Host Kathleen Gier runs through more NWSL free agency moves, including Sam Coffey's decision to play for Manchester City. She also talks about Gotham FC's upcoming appearance in the FIFA Women's Champions Cup and the U.S. women's national team's January friendlies.

On today's Women's Sports Daily, Chelsea recaps the Battle on Bay Street as Toronto takes their third straight victory in the event.

Unrivaled Season 2 has kicked off and what did Howard Megdal notice when he was on the ground in Miami this past week? He shares some of his findings with Jackie as the two discuss what the expectations are for this startup league in year 2. What is Unrivaled’s purpose in the women’s basketball space and why might some of those goals be at odds with one another?  Breanna Stewart and Kelsey Plum explain what it’s been like playing in Miami while simultaneously hopping on many calls about the WNBA’s on-going CBA negotiations with the players union. Later Howard and Jackie discuss Unrivaled’s ratings and why the dip in viewers was to be expected. And finally, the pair shifts their attention to why the middle class of players are important in the grand scheme of the CBA. Rachel Banaham and Temi Fagbenle provide some insight into the middle class in negotiations along with sharing how they’ve adjusted to Unrivaled as new players in the league. Plus– Dana Evans drops the mic. 

0:00 - Introduction

1:37 - #1 at The IX

3:14 - What is Unrivaled’s purpose?

4:08 - Kelsey Plum reflects on navigating Unrivaled and the CBA

7:34 - Breanna Stewart on measuring success 

13:17 - Does a ratings dip matter for Unrivaled?

17:42 - Are the goals of Unrivaled at odds with each other?

22:55 - Why the middle class of the WNBA matter 

25:06 - Rachel Banham and Temi Fagbenle on Unrivaled and the middle class 

32:51 - Dana Evans drops the mic

34:53 - Signing off

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Hannah Kevorkian

Video Credit: Howard Megdal 

Links to click that are referenced throughout the show: 

Howard writes from being on the ground at Unrivaled:

https://www.theixsports.com/features/an-unrivaled-night-of-moratorium-dana-evans-talks-wnba-cba/

Gabby Alfveby also writes on the ground at Unrivaled:

https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/unrivaleds-first-weekend-delivers-historic-moments/

Alexa Philippou reports on how the middle class could be impacted by the new salary cap being negotiated:

https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/47011671/wnba-cba-negotiations-wnbpa-updates-latest-news

The PWHL Takeover Tour is in full swing with games all across North America. But, are there too many takeover games this season? Do the pros outweigh the cons? Plus, the PWHL standings are wild, with the Boston Fleet, Ottawa Charge, and New York Sirens all having great seasons so far. Did the top shelf prediction from last episode come true? Will the Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent go on a run before the Olympic break? Lastly, Team Canada's Olympic roster is here, and everyone is panicking. This week, Maya Smith is joined by Alyssa Turner to talk about all things PWHL and international women's hockey. Cover Photo: PWHLArticle referenced: https://www.theicegarden.com/are-there-too-many-pwhl-takeover-tour-games/

Kathleen Gier interviews Howard Megdal, founder and editor in chief of The IX Sports, about the start of our new vertical, The IX Soccer. She also talked through Annie Peterson's interview with Lindsay Heaps about returning to Colorado and Kansas City, introducing new coach Chris Armas.

Tick-Tock! The WNBA and the WNBPA are running out of time before their latest deadline of January 9. Jackie Powell and Howard Megdal take you through what’s keeping both sides from coming to an agreement. What do revenue sharing models and expansion fees have to do with it all? Jackie has yet another powerpoint slide to explain a new number that was reported. And how could a certain salary cap number be icing out the middle class of players once again? Later the pair explains why the Vanderbilt Commodores are the top national women’s college basketball story right now. Shea Ralph and Mikayla Blakes discuss the team’s successes this season, and Howard and Jackie contemplate if Vanderbilt is a Final Four team. 

0:00 - Introduction

1:30 - #1 at The IX

2:29 - Why are the negotiations at a stalemate?

4:23 - How is the league proposing to distribute revenue share?

9:58 - What does WNBA expansion have to do with this?

14:37 - Why is there concern about the salary cap?

20:08 - Vanderbilt is the top NCAAW story 

28:44 - Is Vandy a Final Four team?

