000; led by hometown-hero Kahmora Johnson, a former team ball girl now starring in March Madness.

LSU Women:

• Sixteenth 100-point game of season; standout emotion from Flau'jae Johnson in her last home game.
• Sweet 16 match-up with Duke’s top defense coming.

Fun Listener Bracket Vignettes:

• Empathy’s Bracket: Last place, missed all second-round picks, gets a collective “hug” from the hosts.

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Historic WNBA CBA: What Changed and Why It Matters

[38:57-54:42] Groundbreaking Collective Bargaining Agreement

Overview:

• Jordan Robinson breaks down the 17-month negotiation and new deal.

Key Points:

• Supermax contracts: Jump from $200k to $1.4 million, potentially $2 million by end of deal.
• Salary Cap: Grows from $1.5M to $7M per team.
• Entry-level contracts: Rookie deal rises to about $500k (from $78k last year).
• Mid-roster pay: Middle-tier players’ average jumps from $120k to ~$583k.
• Developmental spots: Each team gets two, outside the salary cap.
• Retired players: One-time “thank you” payments, up to $100k for vets (e.g., Cheryl Swoopes), honoring league’s trailblazers.
• Day-to-day player benefits: Guaranteed housing, charter flights (no more commercial flights), enhanced child care and pregnancy protections, improved retirement (401k) plan.
• Revenue share: Estimated near 20% (NBA still owns 42% of WNBA).
• Intent: “It was so much bigger than just the moments or just this year... they made sure everybody was included.” – Jordan [39:55]

Impact:

• Abby: “This is why women leading is really important, because we never forget where we came from... clawing and scratching up the mountain.” [52:36]
• Billie: “I’m thrilled, because I always think the players—we’ve had the same challenge in tennis and other sports—not getting enough.” [45:13]

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Other Key NCAA Championships: Hockey & Swimming

[23:50-25:52]

• Women’s D1 Hockey: Wisconsin Badgers win 9th national title (fourth showdown in a row vs. Ohio State), powered by Team USA Olympians like KK Harvey and Layla Edwards.
  • “The pipeline—so many more girls playing.” – Julie [24:57]
• Women’s Swimming: Virginia wins sixth straight D1 title, unprecedented point margin; first program to do so in 25+ years.

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Women in Soccer: Owner Spotlight & Angel City Hype

[17:09-29:52]

• Washington Spirit: Abby highlights Michelle Kang, first-ever woman principal owner investing across teams (including London City Lionesses), praised for her “ingredients” approach to successful women’s teams.

• NWSL Updates:

  • Kat Macario signs record-breaking $8M deal with San Diego Wave (through 2030).
  • Angel City FC is top of the table—hosts giddy about winning streak (“Maybe I don’t go anymore because they keep winning!” – Abby [28:43]).

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How to Support Women’s Sports: Listener Guide

[34:36-37:55]

• Follow female athletes on social media.
• “Get butts in seats”; attend live games.
• Support brands sponsoring women’s sports.
• Host watch parties, bring your kids, TALK about women’s sports to widen the conversation.

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March Madness Deep Dive: With Jordan Robinson

[55:31-61:10]

• Tournament Trends:
  • More parity in women’s basketball is coming, but top-seeds still often dominate.
  • This year’s "Cinderella": Virginia’s inspiring run from the First Four, led by emotional hometown star Kahmora Johnson.
• Overtime & Upset Drama:
  • Three overtime games; lots of buzzer-beaters.
• USC’s Jazzy Davidson:
  • Stellar freshman season; likely Freshman of the Year.
• LSU vs. Duke Preview:
  • Offense vs. defense showdown; emotional stakes especially high for LSU seniors.
• Bracket Banter:
  • “We only care about our brackets. Okay?” – Julie [60:08]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Banter

• On Brackets & Picking with Heart:

  • “She was really picking based on heart... she said, now, how do I pick? Like, do I go inside myself and think and feel... and whichever one feels warm?” – Abby, on Glennon Doyle [05:28]

• On Denver’s Superfan:

  • “They call her the Blanket Lady because... she shakes her blanket, this Minnesota blanket that has all the school emblems and stuff on it. This story is so good.” – Abby [12:38]

• On Affirmative Coaching Styles:

  • “I loved tough coaching because that’s the motivation I needed. To be open about that, to not feel belittled and to feel inspired and motivated... when you can slow down that clip and the coach is saying, ‘I believe in you’...” – Abby [15:42]

• On Gendered Reactions to Intense Coaching:

  • “When a male coach is in the face of a male player, we don’t have this second thought of, like, is that okay?... If you were like, wait a second, women are not supposed to be yelled at—I think we need to do a little bit of digging inside of our own selves for a little bit of misogyny.” – Abby [16:25]

• On WNBA Players Supporting Retirees:

  • “That is millions of dollars they are giving to past players that they are choosing not to give to themselves... that makes me so thrilled. That’s why women leading is important.” – Abby [52:36]

• On Women’s Sports Growth:

  • “For three decades up until 2019, media coverage of women’s sports was just 5% of all sports coverage... by 2022 it tripled to 16%. It’s hardly equal but audiences are growing.” – Julie [34:19]

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Key Timestamps

• Intro & Pod Bracket Updates – [04:43–09:54]
• D3 Women's Basketball/Streak Upset – [10:15–11:17]
• Minnesota’s Sweet 16/Blanket Lady Story – [11:22–13:27]
• Maryland-UNC Coach/Player Moment – [13:30–16:09]
• Angel City FC/San Diego Wave & Michelle Kang – [17:09–29:52]
• NCAA Hockey & Swimming Champions – [23:50–25:52]
• WNBA CBA Overview: With Jordan Robinson – [38:57–54:42]
• March Madness Analysis (Jordan Robinson) – [55:31–61:10]
• Notable bracket/az fudd stat banter – [61:55–63:38]
• Closing Remarks – [63:55–65:07]

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Final Thoughts

This episode is pure sports celebration—a mashup of stats, bracket drama, historical perspective, and meaningful stories. The hosts’ camaraderie and expertise—plus Jordan Robinson’s guest insights—make it must-listen for fans and newcomers alike. The landmark WNBA CBA is contextualized as history in the making for women’s sports, while the March Madness recaps leave you eager for more chaos on the court.

Recommended for: Anyone interested in women’s sports, leadership, community, and the stories behind the stats.

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Party People, bring it in: this is women’s sports at its finest—full of heart, humor, history, and hope for the future.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

5am I'm up with a crisp Celsius energy drink running 12 miles today.

[A]

Grab a green juice, quick change and head to work. Meetings, workshops.

[B]

One more Celsius. No slowing down.

[A]

Working late, but obviously still meeting the girls for a little dancing.

[C]

Celsius Live Fit.

[B]

Go grab a cold, refreshing Celsius at your local retailer or locate [e-mail].

[A]

this episode of welcome to the Party is brought to you by McDonald's Big Arch Burger.

[D]

I have to put my thinking cap on.

[A]

Do you wear that while you're watching the games?

[D]

Yeah, I just sit here.

