Episode 20 - PWHL Finals Heat Up, Four New Teams Confirmed, and the WNBA Has a Whistle Problem

Alex: All right, we are back. Episode 20.

Caitlin: Episode 20! Twenty episodes, you guys.

Alex: I’m proud of us.

Caitlin: I’m proud of us. Thank you to the people who have been here for all 20. And to those who are new, welcome. Before we do anything, I want to shout out our clip that hit 20,000 views this week. Thank you. That is super cool.

Alex: Yeah, it is cool. We have a clip that hit 20K. I genuinely was not expecting that. So thank you. That’s awesome.

Caitlin: And thank you for sharing it. That helps a lot.

Alex: Yeah, for real. It means a lot. Before we get into it, I just want to say, today I also learned about the Women’s Football Alliance.

Caitlin: You discovered the WFA.

Alex: I discovered the WFA. I looked it up. Minnesota Vixen. I don’t know how I didn’t know about this. This is a league. This is the top of the pyramid for women’s tackle football.

Caitlin: Yes.

Alex: The Minnesota Vixen are undefeated. I’m just going to mention that.

Caitlin: Noted. Okay.

PWHL Walter Cup Final: Ottawa vs. Montreal

Alex: All right, let’s get into it. PWHL.

Caitlin: PWHL. Walter Cup Final update.

Alex: Where are we?

Caitlin: So Minnesota Frost, our beloved Frost, were eliminated. Ottawa Charge and Montreal Victoire are in the Walter Cup Final. We are going into game four now. Montreal leads the series two to one.

Alex: Ottawa scored two late goals in Game 3.

Caitlin: They did. They really came back and found a way to stay alive. And honestly, like, hats off to them. That’s what playoff hockey is.

Alex: And the story about Carla McLeod coaching through cancer treatment. I don’t want to make light of it. But just hats off to her. What a way to compete.

Caitlin: Yeah, there’s been a lot written about that. And I think it just adds this whole other dimension to what this team is going through and what they’re fighting for. It’s really compelling. Game 4 is Wednesday, May 20th, 6pm Central. If you have any access to this, watch it.

PWHL expansion: Las Vegas, Hamilton, San Jose, Detroit

Alex: So, big news. Expansion.

Caitlin: Big news. We have four new PWHL teams.

Alex: Detroit was already announced a while back.

Caitlin: Right. And then this week, Las Vegas and Hamilton were formally confirmed. And then as we were recording this, San Jose was announced on May 19th.

Alex: So that is now twelve teams in the PWHL.

Caitlin: Twelve teams. Yeah.

Alex: So let’s talk about some of these markets, because I think it’s interesting.

Caitlin: Yeah. So, I mean, we’ve talked a little bit about this. Calgary, I know I read, Calgary did not get a team because of the venue situation. There are AHL teams and other leagues that share the rink, and the PWHL couldn’t make it work.

Alex: We’re a women’s sports podcast. We don’t need to know men’s sports. But yes, that tracks.

Caitlin: But on the flip side, Vegas, San Jose, and Detroit all have NHL teams who were clearly willing to come to the table and meet the terms the PWHL was setting. And one thing I’ve learned through reading about this is that Vegas actually has one of the fastest-growing youth girls hockey programs in the country. I would not have pegged that.

Alex: Yeah, that’s interesting. Like, in the more traditional hockey markets, things are more saturated. People grow up around it. In warmer weather markets, there’s more opportunity for growth.

Caitlin: Exactly. And from a fan base perspective, you’re going to have people who want to take their daughters or their sons to go watch this team. The Hamilton choice is interesting to me, given that Hamilton is right next to Toronto.

Alex: Toronto is right there.

Caitlin: They’re like an hour apart. But you could almost compare it to the New York and New Jersey thing, where you have teams in close proximity that still build distinct fan bases. We’ll see how it works.

Alex: And the colors. Vegas got pea green and baby poop yellow, basically.

Caitlin: I sent you a very funny text about that. I just… I’m imagining breezers in that color scheme and I cannot.

Alex: You mean hockey pants? Yes. I hate that color.

Caitlin: It was a choice. Moving on.

PWHL Entry Draft: 236 players, 103 spots, and Meghan Agosta’s comeback

Alex: Draft. June 17. Detroit.

Caitlin: June 17 in Detroit. 236 players in the eligibility pool. If I’ve done my math correctly, there are roughly 103 spots open across the four new teams.

Alex: That’s assuming no roster construction changes and no additional retirements.

