Awful Announcing’s 2025 WNBA local broadcaster rankings

How are the local television booths stacking up during this 2025 WNBA season? We asked Awful Announcing readers to evaluate each of the 13 teams’ local TV broadcasts. The results were these announcer rankings, based on more than 4,800 individual votes from more than 750 respondents.

As with our local MLB announcer rankings, local NHL announcer rankings, local NBA announcer rankings, men’s college basketball announcer rankings (regular season and March Madness), NFL announcer rankings, college football announcer rankings, and more, each booth was graded from A to F. That came with readers providing comments on individual teams as well.

We then converted the letter grades from those responses to numerical grades, with A corresponding to 4 and F corresponding to 0, and ranked the booths accordingly. For local WNBA booths, this is the second time we’ve done these rankings. In the first edition last year, we received slightly more than 3,500 votes, so we received a greater number of votes this time.

The average grade across the 30 teams this time was 2.32, corresponding to a C. This is near the lower end of the rankings we’ve conducted recently: it’s above the 2.31 for local NBA announcers, but below the 2.43 for NFL announcers, 2.45 for CFB announcers, 2.61 for local NHL announcers, and 2.89 for men’s NCAA Tournament announcers. It’s also well below the 2.74 for local WNBA announcers last year. However, even the lowest teams here received more B grades than anything else, unlike in many other sports. The lower average grades resulted from a higher proportion of Ds and Fs compared to As, but there were a significant number of B votes.

Each entry lists the team with its primary play-by-play voice, followed by its primary analyst or analysts, and then notable substitute announcers, listed under “also” where applicable.  (We tried to represent other substitute announcers people mentioned in the comments, where possible, as well.) You can use Control-F to find a particular team you’re interested in.

Without further ado, let’s get to the grades and selected reader comments (sometimes lightly edited for spelling and grammar). 

13. Dallas Wings (Play-by-play: Ron Thulin; analysts: Nancy Lieberman and Fran Harris; sideline reporter: Tiffany Bias Patmon): 2.12

Most common grade: B (27.7% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 67.9%

The Wings also finished last in our 2024 rankings, placing 12th out of 12 teams. (There are 13 now, thanks to the addition of the expansion Golden State Valkyries.) However, one notable improvement here was in their most common grade, which was a B this time around. They received 103 Bs and 68 As from 371 total grades, but also 75 Fs, the highest in our poll. Thulin, Lieberman, and Harris return from last year’s broadcast team, while Bias Patmon replaced ShaVonne Herndon and Sheryl Swoopes (who drew a lot of fire for some of her Caitlin Clark commentary in particular on these broadcasts) is no longer an analyst for this team.

In the comments, there was considerable debate over this broadcast crew’s approach to covering the team. The most repeated sentiment was that they were too critical of the Wings, with lines such as “actually seem to be paid by the other teams,” “they show clear preference for the non-local team,” “hating-ass broadcast,” “all they do is glaze the away team,” and “they do not like the team they commentate for and it’s very obvious.” There were also numerous specific lines on them minimizing the accomplishments of Dallas rookie star Paige Bueckers, including her 44-point game last week, with remarks like “they downplay everything Paige Bueckers does.”

However, those criticisms were far from universal. Several viewers figured the Wings’ crew struck the right balance, offering remarks like “first-rate with a minimum of home team bias,” “unbiased and knowledgeable,” and “the best around.” And some others accused them of not being critical enough when warranted, with comments such as “can clearly tell they’re the organization’s mouthpiece with their talking points,” “very enthusiastic even if the on-court play is disastrous for the Wings,” “spent too much time defending the front office and the coach,” and “It’s so far past homerism it’s not even funny.” There was even one reader who argued there was “too much drooling over Bueckers.”

The divided opinions persisted among the individual commentators. Most of the discussion centered on Lieberman, with numerous compliments on her work. That included “great,” “superb,” “Lieberman is one of the best in the league,” and “Love Nancy!” However, there was also considerable individual criticism for her, such as “used to be better but she shows way too much bias these days” and “terrible.” Thulin, Harris, and Bias Patmon also drew praise and criticism.