[C]

It is madness. The games have been so good. Hands on head. Just stressed out.

[D]

We only care about our brackets, okay? Go back to the TCU Washington game.

[A]

This is my tv.

[D]

Give me that remote control.

[A]

Attention, the party is about to commence.

[C]

Welcome to the party.

[D]

What's up, party people? I'm Julie Foudy.

[A]

I'm Abby Wambach.

[B]

And I'm Billie Jean King Kinger.

[D]

Abigail. And later on the show, we are talking hoops with our resident hoops expert, Jordan Robinson. So we'll dig into that new CBA agreement in the wnba, the deal that changes women's sports forever. Let's get all the deets. And it's good, y'. All. Why this moment matters for the entire future of women's sports. Plus, Jordan is going to catch us up on all things March Madness. But first, how are you guys? It's been a while, Kinger, since we've all been together.

[B]

No, we've been to. It was Lana's birthday the other day. She's now the Big seven zero, which she's a lot of class.

[D]

Let's go.

[B]

And she's going on 50 because, you know, she runs every day and plays tennis at least twice to three times a week.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And she works all the time. So I always say, see ya. Anyway, so that's big. And also we were in Indian Wells where Sabalenka won the women's over Robert King. One of the best matches I've ever seen.

[D]

Really?

[B]

Oh, unbelievable. I mean, it was so tight. Everyone had match points against each other. Oh, no, it was just. And then the center won the men's over Medvedev and straight sets. And then the Elton John Ades Foundation Oscar party is fantastic.

[C]

I know.

[D]

All of a sudden we were like, wait, Kinger. Kinger was at the Oscar party finally.

[B]

Well, I mean, you know, Lana wants. Lana goes every year, and I don't get to go. So she's really active, still on the board. And now they've raised. They raise a lot of money at this party, but they're up to about 700 million they've given for AIDS and trying to get rid of aids, really. Just get rid of it. But we've been with Elton since 92, when he founded it. And the first party was in 93. It was hilarious. They had about 10 tables. I'll never forget this. And, you know, anyway, it's across the street from the Beverly Hills Tennis Club and a little restaurant. $300,000 the first year. Now they made. I don't know, just on the auction stuff, they made over 10 million. So it's really.

[D]

Posing with Alyssa Lou.

[B]

I was posing. Oh, she's so nice, man. It was great to see Elton. I haven't seen him for a while and he's doing great and he's still rocking. I can't believe how much he works, too. So it's really wonderful. Anyway, I'm glad we raised a lot of money because Ilana and I've been a part of that since 92. So it's really good for you guys. That's really trying to help everybody, so it's really good.

[A]

Billy, have you heard about our POD bracket March Madness challenge that we're doing?

[B]

I have a little. And I can tell you guys are up sne o e bay going crazy.

[A]

We really are. Jules, you got to give us the update. This is just too good.

[D]

I feel like the update requires Kinger,

[B]

Julie. Go, girl.

[D]

Let me just switch out our hats.

[B]

Oh, now we got the right basketball.

[D]

Oh, yeah. I have to put my thinking cap on when I talk about our POD update. Okay.

[A]

Do you wear that while you're watching the games?

[D]

Yeah, I just sit here.

[B]

Do you actually wear it so you get some vibes?

[D]

Yeah, it gives me good luck. Good luck vibes.

[B]

Have one of the kids take a photo. Come on. Some video obsessed.

[D]

When I start my brackets, I'm like, damn. All right, so we did pod to pod challenge, and in the same bracket, we said every listener from all these different pods. Right. Come in as well. We were like, oh, maybe we'll get 100. Maybe we can get a couple hundred. We got over a thousand people to join our bracket, which is so cool. Yeah. Thousand people. 1168 people are in. Are welcome to the March Madness party bracket. And did you see Glennon joined as well. Kinger.

[B]

No, Glennon. She knows what sport it is. Wait, she talks? It's hilarious. What are we gonna call this? I can just see Glennon saying to Abby, what are we gonna call this one?

[A]

Yeah, she.

[C]

Her.

[A]

I think she does. Her name is Glennon does hard sports. Oh, good. And she. She was really picking based on heart. She. She asked me, she said, now, how do I pick? Like, do I go inside of myself and think and feel and whichever one feels warm? And I was like, kinda like it. It kind of sounds ridiculous for a sports person to hear the way she talks about it, but she's right. But it was right. I'm like, yeah, that's kind of how you pick.

[D]

Yeah, she's right, King. Or you have to see her face. You have to watch it on Instagram.

[A]

Tied for a second.

[D]

She was born with every put. It took him 15 minutes just to pick Yukon over UTSA 1 vs 16 seed.

[B]

Knowing Glennon, I know we're a little. I can just imagine.

[A]

She just loves an underdog. You know what I'm saying?

[D]

Here is the pod leaderboard for Monday, March 23rd. Okay. In the morning. In the morning. Mind you, we haven't done any of the Monday games. Prior to Monday's games. Welcome to the party and good game with Sarah Spain sit on top with 420 points.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Are you hitting your head?

[B]

Yes.

[D]

Okay.

[B]

She's totally hitting her head.

[D]

In second place, Glennon, we can do hard scores.

[A]

Second place.

[D]

Second place, Glennon Doyle. The heart and the vibe.

[B]

It always feeling it, girl. Keep feeling it.

[D]

And the recap show, which is, of course, Kristen Press and Tobin Heath show, they're sitting in second with 410 points. So 10 points behind spainer. And welcome to the party. Coach Jackie. And a touch more so basketball, sitting in tied for third place with coach Jackie at 380 points. And time wasting, which is Kelli O' Hara and Ali Riley's podcast. Kelly O' Hara wanted me to know that they were 99.9% correct on all brackets last year. Not so much this year. They're sitting at 370 points. And come on, Sam. Us, Linda Dolo, Becky Sauerbrun and Christy Buis.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

The women's game is in last place with 360 points.

[A]

Jules, you want to know what I know? That doesn't matter.

[D]

What?

[A]

Last year's brackets.

[D]

No, it doesn't matter. Those as good as your last?

[B]

Those are gone forever.

[A]

Don't matter.

[D]

Okay. For the listeners, the leaderboard.

[A]

Okay.

[D]

Because we have A listener leaderboard and ridiculous prize as well for them. Non monetary, of course. I must say that for legal reasons, 29 teams are in a tie for first place.

[A]

That's amazing.

[D]

29 teams. My favorite names.

[A]

Do we know how many points they have and how we compare to them?

[D]

Hansel. I must ask, Hansel, what?

[A]

Our.

[D]

Our intern who's been tracking all this, what are they? Hansel says that they are at 460, we're at 420. I wouldn't say that's crushing, Abby, but

[A]

I mean, I think she's a jock.

[B]

You guys are jocks. That is crushing for us. Are you kidding?

[D]

Okay, so congratulations. Two of my favorite team names of those top 29 teams are swishful thinking. Is one. Is one. SW thinking. And best balling babes. Best balling babes. Two of the 29 teams that are tied for first place with four hundred and sixty. And Hansel, thank you for so much for tracking all this.

