The 2026 NWSL season is officially underway, and opening weekend delivered plenty to talk about. Monica and Sara break down the biggest moments from week one — from star players returning to the pitch to record-setting crowds showing up for women’s soccer.

They also dive into the momentum building across the league, including new expansion teams, major contract headlines, and why the atmosphere around women’s sports just keeps getting better.

They’re talking about: 

⚽ Trinity Rodman’s return and record-setting contract

👶 Sophia Wilson back on the pitch six months postpartum

🔥 Portland Thorns vs. Seattle Reign rivalry matchup

📈 Record-breaking opening weekend attendance

🏟️ Boston Legacy’s debut and massive home opener crowd

View the transcript here.

The bracket is set, the tournament is about to begin, and Monica and Sara are diving into this year’s Women’s March Madness.

In this episode, they talk about why the women’s tournament keeps getting bigger every year, what makes March Madness such a unique playoff environment, and why this stage can completely change the trajectory of teams and players. With powerhouse programs returning to the top of the bracket and plenty of potential for upsets, it’s shaping up to be another exciting tournament.

They also get into:

 🏀 The top seeds
 🔥 Key players to watch
 📈 Why women’s March Madness continues to grow in viewership, attendance, and cultural impact
 🎭 The magic of the tournament: underdogs, upsets, and playoff energy
 🏆 Monica and Sara’s early tournament picks

View the transcript here.

We’re coming to you live (and slightly sleep-deprived) from Miami.

This bonus episode is our full Unrivaled vlog — two nights, all eight teams, and the kind of energy you can’t really capture unless you’re in the building. From the Sephora Arena activations to sold-out crowds, halftime chaos, and last-second free throws, we’re taking you behind the scenes of what felt like a landmark moment for women’s basketball.

We walk you through the Unrivaled Village, the fan activations, the merch (yes, jerseys were flying), and what it’s like to watch elite players compete in this 3-on-3 format up close.

We get into:

• 🏀 The 3-on-3 format and how different it feels live
• 🔥 The standout performances (KP going off, Stewie closing, Lexie being a menace)
• 👯‍♀️ Seeing the Stud Buds matchup in person
• 🎟️ Why Unrivaled feels like a turning point for the WNBA offseason

More than anything, this weekend felt like proof. When women’s sports are invested in, fans travel. They show up. They buy jerseys. They stay for every game.

This is what building something new looks like.

🎥 Hit play for the full Miami recap.

View the transcript.

This week’s episode dives into Heated Rivalry — the hockey romance that’s been everywhere lately — and uses it as a jumping-off point for a bigger conversation about queer representation, sports storytelling, and why certain narratives break through the way they do.

Monica and Sara talk through what worked, what felt intentional, and why the emotional tone of the story resonated with so many people. From there, they zoom out to look at the cultural response, the gaps in who gets visibility, and why it’s possible to enjoy something while still having complicated feelings about it.

They also get into:

• 🏒 Why Heated Rivalry landed so hard with mainstream audiences
  
  
• 💔 The Kip and Scott storyline and what it says about visibility and risk in sports
  
  
• 📺 How tenderness and emotional care shaped the show’s appeal
  
  
• ⚖️ The uneven support for queer sports stories — especially those led by women
  
  
• 🎥 Other queer sports projects they’re watching closely
  
  

It’s a thoughtful, honest conversation about fandom, representation, and the stories we rally behind. Plus a reminder that loving a show doesn’t mean we stop asking questions about the bigger picture.

View the transcript here.

In the final episode of Play Like A They for 2025, Monica and Sara look back on a massive year in women’s sports — the moments that made them laugh, scream, book flights, and believe even harder in where these leagues are headed.

They reflect on the year's throughline: new leagues launching, expansion teams finding their footing, record-breaking crowds, and players shaping culture both on and off the field. Across sports, the message was the same: when women’s sports are invested in, fans show up.