Caitlin: Right. Hannah Brandt from the Boston Fleet has already announced she’s retiring. So that one’s confirmed. Let me break down the numbers. We have 128 forwards, 69 defenders, 38 goaltenders. Spots available, going off typical roster construction: about 55 forward spots, 36 defender spots, and 12 goaltender spots across four teams. So 128 forwards chasing 55 spots, 69 defenders chasing 36, and 38 goaltenders for 12 spots. Essentially, two-thirds of the people entering this draft will not make a team.

Alex: And the concern about expanding too fast, the pipeline concern. You look at this draft class and it’s kind of hard to make that case.

Caitlin: Right. You have NCAA players from this draft class who are Olympians from multiple countries. You have players coming back from overseas to take a shot in the PWHL. You have players coming out of retirement. And speaking of retirement.

Alex: The 39-year-old.

Caitlin: Canadian Olympian Meghan Agosta is coming out of retirement after seven years at age 39. Three-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time IIHF Women’s World Champion, and she is currently fourth all-time in NCAA goal scoring. Given all the players who have come through college hockey since she played, that to me is the most impressive thing on her resume.

Alex: I just want to see her walk up and get her jersey at the draft if she gets selected.

Caitlin: I know. I want to see that too. Okay, other prospects to keep an eye on. Top pick contenders in the NCAA: Caroline Harvey out of Wisconsin, Abbey Murphy out of Minnesota, Laila Edwards out of Wisconsin. And I could just keep listing Wisconsin players. Kirsten Simms out of Wisconsin, Tessa Janecke from Penn State.

Alex: Mostly Wisconsin.

Caitlin: Mostly Wisconsin. And then from Europe, you have three-time Olympian Petra Nieminen from Finland. She has been a leading scorer in the Swedish league for years. She was the 2023 MVP there. And she teamed with former Gopher [VERIFY: Nelli Laitinen]. And then for goaltenders, Taiwan’s lone player in the draft is a goaltender. [VERIFY: Su-tings who] is her name, and I apologize if I’ve butchered that. And then Swiss goaltender Andrea Brändli, described by one journalist as the best goaltender outside the PWHL right now. She just helped lead Switzerland to a bronze medal at the Olympics.

Alex: What does it say about this league that a 39-year-old is coming out of retirement and players from Switzerland, Japan, Czechia, Italy, Taiwan, the Netherlands all want to come over and play? That says a lot about how this league is being run.

Caitlin: It really does. And what it also means is that as soon as you open up the number of roster spots, you have people who already have access to this league saying, I’m going to shoot my shot. That’s exciting. The draft is going to be worth watching.

WNBA Week 1: ups and downs

Caitlin: I had the pleasure of going to see the Lynx play last night. My friend’s sister had tickets. They played the Chicago Sky and lost. But, WNBA.

Alex: WNBA time.

Caitlin: So we officially kicked off last Friday. A little over a week of play. Let me go through some of what I’ve been seeing.

A’ja Wilson, after the Aces kind of stumbled in their opening ring ceremony game, they are now 3-1. She dropped 45 points on 83% shooting against the Sun. And in the game against the Wings, she had 21 points on 9 of 10 from the floor. That’s 90%. She’s got a crazy mid-range game. And she’s the front-runner for MVP again.

Alex: This is A’ja Wilson.

Caitlin: Yes, this is A’ja Wilson. That is insane. Okay, speaking of the Lynx, Olivia Miles, our rookie number two overall draft pick. Getting to watch her in person last night, just the way she sees the court is a little bit scary. She has things to learn. She needs to make smarter decisions on some of those passes. But her ceiling is so high.

Alex: Her ceiling is crazy. Just crazy.

Caitlin: It really is. And Caitlin Clark has recorded her 12th game with 20-plus points and 10-plus assists in her 57-game career, which is setting a record for both the number of times and the speed with which she got there. I think the next closest player got to 11 in around 400 games.

Alex: And it’s games played. Not just career games. She was out for a bit and those don’t count.

Caitlin: Right. Any game she played counts. Still wild.

Alex: Holy smokes.

Caitlin: Atlanta Dream. I like what I’m seeing there. They took down the Lynx in their opening game by overcoming an 18-19 point deficit. They beat the Wings. And they took the Aces to the wire after being down big in that game too. Alicia Gray is showing up. Ryan Howard didn’t play in that Aces game. Angel Reese is doing Angel Reese things. They’ve got Jordan Canada. There’s something building there. They were the third most likely to win the championship in the GM poll.

Alex: Can you keep coming back from huge deficits and expect to win games over a full season?

