The WNBA's 2026 TV distro plan is (almost) perfect. Let's resolve that 'almost'

Welcome back to MoneyCall, The Athletic’s weekly sports business cheat sheet.Name-dropped today: Caitlin Clark, Sabreena Merchant, Annie Costabile, Pablo Torre, Bryson DeChambeau, Coco Gauff, John Sterling, Mina Kimes, Cherie DeVaux, the Met Gala, John Henry, Jon Bernthal, Peppa Pig and more. Let’s go:Driving the ConversationIt’s the WNBA’s worldA new labor deal paying players many multiples of millions more. Team valuations through the stratosphere. Two new expansion teams, following up the Golden State Valkyries’ standard-setting inaugural year. Two hundred-plus games on national TV, airing across eight networks. The return of Caitlin Clark. (As noted last week: *Every* Clark game this regular season will be on national TV.)Advertisement