[A]

And also, Jules, did you see where the last place team M, Empathy's bracket, 26M missed all her second round picks yesterday? All.

[B]

Every second round pick.

[A]

All of them. Something about that name and being last feels. I don't know. Don't you just want to give her a hug?

[D]

I want to give her some empathy because she was giving these teams she loves. She was feeling it with her heart and her vibes, so it's okay. Em.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Empathy picks.

[A]

And Jules, a lot of our staff also put a bracket in, so we have to give a big shout out to our intern, Emma, who actually is in first place above all of our pods and our staff sitting on the tippity, tippity top of the leaderboard with 450 points. Way to go, Emma. And also, why didn't you help us?

[D]

Yeah, Emma, Emma, why didn't we have you?

[B]

Well, why did you put her on the team, guys?

[D]

Yes, I know.

[B]

Well, why isn't she on it?

[D]

Emma, I'll give you. I'll give you my basketball hat if you want it, that is.

[B]

Oh, I wouldn't give. Oh, that's a big deal, man. Give that away.

[D]

All right. Whoa.

[A]

Billy, I have a question for you. Have you. What has stood out to you around it? I know.

[B]

Well, the thing I was. This is like D3, but, yeah, they all count, you know?

[A]

Yeah, totally.

[B]

I think the New York women's basketball lost. I think it's. They had a record 90. I think a 91 winning streak.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

They lost to Scranton 60 to 52. And they had chances along the way, so this is really weird. The Violets.

[A]

Violets.

[B]

What a great name. Had the second longest winning streak in NCAA history, trailing only Yukon's 111 game run. So this is a big deal.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

So.

[D]

So Scranton beat them in the semis and then I think then Scranton lost in the final to Denison University. So Denison, wow. Is your D3 national champion?

[B]

Yeah. That's great. Yeah. Remember, there's a D1, D2 and a D3. So they all count. And a lot of people.

[A]

Jules, what do you think? What are you looking at? Like, what was your favorite storyline?

[D]

I think the. Did you guys see the Minnesota versus Ole Miss? So the four versus the five.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Second round.

[C]

Yes.

[D]

So it's. It's tight at the end. It's tight. And then you have Amaya Battle of Minnesota. Her story. She's so. So Kinger, she scores the game winner with less than a second remaining. She pushes the score to 65, 63. She. They were tied at the time, right? And Amaya battle grew up 10 to 15 minutes from the University of Minnesota. Her mom who passed away, went to Minnesota and she wanted to honor her and honor her state by playing there. And so Amaya hits this game winner with 0.7 seconds left in her final game. Party people. Her final game at her home court to send the Gophers to the sweet 16 for the first time in over 20 years.

[A]

So good.

[D]

And the crowd goes nuts. Kinger, I don't know if you saw it. The crowd goes nuts inside the arena. Including 80 year old super fan Peps Newman Kinger. This woman, they call her the Blanket lady because. Abby, why do they call her the Blanket Lady? Do you know?

[A]

Because she runs around the arena a certain time every game and she. And she shakes her blanket, this Minnesota blanket that has like all the school emblems and stuff on it. This story is so good.

[D]

She was running.

[B]

I've heard all about her. I've seen her on tv. I have to meet her someday because we're about the same age.

[A]

Yes. And Billy, there's the New York Times article in the Athletic this morning about her. You gotta read it because it goes deep into the first time she ever saw the Harlem Chicks play.

[B]

What year was that?

[A]

In the 60s.

[B]

Right? I knew it was the 60s.

[A]

Yeah. She saw them play and asked and wrote to them and asked if she could play with them. And because of the Harlem Chicks was a black only team, she then found another team. She played until she was 44 years old.

[D]

Abs, what about you? What was the big storyline for you that stood out.

[A]

Okay. It's the, the Maryland versus UNC game. Brenda Freeze the coach, she's coaching up their best player, Luchi Okanawa.

[D]

I saw that.

[A]

So the coaches is, is yelling in the face of the best player on the Maryland team. And she says, I believe in you. I've actually, I have full body chills right now. And, and in the moment, Glennon looks at me and she's like, what is happening right now? Like, she thought like, this is, this is verbal abuse by a coach. Right?

[D]

Right.

[A]

And I'm like, no, babe. Like, look at her mouth. She says, I believe in you. She's positively coaching her up. And Glennon was like, that's a thing. And I'm like, yes, that's a thing. So actually we need to play the presser. After hearing what the player said, Iguchi coach understands I'm a competitor at heart. And I've told her this before and I'll keep on telling her this until forever. I love to be coached hard. And that's what she does with me every single day. It's so good. Like, unfortunately they end up losing 66 to 74. I think that was good for us because we had UNC correct, Julie.

[D]

Yeah, we did.

[A]

Okanawa, she finished with 21 points and six boards. And apparently the talk did fire her up because Okinawa, she briefly took over the Terrapins offensively, their offense late in the third to help tie things up heading in the fourth. But the truth is, for me, this is why good coaching and one on one meetings and understanding your players and what motivates them is so important. Because this player said to that coach, I love to be coached hard. And I was that kind of player too. Right. I loved tough coaching because that's the kind of motivation I needed. And to be open about that, to be conscious about that, to not. To not feel belittled and to feel inspired and motivated, I don't know, I just. And when you can slow down that, that clip and the coach is saying, I believe in you.

[D]

Right.

[A]

Just is so good. It's so good. So I loved, I love that moment. Even though they ended up losing. It was great.

[D]

I get.

[A]

But it's great.

[B]

Don't you think it's great when a player tells the coach they like. I mean, I like this, I like that. I think it helps the coach so much.

[A]

Yeah. And this is not just in sports, by the way. This is in partnerships, this is in business, this is in jobs. You need to teach people how you want to be Treated.

[B]

Yeah, Treated coach like, give me the. Yeah, tell me. And some people don't want to be told.

[D]

I could see Glennon's reaction because when you're seeing that visually, you're like, wait, what is.

[A]

What is happening happening?

[D]

Yeah, Right? And then you see her mouth it and you go, oh, okay.

[A]

Yeah. And I will. I will just say this. If you have a moment where you're considering that. I would just say when a guy coach is coaching a male player, a male coach is coaching a male player, and the male coach is in the face of the male player, we don't have this, this second thought of like, is that okay, you're like, oh, that coach is on that player. This is acceptable. And so I just want to say if you're. If you were a person that were like, wait a second. Women are not supposed to be yelled at. I think we need to do a little bit of digging inside of our own selves for a little bit of misogyny going on inside of us.

[C]

Foreign

[A]

this episode of welcome to the Party is brought to you by McDonald's Big Arch Burger. Okay, Jules, I have to tell you about a game that's coming up and why it's important to me. Wednesday, March 25 at 4pm Washington Spirit is playing the Utah Royals at Audi field in Washington, D.C. now, what I want people to understand is Michelle Kang, the owner of the Washington Spirit, a woman owner who has invested an incredible amount into women's sports over time. Right. And then what she has done, what she believes to be true about women's sport, is that you need to have other women supporting the team. Right.