They also get into:
🏀 A’ja Wilson’s historic WNBA season and continued dominance
🏒 The PWHL’s expansion into Seattle and Vancouver and record-breaking attendance
⚽ Gotham FC’s underdog NWSL championship run
🥎 Expansion and viewership growth across AUSL and women’s pro softball
⚾ The launch of the Women’s Professional Baseball League draft
🎿 Lindsey Vonn’s comeback and Olympic qualification

It’s a celebratory, wide-angle look at a year that proved women’s sports aren’t “up and coming” anymore. They’re here, they’re thriving, and 2026 is already shaping up to be even bigger.

Fact Check Notes

Unrivaled One-on-One Tournament Prize
Unrivaled hosted a one-on-one tournament during its inaugural season with a reported top prize of $500,000, making it one of the largest single payouts in a women’s basketball competition.

Golden State Valkyries Inaugural Season
The Golden State Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion team to make the playoffs in its inaugural season and sold out all regular-season home games.

Bay FC at Oracle Park Attendance
Bay FC hosted a regular-season match at Oracle Park that drew over 40,000 fans, one of the largest single-game crowds in NWSL history.

Sophia Smith Wilson Contract
Sophia Smith Wilson signed a contract with a reported $1 million player option, the highest publicly known contract value in NWSL history at the time.

PWHL Seattle Home Opener Attendance
Seattle’s PWHL home opener drew over 16,000 fans, setting a U.S. attendance record for the league.

USA vs. Canada Rivalry Series Sweep
The U.S. women’s national hockey team recorded its first-ever sweep of Canada in the current rivalry series format.

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aLWzMHhK0Wanlr328dmGmYWQVgucnD_DKmioIJk0gfQ/edit?usp=sharing

This week’s episode is a quick guide to the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) — and a check-in on what’s been an electric few weeks for women’s sports. Consider it your crash course in the PWHL: where to start, who to follow, and why this league is already changing the game for women’s hockey.

Monica and Sara kick things off with Gotham FC’s underdog championship win in the NWSL, before jumping into a recap of the PWHL’s third season, expansion updates, and what made the Seattle Torrent’s sold-out home opener such a big deal.

They also talk about the energy building around the league, the growing fanbase, and why this is the perfect time to start following if you’re new to hockey. Between record-breaking attendance, Brandi Carlile singalongs, and fans in Kraken jerseys cheering their hearts out, the excitement for the PWHL is only getting louder.

They also get into:
 🏆 Gotham FC’s championship run and why they’ll always root for an underdog
 🏒 The PWHL’s new Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Golden Eyes
 🎟️ Record-breaking crowds and what they tell us about the future of women’s sports
 🍸 The opening of Wilka’s, a women’s sports bar in NYC
📣 A call for Seattle to pack out Storm games the same way they’re showing up for hockey

Read the transcript here.

It’s playoff time, and we’re talking football. (The global kind.) ️

This week, Monica and Sara dive into the 2025 NWSL Playoffs—who made it, who’s out, and what to expect as the chase for the championship heats up. From Kansas City’s dominant regular season to Gotham FC’s underdog moment, they break down the top storylines, key players, and why single elimination makes every game feel like a final.

They also get into:

  -Kansas City’s all-women training facility and what happens when teams invest in women’s sports

  -Portland Thorns’ playoff run without Sophia Smith

  -The Boston expansion rebrand (bye bye Boss Nation, hello Boston Legacy)

  -The Elizabeth Eddy controversy and why calling out racism and transphobia in women’s sports matters

  -The NWSL’s new streaming deal and what it could mean for visibility and pay

It’s an episode that celebrates how far women’s soccer has come while calling out the work that still needs to be done. A mix of playoff hype, real talk, and plenty of love for the game.

The 2025 WNBA season has officially wrapped, and Monica and Sara are here to break it all down: finals, coaching chaos, and what’s next for women’s basketball.

They recap the Las Vegas Aces’ dominant championship run, the Phoenix Mercury’s collapse, and how injuries and confidence shifts changed the playoff landscape. From Alyssa Thomas’s tough series to A’ja Wilson’s continued dynasty-level play, they unpack what made this postseason exciting, frustrating, and a little bit historic.