Caitlin: Probably not. But what it shows is that this team doesn’t quit when they’re down. That’s a mental thing, and it’s a good sign early in the season. The strategy and execution will get better with time.

Caitlin: Now, the downs. Last night was sad. Rickea Jackson on what looked like a normal bump play just planted wrong and went down. It looks like an ACL injury. We don’t have confirmation at the time of recording, but she went down hard and was on the floor for a while.

Alex: She was looking like she was going to be a lead dog for Chicago this year.

Caitlin: She really was. Her teammate Natasha Cloud came out and said this is why the referees need to be better, you have to protect the players. I love Tash for that. I don’t think there was contact that caused the injury. It looked like one of those non-contact ACL situations. But the sentiment is there. Real bummer. Rickea was looking like she was going to have a huge season.

Caitlin: Gabriela Jaquez [VERIFY] had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Sky last night. She looked like a vet. Calm, cool, collected, hit big shots when they needed it.

Alex: And I think the Sky is actually pretty good. We were joking they were a hot mess. I don’t think they are.

Caitlin: I don’t think they are. They have a lot of effort on that team. And Camila Cardoso in the middle was not allowing much.

Dallas Wings drama and WNBA Western Conference struggles

Alex: Selfishness in the locker room with the Wings.

Caitlin: It is messy. Three games into the season and you come out publicly and say you just told your players they are selfish in the locker room?

Alex: How do you say that to the media? You say it to your players, fine, but why are you telling the media that?

Caitlin: To be fair, the Wings have things to figure out. They have a lot of talented guards and they’re not optimizing it. Their pick-and-roll defense is not good. They have Alanna Smith, who was the co-defensive player of the year last year with A’ja Wilson. They have Jess Shepherd. They have length and experience. Something is not clicking.

Alex: It’s a coaching issue.

Caitlin: You said it, not me. But also, we are four games into the season. Paige Béckers is in her second year. Let’s give it some time before the hot takes.

Caitlin: Generally speaking, the Eastern Conference is off to a strong start behind some really good backcourt play across multiple teams. The West is a different story outside of the Aces. Seattle looks like it’s going to be about what we expected. Flau’jae Johnson is having the time of her life though, and I love that for her. The Sparks, on paper, look really good. Kelsey Plum, Nneka Ogwumike, Cam Brink, Dearica Hamby, Rae Burrell. But they haven’t found a rhythm yet. And then Connecticut is 0-4 with Brittney Griner out.

Alex: That relocation situation is going to hang over them all season.

Caitlin: Yeah, it is. The Comets situation is a shadow. Okay. The WNBA is also running back-to-back scheduling in some cases, East Coast teams playing consecutive games out West. It’s not ideal for the players, and the splits in those series so far suggest it’s affecting performance.

WNBA officiating: the big debate

Alex: All right, let’s talk about the refs. I can’t get fined, so I can say whatever I want.

Caitlin: Go ahead.

Alex: There have been a lot more stoppages. The numbers: 22.3 fouls and 23.1 free throws per game in 2026 versus 17.5 fouls and 18.2 free throws in 2025. A huge jump.

Caitlin: That’s a material difference. Five more fouls per game, and that changes game outcomes.

Alex: There was an off-season task force, players and coaches, to address physicality and consistency of refereeing. The WNBA head of referee performance and development, Sue Blanch, said, “We didn’t really change any rules or change an interpretation. It came down to we needed to strictly enforce our current guidelines.” Which, I’m not sure how that isn’t a different interpretation.

Caitlin: Right. And at the game last night, there were calls where I was like, how is that a foul? And things that weren’t called where I was thinking, how is that not a foul? That understanding between players and officials is what creates flow in a game.

Alex: Stewie said after a game against Washington: “That’s insane calls that are unnecessary on both sides and then there’s no flow after being called for 31 team fouls versus Washington.”

Caitlin: 31 fouls. The game is 40 minutes long. That is almost one a minute.

Alex: Just for one team.

Caitlin: Just for one team. And then they went to overtime. That had to have been miserable to watch.

Alex: Cheryl Reeve, the Minnesota Lynx head coach, who was on the task force, said: “What I’m confused about being on the task force, we talked about unnecessary physicality. We didn’t say we want to call marginal fouls. We never brought that up.”

Caitlin: Which is pretty damning when you were literally in the room where this was decided and the result is not what you signed on for. And then there’s the Napheesa Collier NPR interview, where she said you come to watch players play offense and to score, and when it’s so physical it’s not as fun to watch. I kind of go back to your point though, what people asked for last season was just: call it the same every time. Don’t stack it toward one team. Call it tight both ways, or let it play both ways.