[D]

And so she needs a lot of ingredients.

[A]

Yes. I know where you're going to make a successful team and game.

[D]

Secret sauce.

[A]

Exactly. It takes a lot of ingredients to make a secret sauce. And so I feel excited because she is laying down the groundwork. Right. And we understand from the Angel City's perspective of how things can be run, but to have a principal owner as a woman who is then deploying these. These ingredients across the. The concepts of all of. Of all of her business properties, it just means to me that she knows what she's doing. She has underst what she understands about herself and leading these teams, it's just really incredible. So I feel very excited about seeing where not just the Washington Spirit go, but all the other women teams that she's purchased and is a part of. So we're excited about the ingredients idea.

[D]

And of course, London City Lionesses, she's got a lot of ingredients yeah.

[A]

And with this new McDonald's Big Arch Burger, we just felt like we wanted to give Michelle Kang the big shout out. Right? Picture this. Two quarter powder patties, three slices of cheese, tangy Big Arch sauce, lettuce, pickles, crispy and slivered onions, and a poppy and sesame seed bun. It is everything you love about McDonald's burgers. Between two buns, the new McDonald's Arch sauce and tangy cream secret sauce. Yeah. The new Big Arch sauce is tangy, creamy, and it's perfect pair to the Big Arch burger. I really can't wait to try it. Order the new Big arch. The most McDonald's McDonald's burger yet at participating McDonald's for a limited time while supplies last.

[D]

Thanks to Ship for sponsoring this segment. Nothing Abby in a cart is ever ordinary, as you know, because no one's life is. Shoppers with Ship know that what you order matters because you matter. They are shopping for the moments we're about to create or maybe the memories we're trying to keep alive. And they know it's bigger than just an ingredient or an item. They shop same day in the same way you would. So as we settle in for college basketball, what do you have to have with you, Abby, when you're watching all these games? Because this is important.

[A]

Two things. One, something nutritious. So, like, I like snacks that I can grab that I'm not like worrying about. Right? So baby carrots.

[D]

You're the baby carrot person.

[A]

Celery. And because of this, I also, for two reasons, I get extra toilet paper. Because I pee a lot when I get nervous when I'm watching some of these games. I don't know.

[D]

You have baby carrots and celery at your party. Do you have ranch on this side? You please have ranch or something on the side?

[A]

Yeah, of course. Okay. Of course. Yeah, I'm not. Yeah, yeah, for sure.

[C]

How about you?

[A]

What do you. What are you getting?

[D]

I am a big fan. And the kids, most importantly, are the biggest fan of the six layer dip. If we don't put the six layer dip on that shopping list for shipped, then it's like, what is happening? And I got to get a little extra guac on the side, a little extra salsa on the side, and a lot of different variations of chips that we could drop into that dip. But the six layer dip is the staple.

[A]

Six layer dip is good.

[D]

It is good.

[A]

It's good, but it's just like kind of hard to make. Can you just buy a six layer dip?

[D]

Yeah, you can buy it. It's grocery stores.

[A]

Can you buy one of these from shipped?

[D]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Oh God, this is exciting.

[D]

So there you have it, party people. Your basketball game days are set. Thanks again to ship. Because with ship, it's never just a delivery order. It's shopped same day. In the same way you would use code podcast to get a year of ship for only 49 half off the regular $99 [e-mail] offer. That's S-H-IPT.com offer terms apply. It may seem like nothing else is happening in the world of sports, but there was a lot of great action this week and throughout the weekend and a lot of other NCAA championships actually. So Kinger, we will check back in with you on the other side. We are going to get to our party starter. Party Starter is brought to you by Ally the Bank. That is your Ally. Topic number one, Abigail. The NCAA had other natties happening. So we went from the on court March Madness to the Frozen Four frenzy on the ice. It was D1, the D1 NCAA championship. It happened on Sunday. And Abs, it wasn't really surprising that Wisconsin and Ohio State were the last two skating in the final. It's the fourth straight year, fourth straight year these two are meeting in the national championship game. And as we also know, both teams have Olympic heavy squads. So the Buckeyes have five Olympians including Joy Dunn on Team usa And Wisconsin also has five Olympians, but four of them are from Team USA including KK Harvey. You remember her from the Olympic team. She was the Olympic mvp. And she's also was voted best collegiate player this year. And Layla Edwards, the first black woman to play for Team USA and Milan, who also had an incredible Olympic games. So in this final, Wisconsin was up 20 after two periods. But then the Buckeyes, Ohio State scored two goals in two minutes in the third period to tie it up. And with a little more than six minutes left in the game, Wisconsin Sinclair Enright scores the game winner and the Badgers capture back to back national titles. It's their ninth Natty and third in four years.

[A]

So awesome. And I'm just gonna say this before you go on. What I am so excited to see over the next 10, 15 and 20 years is that the parody in women's hockey in college. Women's hockey. Women's college hockey is going to be even bigger and better because of our US Women's National Team winning gold this 2026 in Milan and Cortina. So I'm, I'm excited to see how the parody and. And what happens in the gate because the game is changing professionally, but I also think it's going to affect the. The college game for sure. A ton.

[D]

Yeah. And just the pipeline. So many more girls playing.

[C]

Yep.

[D]

Okay, next topic. What is in the water in Virginia? Literally, Virginia wins its six straight NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving National Championship. So basically, from 2021, they've won six straight. They are the first program in 25 plus years to reach six in a row. And listen to this. They won. So they had 589 points. They scored. Okay. And then Stanford go card second place with 380 points. It wasn't even close. So over a 200 point difference.

[A]

So are they like, yay, we won. Yeah.

[D]

They swept all five relays.

[A]

Wow.

[D]

It was a complete team performance from start to finish. So.

[A]

Okay.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

Congratulations.

[D]

Okay, Virginia. Okay.

[A]

New. All right, Jules, we got to go to topic two. We got to go to soccer. Have you seen this new FIFA rule?

[D]

I did. Interesting, right? I did not know anything that this was coming through the pipeline. I know.

[A]

I told Glennon last night. She was so fired up. So here we go, folks. Starting in 2026, FIFA is now requiring all women's teams in its tournaments, Youth, senior, and club, to have at least two female staff members on the technical bench, with one serving as either head or assistant coach. Obviously, this rule is aiming to increase female representation with at least one female medical staff member. Also required starting with the upcoming U17 and the U20 competitions and the 2027 Women's World Cup. I think that this is going to have massive positive repercussions because even just like the thought, oh, we got to hire a woman, a woman coach is like, that is expansive.

[D]

Right?

[A]

Also, Jules, I know that you've seen Kat Macario signed with the San Diego Wave. I'm sad because I had. I heard that she was going to be signing with an NWSL team, and I was hoping like hell that it was going to be. I said, please.

[C]

I know.

[A]

Yeah. And she.

[D]

And she did grow up. After she came over from Brazil, her. Her dad and her brother moved. They moved when she was 12 years old to San Diego. So that is kind of her hometown.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

This contract is believed to be the biggest total contract value in women's soccer history. Per ESPN, she has signed with the Wave through the 2030 NWSL season for total contract jewels worth roughly $8 million.

