The WNBA's Popularity Has Never Been Higher

Episode 620 of the Sports Media Podcast features two WNBA-specific segments. First up is Sandy Brondello, the first-ever head coach of the Toronto Tempo, which begins play in the WNBA this season. Brondello previously was a head coach in San Antonio, Phoenix and New York and won WNBA titles in 2014 and 2024. She is followed by a roundtable with Annie Costabile, a senior writer for The Athletic, a co-host for the "No Offseason" podcast and a writer for the "No Offseason" newsletter, and Savannah Hamilton, a Toronto-based sportscaster covering the Tempo who previously covered the Toronto Raptors. In this podcast, Brondello discusses what success look like this season for the Tempo; why she took a job with an expansion franchise; how much input she had in the Expansion and WNBA Draft selections; her thoughts on her players; why strong ownership is the key to longterm success; choosing A'Ja Wilson has the hardest player to game-plan against; why she's developed a reputation as a media-friendly coach, and if she's getting recognized on the streets of Toronto and more. Costabile and Hamilton discuss realistic expectations for the Tempo this season; why Vegas is the preseason pick to win a title from most who cover the league nationally; how popular the WNBA will be in Canada; all of the Indiana Fever games being nationalized; advocacy coverage versus journalism and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.