They also get into:

💬 The growing tension between players and WNBA leadership heading into the 2026 CBA negotiations

🏀 Napheesa Collier’s public statement calling out Commissioner Cathy Engelbert—and the fallout that followed

💸 Why the new Unrivaled league could be a game-changer for player pay and visibility

👟 Expansion updates: Sandy Brondello to the Toronto Tempo, and Portland Fire’s questionable coaching hire

🤔 A conversation on men coaching in women’s sports, Title IX history, and why “progress” isn’t always what it seems

It’s an honest, passionate, and slightly chaotic wrap-up—the kind of conversation that reminds you why we love this league and the people fighting to make it better.

The playoffs are here, and we’ve got plenty to talk about.

In this episode, Monica and Sara dive into the first round of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs and all the chaos that’s unfolded since. From the Golden State Valkyries making history in their inaugural season, to the Liberty’s shocking early exit, to the Fever pulling off an upset without Caitlin Clark, it’s already been a wild ride.

They also get into:

 💬 The Liberty press conference drama and Sandy Brondello’s sudden exit
 👀 A’ja Wilson’s MVP run and what it means for the Aces
 ⚡ Lynx vs. Mercury going down to the wire (and the officiating that has everyone talking)
 🌟 Alyssa Thomas vs. Nafisa Collier — two legends pushing each other to the limit

It’s a passionate, mid-playoffs check-in full of hot takes, tough losses, and so much love for the W.

Fact Check Notes

✅Valkyries’ Head Coach

The Golden State Valkyries’ head coach is Natalie Nakase, who was named 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year.

✅Liberty Coaching Change

Sandy Brondello led the Liberty to the 2023 semifinals, the 2024 championship, and the 2025 playoffs. Despite that success, she was let go immediately after the 2025 playoff exit.

✅WNBA Hardship Exception

The “leasing players” description in the episode refers to the hardship exception, which allows teams with multiple injuries to sign additional players beyond the 12-player roster limit.

✅A’ja Wilson Awards

A’ja Wilson became the first player in WNBA history to win four MVP titles (2020, 2022, 2023, 2025) and added her third Defensive Player of the Year award in 2025.

✅Alyssa Thomas & Napheesa Collier Stats

• Alyssa Thomas set new marks for double-doubles and continued her record pace from 2023 into 2025.
• Napheesa Collier achieved the rare 50-40-90 shooting season in 2025, only the second in WNBA history.

Episode Transcript

The Monday Night Squad is back!

Monica and Sara are joined by Tiandrea and Kaycie for a mid-season WNBA check-in full of hot takes, personal updates, and playoff predictions (or refusals to predict). From All-Star Weekend recaps to trade rumors, they dig into the storylines, player moments, and behind-the-scenes vibes that make the W so much more than just stats.

They also get into:

🔥 The rise of the Valkyries (even without a superstar)

👟 Stud Buds, Diplo, and the off-court joy of All-Star Weekend

🧢 Expansion excitement with Portland, Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philly

💬 Ref drama, coaching shakeups, and the difference a good team culture makes

🧡 Why Paige Bueckers is already the league’s favorite (and has the tunnel fits to match)

This one’s part mid-season roundup, part WNBA lovefest. If you care about women’s sports, storytelling, and the power of community, it’s a must-listen.

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1heF5erajpY6FBDt0wT3vh8kyAQ3Dd2OrBU7qCecvMv4/edit?usp=sharing

Fact Check Notes

• WNBA All-Star Game Viewership vs. NBA
  The 2024 WNBA All-Star Game drew a record 3.44 million viewers, but the NBA All-Star Game still had higher viewership at approximately 4.72 million. The WNBA did not surpass the NBA in ratings, though it hit a historic high for the league.
• WNBA Players' Revenue Share
  WNBA players currently receive about 9.3% of league revenue, compared to 49–51% for NBA players. This is accurate and reflects the existing revenue gap between leagues.
• WNBA Expansion Team Count for 2027
  The WNBA is currently at 13 teams and has announced plans to expand to 18 by 2030. While there’s significant momentum, reaching 18 teams by 2027 is not confirmed.