[D]

So clap for Kat Makario.

[A]

I mean, that is incredible. The transfer was completed. Was completed to San Diego on March 16, 2026. While she's been integr. Integrated into the squad immediately, her official NWSL debut has not yet been announced. The Wave also beat Utah 2 to 1. But Macari didn't play. And Jules, we gotta say it. And I'm wearing it even though it's March Madness and we're heavy March Madness right now. I've gotta say this. Yeah. This weekend, in these last two weekends have been good to Angel City. We are in first place.

[D]

Yeah. Show it on the screen.

[A]

Seven goals. We have won our first two games. Yo, what is happening?

[D]

Show it. Top of the standings, baby. Top of the table.

[A]

We're number one.

[D]

Seven goals. What is happening?

[A]

And Julie, I haven't been to either one of the games. You went to the first game. I don't know if you made it to the second.

[D]

I didn't make it to the Bay. To the Bay game. The Bay of game, but I watched it.

[A]

We have season tickets. And I'm like, maybe I don't go anymore because they keep winning.

[D]

No, you go.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

It was.

[D]

And honestly, Abs, they look really good. They look good. Like, we're playing and we're scoring and I'm like, oh, my God.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[D]

It's great. I screen. I took a screenshot of the league standings with us on top and Bay FC under, and I think I put you on that thread, Abs, where I. Yeah, I sent it to Mia, all the owners. Mia is with Angel City and then. And myself and you. And then to the Bay FC group and said, okay, we need to celebrate this while it lasts.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right. And another news in the nwsl. Casey Current lost to Chicago. Good job. Alyssa Nair. Just not used to the Kansas City Current dropping any games and to a team that Angel City beat 4 to 0 last week. How does all of that feel, Jules? I mean, nwsl, we're. We're sitting at the top of the table. It's so exciting.

[B]

And.

[A]

And for the folks out there, we know it's a longer season, but we're going to take our wins where we can get them. And that is a wrap on the party starter. And thanks to Ally for sponsoring this segment. Ally is more than a bank, and their do it right approach help unlock their economic potential and guide their efforts as a leading sponsor in women's sports. Just like us, Ally believes that when women in sports win, we all have a reason to party. ALLY bank member, FDIC all right, coming

[D]

up, the Kinger rejoins us. And hoops expert Jordan Robinson, she returns to the party. And we're gonna dive into that new CBA party, people. It is wild. Huge props to Neca Guumake, who runs the Players association from the player side. And what she did to get that done, I mean, that was a lot to get done. And she did it, and she's been doing it for 10 years as the president of the Players association on the players side. And one player is about to be able to make what would have been an entire team's yearly salary cap. Can you believe that, Abs? So cha cha cha changes time to face. Do you know that? I thought cha cha cha changes always. The next line was time to face. Face the change. Did you know that?

[A]

It's not.

[D]

No, it's turn and face the strange.

[A]

Time to face is change is better. Both.

[D]

I think so, too.

[A]

It was. That was an error. A lyrical error on his part.

[D]

Yeah, we're changing it.

[A]

Okay, Jules, I got to talk to you about Built. Let's talk about it. Okay? So you guys might be familiar with them, and they let you put your rent payments towards points that can be used towards flights, hotels, lift rides, and so much more. And right now, Built members can earn points on mortgage payments for the first time. So if you're a renter or an owner, you can unlock exclusive benefits from more than 45,000 restaurants, fitness studios, pharmacies, and other neighborhood partners. Jules, I'm, like, a big fan of rewards that fit into your real life, and this is exactly that, right? And if it were me, I'd absolutely put those points towards some fitness classes or my favorite restaurants that I go to. Trying new workouts is essentially my favorite hobby. I like Soul Cycle Berries. Have you ever done Pure Bar? I don't have, like, the courage to go in there, but I might one day try it. Core Power. The hardest thing in the whole wide world. I'd be sampling all of it, and honestly, knowing I'm earning rewards would be the extra push to maybe actually show up. Paying rent or owning a place are better. With built, Earn rewards and get something back wherever you live. Join the loyalty program from [e-mail]. welcome to the party. That's J-O-I N B I L T dot com. WelcomeToTheParty P. Make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you.

[D]

Abigail, full disclosure, I have a long history with bras.

[A]

Yes, it's. We've got breasts, so we both do.

[D]

No, I don't. I don't have breasts.

[C]

But

[D]

here's the thing. They're either Way too structured. Totally or completely useless. Either I'm strapped in for battle. I mean, it's a bit tortuous sometimes, or I'm just out there hoping for the best. So I tried the fits. Everybody. Triangle bralette from Skims. Yo, party people. It landed right in the middle in the best way possible because it gives you shape without pushing you up. Pushing you up is in air quotes, by the way. It gives you support without compressing you. The fabric, as we know with skims, is next level soft. And I can literally wear it for work, for errands, for being on my feet. I don't. I don't even think about it, which is exactly what I want from a bra. This has become my everyday option. It's simple. It fits well. It does the job. I'm not thinking about it.

[A]

And they have them in all the different nude colors too. And that is great for when you're wearing like a white T shirt.

[D]

Yeah, shop Skims fits everybody. Collection at Skims. And after you place your order, be sure to let them know we sent you select podcast in the survey and be sure to select our show. Welcome to the party in the drop down menu that follows Abigail. For three decades. So up until 2019, media coverage of women's sports was just 5% of all sports coverage, by the way. 5%. Let me say though, things are a changing. And thank goodness for that because by 2022 it had tripled to 16%. And clearly that's hardly equal. But audiences are growing. Game attendance as we know it is rising. Sponsorship deals for female athletes are increasing, and we think this deserves a celebration. So join us and care this International Women's Day and Women's History Month to help level the playing field for women. So for our party people who have been following along, you know, we are deeply committed to helping elevate female athletes and get the attention and the platform they so deserve. And only 54% of women's sports fans began watching within the last three years.

[C]

What?

[D]

Yeah. Is that crazy? So clearly. And that's part of why we wanted to do that. This, this podcast, this show is. We want that to increase. We want the future to look like packed stadiums and sold out games and sponsorships and awards and all the things that we keep being surprised when we see that we don't no longer want to be surprised about. So what can you do to support. You can follow female athletes on social media. You can, as we call it, get butts and seats, attend games in person or. One of my favorite things, Abby and you can give a couple as well. But one of my favorite things is support brands that support women's sports. They're putting their money into women's sports, and we hope you do as well and supporting them. What about you, Abs? What do you. What do you think people can do to help support women?

[A]

Well, I think one of the things that we've been loving doing is doing watch parties. Like, even if it's not coming to one of our watch parties, our Watch with Us parties, it's like, get your friends together and create an event on your own in your living room. We need to learn how to celebrate women. And. And. And watching this. This incredible athleticism and power, it's just incredible. And. And of course, like, following some of these women online and buying the brands that they're associated with. Associated with. Bring your kids to sporting events, to women's sporting events also talk about it. And then what ends up happening is when you hear other people talking about it, it starts conversation, and it becomes the conversation.