38:08 - Stay tuned for Unrivaled next week

33:36 - Signing Off

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Video Credit: Stephanie Kaloi

Links to click that are referenced throughout the show: 

Alexa Philippou reports on the latest proposals from both the WNBA and WNBPA: 

https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/47466821/sources-wnba-projecting-big-losses-latest-proposal-union-disagrees

Philippou reports on how the middle class could be impacted by the new salary cap being negotiated: 

https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/47011671/wnba-cba-negotiations-wnbpa-updates-latest-news

Sportico explained how the Golden State expansion fees worked: 

https://www.sportico.com/business/team-sales/2023/warriors-wnba-expansion-cost-1234741207/

Ben Pickman on how both sides are at a standstill before the deadline and what comes next: 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6954343/2026/01/08/wnba-player-union-deadlock-cba-future/

Annie Costabile reports on the latest net revenue sharing number from the WNBA: 

https://frontofficesports.com/wnba-players-cba-deadline-friday/

Our podcast on the difference between gross and net revenue: 

https://youtu.be/rqtFe_s8bi8?t=1411

Kathleen Gier discusses big free agency moves, the new race to build team-specific performance centers across the league and where we stand with the NWSL's new high-impact player rule on the latest soccer edition of The IX Sports Podcast.

(Dec. 29, 2025) The South Carolina Gamecocks could be forced to play without their most reliable scorer after Ta'Niya Latson suffered a lower left injury Sunday. Plus, Mesa, Arizona, wants to be home to a soccer team — could the NWSL expand to the city?

Welcome to our last podcast before 2026: the year of review in women’s sports! Join our hosts Howard Megdal, Jackie Powell, Kathleen Gier and Maya Smith for an episode where the quartet goes through the most important and their favorite stories across the women’s basketball, women’s soccer and women’s hockey universe that defined 2025. Later on, each of our hosts announces their fearless predictions for their sport in 2026 which includes Howard and Jackie arguing about if the WNBA players end up striking in 2026.

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Left to Right- John Hefti-Imagn Images, the PWHL and Domenic Allegra

Links to click that are referenced throughout the show: 

Read Maya Smith’s work at the Ice Garden here: 

https://www.theicegarden.com/author/maya/

Watch Kathleen Gier’s latest podcasts about women’s soccer here: 

https://www.theixsports.com/features/the-ix-sports-podcast-nwsl-unveils-new-roster-rule/

https://www.theixsports.com/features/the-ix-sports-podcast-high-impact-players-and-others-to-watch-in-2026/

Howard Megdal’s final basketball column of the year at The IX Sports:

https://www.theixsports.com/features/after-the-big-bang-womens-basketball-in-2025-live-from-sienna-betts-debut-for-ucla/

Jackie Powell’s observations of Becky Hammon’s growth from earlier this year: 

https://www.theixsports.com/basketball/the-undeniable-complicated-influence-las-vegas-aces-wnba-becky-hammon/

At last Jackie Powell and Howard Megdal talk about women’s college basketball in this week’s IX Sports Podcast Basektball Edition. In the pair’s final women’s basketball show before the new year, the co-hosts take you inside what they noticed at Barclays Center during the second annual Shark Beauty Championship Classic. Why did defense stand out for both UConn and Iowa? And how exactly did Louisville, behind the strong play of senior transfer Laura Ziegler, trounce a Tenneesee team still trying to find its footing? Later in the show, Jackie breaks out a powerpoint to explain two key terms that have been prevalent in coverage of the on-going WNBA CBA negotiations. What are net and gross revenue sharing models and what’s the difference between the two? Thumbnail Photo Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn ImagesVideo Credit: Gabby AlfvebyLinks to click that are referenced throughout the show: Stephanie Kaloi writes about Ruby Whitehorn’s dismissal from Tennessee: https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/ruby-whitehorn-dismissed-lady-vols/Natalie Heavren introduces Laura Ziegler prior to her arrival at Louisville:https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/early-success-and-a-family-away-from-home-laura-zieglers-journey-from-denmark-to-saint-josephs/Jacob Mox’s CBA coverage: https://www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/wnba-cba-negotiations-hit-milestone-with-a-catch-salary-cap-revenue-share/Reporting from The Athletic, ESPN and Front Office Sports about Gross and Net revenue sharing: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6889889/2025/12/15/wnba-union-labor-cba-revenue-share/https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/47360397/wnba-players-ready-do-takes-get-fair-cba-dealhttps://frontofficesports.com/adam-silver-says-he-could-join-wnba-cba-negotiations/