Alex: 12 of 15 teams are currently averaging 20-plus fouls per game. Last year the Connecticut Sun led the entire WNBA at 19.6 fouls for the whole season. The old league leader is now below average.

Caitlin: And five teams already averaging 103.8 points per game. Only Indiana Fever cracked 100 in May last year.

Alex: So you have more scoring potentially, but if you have the whistle-fest happening too, fans don’t want to watch. Dribble it down, whistle. Dribble it down, whistle. That’s boring.

Caitlin: And they also overhauled the tech fines. Techs four through seven are $1,000 each now. The eighth tech is $1,500 plus a one-game suspension. Old maximum was $800.

Alex: They tried a version of this freedom of movement emphasis back in 2018 too. The difference now is they were supposed to be addressing consistency. And right now, what we’re getting is consistently calling more defensive fouls. That’s not the same thing.

Caitlin: If this persists, you risk losing viewers. And I think the fan impact matters a lot. This is the season, the league is growing, the broadcasts are good, the talent is there. You need people to want to watch. Player safety first, always. But the start-stop situation is not doing the sport any favors right now.

Alex: Hopefully it mellows out and we can watch some basketball.

Caitlin: That’s all we want.

NWSL Week 8: table standings, rising and sliding teams

Caitlin: Okay, let’s wrap up with NWSL. Week eight results. Top five in the table, and then some risers and sliders.

Top of the table: San Diego Wave reclaimed first place after a big win over Washington Spirit. Utah Royals are in second. Their shutout streak was broken, but they beat Racing Louisville 2-1 and their unbeaten run is now at somewhere around 11 or 12 games. Portland Thorns are in third but winless in their last two: they lost to Racing Louisville 3-1 and then drew 0-0 with Angel City. Washington Spirit are in fourth. I did see Trinity Rodman played in that San Diego game, so she’s healthy. And Gotham FC is unbeaten in their last five and rounds out the top five. But Caitlin, they’re not scoring enough. Rose Lavelle, Jayden Shaw, Esther, they have the firepower. It’s just not going in.

Alex: The defense is there though.

Caitlin: Defense is there. Just need the attack to click.

Alex: Two expansion teams rising. I don’t want to give it away.

Caitlin: Boston Legacy is on the rise. Out of the basement. Unbeaten in their last five games after losing their first five. They’ve found the back of the net. They’re adjusting to their scheme. They’re sitting in 14th but it’s a nice little swing.

Alex: That stat both ways is wild. Five losses to start, five unbeaten to follow.

Caitlin: And Kansas City Current, I complained about them, and now they’re on the rise. They’ve won four of their last five. Temwa Chawinga scored that hat trick last week and scored again this week. If they keep her going, keep [VERIFY: Ali Riley] going, keep going, they’re going to be in good shape. It just took a minute.

Alex: We were talking hot seat for Chris Armas not long ago.

Caitlin: He figured it out. And Denver Summit, my adopted team. They’re in seventh. Inside the early playoff picture. Won their last two. Their losses are mostly by one goal. They have a habit of surrendering leads, which we need to watch. But they’re in good shape. And Lindsey Horan coming after the World Cup window is a big deal.

Caitlin: Sliding teams. Orlando Pride. Barbara Banda is scoring. She is inevitable. But they’ve lost four of their last five, including back-to-back losses to the two expansion teams. If you won the Shield two years ago, that’s not supposed to happen.

Alex: She can only do so much.

Caitlin: She cannot be the Barbara Band-Aid. They are in ninth, just outside the playoff spots. They are conceding too many goals. That’s a defensive and scheme issue, not just a personnel issue. Houston Dash are in 13th and have scored one goal in their last five games. Seattle Reign are in 11th, winless in their last five, no goals either. And Angel City are in 12th, also winless in their last five.

Alex: Flau’jae over there. She needs to pump Seattle up.

Caitlin: Can I swap Flau’jae with someone from the Dash and just put them out there? They’ll figure it out. And Bay FC has been sitting in the middle all season. They’re in 10th, just hovering between 8th and 10th. Sneaky playoff run could be coming.

Alex: Racing Louisville is basically a guaranteed win on any schedule right now.

Caitlin: Yeah. I will be interested to see as Mal Swanson’s minutes increase whether it helps. They seem to have more problems than just needing one more forward though.