[D]

Right? So who cares about leveling the field for women in sports? You do. We do. And so does care, a global organization fighting poverty and working to level all fields for women and girls every day around the world and local communities with local leadership this march, join them. Sign the [e-mail] pledge. Kinger.

[B]

Yes.

[D]

I am so excited you get to meet Jordan Robinson, and you are going to love her. And you know what?

[B]

I listened. I listened to her before, and she's amazing.

[D]

You know why? You're gonna love her as well. She's all about the history. She's not only the host of the Women's Hoops show podcast, but she wrote a book, Court Queens, which follows women's basketball from the 1890s all the way to today. Court Queens party people. Go on and get it. Jordan Robinson, welcome back to the party.

[A]

Jordan, welcome back. We're so happy you're back.

[C]

So happy to be back. So happy to be back. What a full party today. I'm so happy to be here.

[D]

I know it's never a full party without the Kinger. The Kinger brings a lot of good energy

[B]

between the two of you. I don't know how much more energy we actually need, but now with Jordan and her energy, it's gonna get worse. It's great. Love it.

[C]

I know. I bring it. I bring the energy.

[B]

We love our chaos.

[D]

We love the chaos. Okay, Jordan, literally, I want to start here because we have this groundbreaking, historic moment for women's sports, and I do love that we have the Kinger with us as well to talk about it with you. Because as we know, the WNBA's new CBA, literally, it happened last week. The details have been coming out of what's in it. It didn't just raise salaries. It set a standard, a floor that all other CBAs will build on, which is what I love most about it. There's many things I love about it, but obviously we know there were many contentious months trying to get this done and concerns even that the 2026 season wouldn't start. So this was a huge leap all around. What just happened? Tell, tell the party people and us like, what is in this deal? Because it's crazy.

[C]

It's crazy. And I think that's a great place to start because one, we're so happy that we have a WNBA season. We were getting nervous there for a second. We had our fingers crossed, our toes crossed. But this was so worth it. The 17 month long battle. Look what it got. And this is so.

[D]

17 months.

[C]

That's right, 17 months.

[B]

I realized it was 17 right in

[C]

October of last year.

[D]

Right?

[B]

Yeah, good point.

[C]

And now to get here, you know, the WNBA players, this is what they do, right? Like throughout history they have been so progressive and making sure that they're not only taking care of themselves, but they are taking care of future WNBA players. When you watch March Madness, you're even more excited to watch them knowing that they're going to a league and they're going to get so much more money. But they also took care of past WNBA players. It was so, so much bigger than just the moments or just this year, just a few players. They really made sure that everybody was included. And when I say everybody, like this is going to be a billion dollars in salaries and benefits when this deal is over with. Now, Supermax deals are going from 200,000 to 1.4 million. Can get above over 2 million by the end of this deal. Deal, like $7 million cap. That is wild. I mean, one contract was the whole salary cap. Last year it was 1.5 million for a whole team. And you think of a team like the Las Vegas Aces, like that is not enough money to pay all of those superstars or for any other team to just make sure that they're competitive and everyone's getting a piece of the piece. So this is the first time that the league's growth is going to be tied to the WNBA players. Pay the revenue share model. Now when you're buying tickets, you're buying jerseys, the media rights deal, all of these things the players who. They're. The reason why you're going and you're watching now, they get a bigger piece of the pie. And it's just so exciting. I love it. I love it.

[B]

Can I ask a. Can I. How much bigger piece of the pie? What are they getting now? What. Because that's what I'm. As far as sports and I always worry about and I'm dealing with. Of all the monies they receive, you know, from everything, what percentage are the players getting?

[C]

So I think that is the interesting part about this news breaking is that we haven't really gotten that exact percentage. We got near 20%, which is still more than what it was before, near 20%. But when you think about when the players originally came in, you know, they were asking for 31, 30, closer to that NBA 50% line. But they've released that it's near 20%, so hopefully in these coming days. It was news breaking this morning that the deal was. Was ratified with 90% of participation from the players. So now it's in the league's hand to ratify the deal. But it's still. It's still a win. I think the players are still really happy with it, but it wasn't that 30% that they kind of started with.

[B]

What percentage of the league does the NBA own?

[C]

So the NBA owns 42% of the league, then the WNBA owns 42%, and then private equity owns 16%. So that's kind of how the. The pie is broken down for the wnba.

[B]

Do people actually know that the NBA started the wnba? David Stern got the owners of the NBA to do women's teams. The wnba. Okay. That's why it's called wnba, probably, right? So. And David Stern, who I think was a genius and the nicest person and for everyone. I told you that story at the US Open when I had him promise me that you will. Because I've been through WBL. I've been through a lot back in the 60s, 70s, 80s. I've been through all those. I go to their games, I support them. Whoever was in at the time, trying to make it work. But you could tell they didn't have enough money. So when I saw that the NBA was interested, David Stern is the one that pretty much, whether they liked it or not, convinced them to do this. Okay? And I asked him, you have to promise me you won't let the WNBA fail. Because we've had a few leagues that had failed by now. And he promised me, I will not let it fail. But, you know, there's a price that

[A]

goes with that 42% is the price.

[B]

Exactly. Eventually.

[A]

So that's why I was looking at that.

[B]

I'm going, I'll always remember that day with him. But I knew they had to retain some ownership because they started it and whoever starts takes a lot.

[D]

Yeah. And I, and I think when you factor in the NBA has 42% and some of its stakeholders still own part of the other as well. They're, they're more like at 60% of the league. So the NBA had to be on board the owners with obviously this, this enough of the salaries. I mean their salary cap. Kinger went from 1.5 million to 7 million over.

[B]

I am thrilled because I always think the players, I mean we've had the same challenge in tennis and other sports that we weren't getting enough. And Jordan, when you look at, when

[D]

you look at that, that salary and the numbers, what stands out to you the most?

[C]

What stands out is definitely the entry level, like what players immediately coming into the league could make. That was always a.

[B]

What are they going to make now?

[C]

They are going up from, you know, the number one pick, Paige Beckers last year got 78,000. Now it's around 500,000.

[B]

Great.

[C]

So that is a huge jump. And when you also think about just the average salary, the middle of the roster, which is super important especially in the WNBA because usually that middle of the roster player is not going to get signed. Because why when I can sign a rookie for super cheap when we're trying to stay under the cap.

[B]

Good point.

[C]

So now this middle of the pack roster is making about 583,000 rather than 120,000. That's a huge thing. They would say oh, you're too expensive. Why would I sign a year five player when I could get a rookie for 60?

[B]

So that'll stop that minimum.

[C]

Yeah, so that would stop it. And also the idea, I think another thing is two developmental spots on each roster.

[A]

That right.

[C]

That's huge because players were like okay, if someone gets hurt now we're signing 10 day after 10 day contract and not able to get a flow. But you get two developmental players. That doesn't count towards your salary cap. So these are players that can be in your system, be in practice and when someone goes down they can just slot right in rather than a journey woman having to go from team to team because it's not enough roster spots. So that is another thing that's really huge.

