How WNBA Became a Network’s Lifeline

^{December 27, 2025 | Edition #174}

Hey, Hoophead!

Christmas is officially in the rearview mirror, and basketball is back. Saturday’s slate may be light, but Sunday makes up for it with a full lineup of matchups to kick off your weekend. We’ll also take a look at how the WNBA turned around a network. And before we completely leave the holiday spirit behind, here’s a peek at how your favorite hoopers spent the day.

WNBA Stars Bring the Christmas Vibes

Family hugs, festive fits, and a whole lot of fun. Our favorite W stars celebrated Christmas in true W style.

Caitlin Clark started her day by sharing a heart-melting TikTok of a young fan unwrapping her No. 22 Indiana Fever jersey. By the Christmas tree, buried in red-wrapped gifts, the little girl jumps with joy and yells, “It’s Caitlin Clark’s jersey!” Looks like it was the highlight of CC’s day as well. 

Meanwhile, the W’s favorite power couple took Christmas to the court. Quite literally. Inside the Kaseya Center, A’ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo were spotted taking a toy ride around the court. 

Watch them riding those tiny bicycles, and you won’t stop laughing! 

Meanwhile, at USC, Christmas came to the locker room. The Trojans, in their uniforms, opened gifts from “admin.” From fuzzy slippers to Pitbull posters to smoothies, the admin crew nailed it, setting up one of the best team-bonding nights you’ll see this Christmas.

And then there was Unrivaled Christmas. 

Napheesa Collier shared a moment that had us rolling on the floor laughing. Along with her Lunar Owls teammate Aaliyah Edwards, Phee surprised her daughter Mila with two Christmas gifts. Mila ended up picking Aaliyah’s present over her mom’s. Hilarious! 

The family fun didn’t stop there. Christmas also gave us some really sweet moments. DeWanna Bonner spent Christmas with her twin daughters and fiancée Alyssa Thomas in matching festive pajamas, while Breanna Stewart posed with her kids, wife Marta Xargay, and their dog, all rocking matching Christmas-themed sweaters.

Indeed, it was a holiday filled with laughs, love, and plenty of memorable moments we’ll be talking about for months. 

A Loaded Weekend on the Hardwood

Festive lights are glowing, but the court is calling. WBB games are back to light up your celebrations!

And what better way to start than with a first-ever? On December 28, Providence makes the trip to Columbia to face Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks for the very first time. Taking down the No. 3 team in the country won’t be easy for Providence, especially given that the Friars have beaten a top-10 opponent just twice in program history.

And that’s the test waiting in Columbia, where vibes are already high after landing the No. 3 prospect in the 2026 class. In case you haven’t already, look at Dawn Staley’s wild reaction!

Next up, we’ve got a ranked showdown on our hands. UCLA vs. Ohio State, with both sides fighting to stay unbeaten in the Big Ten. And Bruins fans will remember the last time these two met. UCLA crushed the Buckeyes 75–46 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, a win that set up a title triumph over USC. 

On paper, it’s 11–1 vs. 11–1. But Ohio State’s lone ranked matchup ended in a 32-point loss to UConn. UCLA has a chance here to make a loud statement. They will be eyeing a fourth straight win when they tip off on December 28 at 2 p.m. ET, and with Sienna Betts in the mix, this offense looks like a completely different beast. 

Seriously, go check it out, and you’ll understand what we mean!

We close with a Big East road test. Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies head to Indianapolis riding a perfect 12–0 start, while Butler waits after a gritty 64–58 win over Xavier. 

That said, taking down UConn is no joke. Best in the nation, top net rating, and with just two ranked games left, they could be staring at a fifth undefeated season in program history.

Can Butler be the party poopers? Tune in on December 28 at 4 p.m. ET to find out!

Wait, She Could Do This?! UCLA’s Lauren Betts Dunks

How the WNBA Became ION’s Lifeline

We talk a lot about TV deals lifting women’s sports. But today, we’re telling the story of how the W became the lifeline for a struggling TV network.

Back in the early 2020s, regional sports networks, the once-mighty home of local pro games, were in free fall. Sky-high costs. Vanishing subscribers. The cable empire was cracking. That’s when E.W. Scripps saw an opening. The company bought ION Media for $2.65 billion.

But one thing became clear: there were only two paths forward.

• Option one was to go local. Pick up broadcast rights in Scripps-owned markets.

• Option two was bolder. Chase national rights to women’s sports, which are cheaper to enter but rich in growth potential.

With that, Scripps Sports was born! 

In no time, the pitch landed with Cathy Engelbert to make the WNBA the cornerstone of ION’s women’s sports strategy. Mind you, it was just a 45-minute lunch meeting at NBA All-Star 2023. So, what exactly stood out? Simple…it didn’t involve JUST money. This is what impressed the W front office the most!

And that’s all it took. A three-year, $13 million deal was done, and ION WNBA Friday Nights came to life.

On top of that, the timing couldn’t have been better. Thanks to the Caitlin Clark effect, ratings on ION jumped 133 percent in just their second season, and one game even shattered the network’s all-time viewership record. After all, your favorite rivals were going against each other. See if you guessed it right! 

All in all, it was a win-win all around. ION found its lifeline. Even after the WNBA’s $2.2 billion deal with Disney, Amazon, and NBCU, it’s still locked in a multiyear extension. At the same time, the WNBA reached new audiences, and fans got more prime-time hoops than ever before. 

Sometimes, the right play off the court can be just as game-changing as one on it.

Everyone Is There for a Reason! The Hidden Details in Caitlin Clark’s Nike Debut

Caitlin Clark China-Bound?

China loves basketball. W stars love playing there, and plenty of W stars have made the trip over the years. But one big name still hasn’t. Caitlin Clark. That might be about to change. Right after her “From Anywhere” Nike commercial dropped on Christmas Day, Clark sat down with Chinese bilingual creator TelfairTong.

When she heard how kids in China were already looking up to her, she teased a ‘super soon’ visit.

Meanwhile, Angel Reese looked like she had a Christmas to remember. Rocking a bold red satin outfit, her initials were stitched alongside the words “Our 2nd Christmas.” But the real highlight was the neckpiece she wore, taking her relationship from “almost official” to, well… officially official.

She added a gold chain with the initials of someone she spent the holidays with. Any guesses what it spelled?

1. Is Caitlin Clark’s Nike Commercial Actually Closing In on 30M Views? - Full Story 

2. “I’m Making a Lot of Money!” Flau’jae Johnson Explains Why She Has No Current WNBA Plans - Full Story 

3. Top 5 Early Freshman of the Year Contenders Favorites - Full Story 

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

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