Gotham FC move and NWSL High Impact Player rule

Caitlin: Two more things before What to Watch. Gotham FC is in advanced talks to move from Harrison, New Jersey, where they play at Sports Illustrated Stadium with the Red Bulls, to Queens, New York, where a new stadium is being built for NYCFC. One reporter I was listening to was saying it’s a beautiful venue. Queens is a very diverse market and genuinely ripe for soccer fandom. And Gotham has struggled with attendance despite being one of the more competitive teams in the league. If this move happens, the population density alone should help.

Alex: Could they also be clearing the Harrison venue for a potential new NWSL team in New Jersey eventually?

Caitlin: Possibly. And then the High Impact Player rule, the Rodman Rule, changes. So the original rule allowed teams to spend up to a million dollars more than the salary cap on a player who met specific criteria. The criteria was heavily tied to marketability, not objective soccer ability. The concern is that media coverage would essentially be dictating who qualifies. The NWSL is revising it, and I actually think that’s the right call. They’re moving fast on something that wasn’t working. What this could unlock is overseas talent who didn’t meet the original criteria being able to sign the kind of contracts they’d want. The rule is set to take effect July 1, 2026, right as the European season winds down and contracts expire.

Alex: And Sam Kerr is out there now.

Caitlin: Exactly. So we’re watching that window closely.

What to Watch

Alex: All right, What to Watch. I tried here. We’ve got WNBA games Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I’m listing one per day. Thursday: Toronto Tempo, who’s 2-2, versus Minnesota Lynx, on League Pass or Victory Plus. Friday at 6:30pm: Golden State versus Indiana Fever on Ion. Saturday May 23rd at 7pm: LA Sparks versus Las Vegas Aces, because sometimes you just play the game and something happens, and if LA can pull it off that’s a fun result. Sunday at 2:30pm Central: Dallas Wings versus New York Liberty on Peacock and NBC.

Caitlin: These are on a million different channels. You’ll find it.

Alex: Just turn the TV on. NWSL: Friday at 7pm Central, Boston Legacy versus Seattle Reign. A rising team versus a sliding team. Saturday at 5:30pm on Ion: Utah Royals versus Denver Summit. Sunday at noon Central on CBS and Paramount Plus: Kansas City Current versus Portland Thorns.

Caitlin: Let’s go.

Alex: And PWHL, if necessary, which it is. Ottawa Charge versus Montreal Victoire, Game 4, Wednesday May 20th, 6pm Central. If Ottawa can win that game, you’re looking at a championship game Friday or Saturday back in Montreal.

Caitlin: Don’t jinx Ottawa.

Alex: I’m not jinxing anything. Also, college softball super regionals start Thursday. Matchups include Alabama versus LSU, Nebraska versus Oklahoma State, Oklahoma versus Mississippi State, Texas versus Arizona State, Florida versus Texas Tech, Tennessee versus Georgia, Arkansas versus Duke, and UCLA versus UCF.

Caitlin: Find a team and latch on. They play a best-of-three series through the weekend, so you’ll see the same teams over multiple days. It’s a good weekend for sports.

Momentum and setbacks

Alex: We’ve rebranded. Not winners and losers. Momentum and setbacks.

Caitlin: Momentum and setbacks. Okay.

Alex: My setback is Rickea Jackson and the potential ACL. That was just a big bummer to see.

Caitlin: I have never heard an arena that quiet. Just thinking about her rising star and everything she dealt with this year. Our thoughts are with Rickea and the Sky.

Caitlin: My setback is the WNBA refereeing situation broadly. The season is so important right now, and you need people to want to watch. We need to make sure we’re aligning that growth potential with player safety and actually being able to execute the game the way it’s meant to be played.

Alex: My momentum is Boston Legacy. Five losses to start, five unbeaten to follow. They’ve got it.

Caitlin: My momentum is the Ottawa Charge. I think they have the momentum to get Game 4. I wouldn’t seal the whole series for them, but they’ve got something. Reverse hex, I hope they prove me wrong. And I just love seeing Boston and Denver be successful. It’s good for those fan bases, for those players, and it’s good for the league.

Alex: All right. That’s all we got.

Caitlin: Episode 20 is a wrap.

Alex: It is. Follow us on Instagram at RTG underscore pod. YouTube at RTG underscore pod. Substack at RTGpod.com. Email at raisingthegamepodcasts at gmail.com.

Caitlin: We appreciate you all being here. Hope to see you back next week.

Alex: 20 more. Let’s go.

Caitlin: 20 more. Bye.

Alex: Bye.