[B]

How much is a developmental person make then?

[C]

Well, before, yeah, before it was you're just signing a 10 day contract. So it was literally a day rate of like $2,000 a day. It was. So it was, it was really low. And these players didn't have that financial stability. They weren't really a part of a team.

[D]

Yeah, they. Who were they training with? Like, you had to train on your own almost.

[C]

You had to train.

[B]

So what do they get now, though? So what are these two developmental players? What do they get now? They get the season.

[C]

Yeah. You would get.

[B]

Besides that, what do they get paid? Something, I hope.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you get paid something. And that's the whole point. It doesn't count towards your salary cap. So you can still sign people to these big contracts. So you're able to hit that 7 million and you don't have to say, oh, I can only sign this developmental player for a chump change because we don't have enough caps to space. It's outside of the cat, which is a really big deal and that's a huge win.

[B]

So how much do our superstars make? Because they're the ones that really. People go to watch usually. Right?

[C]

Like, yeah. So this off season, you know, everyone, 80% of the league are free agents because they knew that they were going to opt out of the cba. And there are some really super big names. Smart Asia Wilson, Brianna Stewart, Nafisa Collier. These are players that are the faces of their franchises. And now they can go into their, their teams and say, hey, I deserve that supermax deal. And that's 1.4 million. And now through the course of the CBA, it can reach up to 2 million. So that is a huge win and these superstars deserve it. They are millionaires now and creating generational wealth as a women's professional basketball player.

[D]

Okay, beyond salaries, Jordan, what, what changes for players day to day, would you say?

[C]

Yeah, I think the day to day portion that's really huge is housing. That was something that players were really hung up on because they know that, you know, this is a summer league. This, this is a team. This is a league where players are only with their teams for three to four months. It's not usually their home base most of the time. So being able to have that option of guaranteed housing, players were not budging on that. And they were able to get that for, you know, at least the next four years of the cba. And that was a huge deal. But also we know that charter flights was a huge, huge thing before that is like officially in the CBA now that we're doing charter flights. And first class, because these.

[B]

How much does that.

[C]

I don't know how much it costs, but they do not have to be in commercial flights anymore. And I feel like that was such a huge thing a couple of years ago and they kind of sprinkled it in at the top of. Yeah, they did, you know, last season, but now it is like officially in the cba.

[B]

Yeah. And I think the Liberty pushed it,

[A]

especially for these tall players where, you know, you're flying commercial, you have no leg room. Like, I'm, I'm tiny in comparison to some of these women. So my goodness, get them a charter flight where everybody has these giant seats.

[C]

Yes. And also the delays and like the things that us normal people had to deal with. They had to deal with and then go play a game like the next day. It was. Yeah, that was wild. So I'm glad that.

[D]

Loves that. I read they have, they've increased child care support. They have more protections for pregnant players and injured players. All those things that.

[A]

Retirement.

[D]

Yeah, 401k, the 401k stuff I love, like as you said off the top, that they're taking care of players that, you know, already are done playing, that are retired too. That's amazing.

[A]

How does that, how does that work? Can you tell me about that? That's interesting.

[C]

I was going to say that this I, I co host with Cheryl Swoopes on my podcast. So I just immediately thought of her and how Brianna Stewart has been saying it for so long that they wanted to give a nod to the players that have come before because without them, they wouldn't have been able to sign this monumental cba. And so it kind of breaks down as a one time payment based off of how long that you've been in the league. So for example, $100,000 to the players who are retired and spent over 12 years in the league. Like, here is a thank you gift for all that you've done and a piece of the pie, a little bit of how much we've grown the game. $50,000 for players who are from eight to 11 years of service and then $30,000 who played five to seven years in the WNBA. I just, that's probably one of my favorite parts from this because they made sure, like I said, that they're taking care of rookies who are coming in and they're going to be able to make 500,000 off top. They're taking care of themselves because a lot of these supermax players are going to be able to sign million dollar contracts and then they're able to give a thank you to the past players who built that foundation. So it was really.

[A]

I just want to say this because I've full body chills when you're telling this part of the story because I want people to understand that that is millions of dollars that they are giving to the past players that they are choosing not to give to themselves, not to elect to put that in a higher base salary or a higher max salary or more in their 401k. Like, this is why women leading is really important because we never forget where we came from because we have been clawing and scratching ourselves all the way up the mountain. And so I just want to say, like that makes me so thrilled. And, and, and by the way, let's not forget that the women who built the WNBA probably need that money because they didn't make enough when they played. Probably need that money because.

[B]

Because she's great.

[A]

Probably 100k.

[C]

She's getting that 100k. Yeah, I'm talking to her about it tomorrow. I'm so excited.

[B]

Good. Tell her we're happy for her. Yes, I am so happy for her.

[D]

And how smart are like Az Fudd and Olivia Miles who were like, let's just wait another year to go into the WNBA.

[A]

So make that 500.

[D]

I can take that bag with me.

[C]

I mean, I was watching Olivia Miles last night, tcu and I was like, well, first she got a bag to go to tcu. So that was first bag checked and then now she's going to be a top draft pick in the WNBA this year. Another bag. Double. Double bag. Yeah, double bag. Way more than she would have gotten last year. But I do want to shout out that even the players that are on rookie scale contracts right now, they're going to get that bump. So Paige Beckers, Caitlin Clark, just over 30, I think 38 players, they're going to get that bump right Immediately because their rookie contracts are really long and that's kind of the issue with them. So they wanted to make sure that the players can immediately benefit from this. So that's great too.

[B]

Yeah, that's awesome.

[D]

Can we perfect transition to March Madness?

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Because we talked about it off the top a little bit, but we really want you to get us updated on some big topics and storylines. And Jordan, I don't know if you know this, but we're co leading. That's right, we are. We're leading it with Sarah Spain, the good game. She's talking a lot of trash, but we are holding strong.

[C]

Jordan Classics.

[B]

I knew you knew you would be

[D]

very proud of that. We did not even go to Jordan. I wanted so badly to be like, can we have Jordan help us do the whole bracket? And we were like, we can do this. We can do this. So the three of us came together and did it. Okay, so give us a couple storylines that pop for you with March Madness right now.

[C]

Well, it is madness. The games have been so good. We've had three overtime games so far. We've had some buzzer beaters. Some times that I have been hands on head, just stressed out because you. It's not March unless you're saying that. But in the women's tournament, in these first couple rounds, typically there aren't too many upsets. There's not a lot of Cinderella stories. You know, it usually goes all chalk, which means, you know, one seeds make it all the way. And if you've been seeing those lopsided scores, that feels about right of what's been happening. But there has been one kind of Cinderella story, and that's been Virginia. No one really had them. They were in the first four, which means they had the play in game to be able to even get in the tournament. And now they have won multiple games in the tournament for the first time since 2000, and they are only the second team ever to win multiple games out of playing in the first four. So this is a really big deal because this doesn't typically happen. But Kimora Johnson, who is leading the Virginia team right now, she is a hometown kid. She grew up as a ball girl for the Virginia basketball team, and now she. Isn't that so crazy? She was getting rebounds for other players. She grew up idolizing Dawn Staley, who went to Virginia and from there, like, that's. That's what's been so cool to see those type of stories kind of pop up. And now she's leading her team on this historic run during March Madness.

[A]

Good job, you guys. Virginia.

[B]

Why is that. Why is that happening? Why is Virginia winning though? Besides obviously better players, But.

[C]

Well, it's a little.

[B]

What's the story behind that?

[C]

It's a little bit like we talked about the last time I was on. When you have momentum, right? When you are. Are in a tournament and they have an extra game than these other teams they played before, that helps sometimes to play in, right? So they had that momentum. They were able to. You know, everybody was cheering. Kahmora Johnson was emotional after that first win. She was crying in the post game because she just couldn't believe it. This is why she came to that school. So when you have nothing to lose, you're a 10 seed and you have everything to gain. That's what March Madness is all about. So that momentum is what's carrying them.

[B]

That's great. All right.

[D]

Okay. I saw also because obviously we are cheering for the SoCal teams as well. UCLA and USC. Jazzy Davidson went off, right? The freshman from USC. University of south, not South Carolina, University of Southern California. Incredible.

[C]

Jazzy Davidson is a freshman. She will most likely be named freshman of the year.

[D]

Okay, Jordan, before we let you go, any last storylines we should be following or that are interesting?

[C]

Oh, yeah. I mean, we've been talking about it all season. LSU and these 100 point games. They are scoring like no one's business. They scored another 100 point game. That's 16 on the season. They have scored over 100 points 16 times this year. Flaje Johnson, it was her last home game on the LSU court. That was such a special moment that they caught post game of her just getting super emotional. She's been there all four years, especially in this world of college basketball. That is so rare. She won a national championship her freshman year. She's trying to do it again. Next round, sweet 16. They play Duke, who is all about defense. So they put 90 points on Duke earlier in the season. Uncharacteristic for Duke.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And that's not what they do. Since then, they have been on a winning streak. So that matchup in the Sweet 16 is going to be super interesting. Really, really good.

[A]

Yeah. I'll just say this. I'm pumped for the players at lsu, but I myself am not a Kim Mulkey fan. The way that she treated Brittney Griner at when she was the coach there, the things that I've heard, you know, so it's, it's. I'm cheering for the players and not Kim. I'm cheering for the players and not Kim. And also I think maybe we have Duke beating lsu. Is that right, Jules?

[D]

We do. We do.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So here we go.

[C]

Well, then there you go. Yeah, that's.

[A]

Here we go.

[B]

Let's go, defense.

[D]

We only care about our brackets. Okay.

[C]

As you should.

[A]

As you should.

[C]

I have bragging rights. Bragging rights for the whole year. If you guys be all these podcasts, I'm Jordan.

[D]

When not if you would laugh because it is like a fight in this house. It's as if we only have one TV for what we are watching. I'm like, go back to the TCU Washington game and they're like, no, we're going to UCLA. UConn. Men. I'm like, no.

[A]

So we're literally, like, grabbing up screens during this year.

[C]

I don't know how many limited screens we have. Exactly.

[D]

We have more screens, but everyone wants to be downstairs. I'm like, go upstairs. I get it.

[A]

This week, this is my tv.

[D]

I have, like, brackets I need to follow.

[B]

I can just say this.

[A]

Do you see this tv?

[D]

Literally, either I were racing for this. The remote control. I mean, give me that remote control. Jordan. Thank you.

[A]

Thank you, thank you.

[C]

We will.

[B]

As.

[D]

As. As the party people know, we'll be seeing you a lot in the next few weeks. As, in two days, actually. We'll be seeing you next time.

[C]

Great.

[D]

We'll have.

[B]

I'm glad I can make the show today with Jordan. I'm so excited. Thank you, Jordan. You're fantastic. Yeah, we're going for it.

[D]

Adam Grant on that Thursday episode. And we'll check back in with you then as well, because that's when we're going to set the table for the Sweet 16 that kicks off on Friday. And, party people, you can follow Jordan at Jordan Liggins L I G O N S on Instagram or Tick Tock. It's Hey, Jordan Robinson. So thank you, Jordan.

[A]

Okay. I just love Jordan. She really. She really makes me understand it a little bit better than I understand it. But also, I just want to say one more thing, Jules and Billy, before we go, because this is a stat that I am obsessed with, okay? And I learned it last week. Az Fudd has only missed 10 free throws her entire college career. Okay? So I just am pleased to report that. That. And honestly, like, I think I'm going to try to remember to check her stats and see if she's missed any each pod, because I'm. I'm pleased to report, no, she has not missed any since a game against Butler on February 7, 2026. So, party people, she is still only missed 10 her entire college career. Now, what I also want to say to that is because. And I. I know that you know her mom, Jules. I know you know Az and you love her, but because we have UCLA in our bracket beating UConn in the final, I'm hoping. I'm not gonna hope for her downfall, but I think maybe me putting this out into the ether could potentially skew us in our favor or ruin us forever. Is it gonna be az? I just don't know which direction. Is it gonna be her?

[D]

Very much a possibility.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

No pressure here. No pressure.

[A]

She's Just gonna nail these. These free throws to win the game. Like, what if I'm.

[D]

What if I'm jinxing ourselves counted in that stat? She's gonna be like. As she's on the line, like, there you go, Abby. Another one for you. There you go, Abby.

[B]

You can have a heart attack. All you're gonna have a heart attack.

[A]

Oh, my God. Honestly, that's.

[D]

Katie Fudd is the best. They tried to. They. They tried to get into the bracket party as well, but then they. They got concerned that there were, even though there are no monetary prizes, that they would have some obvious conflicts put their team podcast joining. So we were like, do not risk anything. Stay out of the bracket challenge. But I don't. I don't know if we've told you this yet today in this episode, but we, our co leaders of the bracket challenge, we've told.

[A]

We go through it at the top.

[D]

Yeah, I know. We've said it like 17 times already. And we are co leaders of the bracket challenge. Yeah. Okay, party people, don't forget to subscribe to the welcome to the party YouTube channel. Click that little bell icon so you can get updates when new episodes go live. And you can see me in my ridiculous basketball hat, which is gonna stay

[A]

with us for the.

[D]

The entire March Madness this.

[A]

And if you take one minute, we would so appreciate it. If you can rate, leave a comment and subscribe to podcast to our podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast. And be sure to follow us on Instagram, YouTube and wherever you get your socials at. Welcome to the party show where Julie, Billy, and I will bring the party straight to your feed. You can also email us at party people questions gmail.com shout out to Kate Diaz for our theme music. Bring it in, you guys. We're gonna do an oosa.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Wherever you are, party people, put your paws in King or Catison.

[B]

All right, one, two, three.

[A]

Welcome to the Party is an independent production brought to you by Treat Media. Treat Media makes art for humans who want to stay human. Initial Digital is our production partner, and you can also watch our full conversations on the welcome to the party YouTube channel and follow us at welcome to the Party show on Instagram and TikTok. Thanks for listening.

[C]

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