12. Chicago Sky (Play-by-play: Lisa Byington, Jason Ross Jr.; analysts: Stephen Bardo, Shimmy Gray-Miller, Awvee Storey; sideline reporter: Kalia Butler): 2.13

Most common grade: B (28.6% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 71.1%

The Sky broadcast team is almost the same as last year’s, with the primary change being Butler sliding in for Marke Freeman in the reporting role. Last year, this team finished 10th of 12 booths. A notable year-over-year drop was in their As; they received almost 20 percent A votes last year, but just 48 of 336 (14.3%) this season, the lowest number of any booth in this poll. Their Bs also fell slightly, from 30.8% to 28.6%. And they barely edged out the Wings for 12th, with an overall average grade of 2.128 to 2.121.

As with the Dallas booth, most members of this announcing team drew both praise and criticism in the comments. For Byington, that was more positive than negative, with several plaudits such as “Lisa Byington is good. The rest-meh,” “Lisa Byington has a great voice,” and “Lisa has stepped up her play-by-play this year.” One respondent even spelled out that she was the reason for an “A” grade. But she took flak too, including “not very exciting” and “way too positive.” (Over-the-top positivity was also a larger theme for this crew as a whole, with remarks like “I hate when announcers try and gaslight me into believing a bad organization and a bad team are good.”)

When it came to the analysts, Bardo drew two specific polarizing comments. One viewer found him “the best analyst in all of basketball,” while another said he “makes these games near-unwatchable for me.” Gray-Miller also drew mixed reviews, from “the league’s best analyst” to “especially bad” and “never shuts up.” And there was a repeated suggestion of this team talking without providing much insight, with lines such as “there is so much talking and no substance,” and “They just be saying stuff to say stuff.”

11. Phoenix Mercury (Play-by-play: Ann Schatz, Braiden Bell; analyst: Ann Meyers-Drysdale; sideline reporter: Kate Longworth): 2.30

Most common grade: B (33.3% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 75.0%

This is another team in a similar spot to last year (they were 11th of 12 that time), but this one comes with some changes. In particular, Schatz and Bell came in on play-by-play in place of Cindy Brunson. While the Mercury announcers received only the sixth-highest number of F grades (35 of 348 total votes), they’re not higher because they only drew 55 As, the second-lowest number in this poll.

The Mercury booth drew very few comments relative to other teams. Many of the comments that were posted were complaints about the decision to replace Brunson, including “Ann and Ann together are depressing to listen to,” “Cindy was better,” and “Bring back Cindy Brunson!” However, there were also some remarks in support of Schatz in particular, such as “Ann Schatz is a pro, she brings excitement and enthusiasm,” “Thank you for making the change, Ann and Ann are great,” and “The two Anns have great chemistry.”

For Meyers-Drysdale, the feedback was mixed. That ranged from “needs to go” and “voice is extremely annoying” to “might be my favorite analyst,” “great,” “love Ann’s analysis,” and “pure class.” But there were also overall complaints about perceived homerism from this group, including “extreme homers over here,” “homers in an unfun way,” and “Schatz and Meyers-Drysdale might as well have Mercury tattooed on their foreheads.”

10. Atlanta Dream (Play-by-play: Angel Gray; analyst: Tabitha Turner-Wilkins; sideline reporters: Autumn Johnson, Baillie Burmaster): 2.32

Most common grade: B (34.4% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 76.0%

The Dream experienced a notable decline this year, finishing sixth last season. Of course, they also saw major year-over-year changes, with Turner-Wilkins (previously an alternate analyst behind primary analyst LaChina Robinson, who drew much of the praise last season) taking over the main analyst role this year and Johnson sliding in for Tenitra Batiste in the main sideline reporting role. They received more As (67) than Fs (59) in their 346 total votes, but the significant number of Fs prevented them from rising higher.

This announcing team was another one drawing significantly polarized comments, especially when it came to Gray. Positive lines there included “Gray gets an A+” and “the best local pxp in the league—with her playing background, she can articulate what is happening at all times, be able to set up her analyst for success, and still call big plays.” But several critics suggested she doesn’t keep broadcasts on track, with remarks including “terrible rambling” and “they talk about everything except what’s happening on the floor.”

There was some notable praise for Johnson on the sidelines, and for substitute play-by-play voice Andy Demetra. And some liked the broadcast overall, with lines including “I love how this TV crew keeps their fans engaged and informed,” “A+, they talk fairly about all players,” and “Enjoy their chemistry!” But many accused them of over-the-top homerism, offering remarks such as “Like sitting in a living room with Dream fans who can’t wait to watch the opponent lose” and “According to them, the Dream have never committed a foul ever while they get mauled on the opposite side of the court every night.”

9. Indiana Fever (Play-by-play: Pat Boylan; analyst: Debbie Antonelli; sideline reporter: Kelsie Kasper): 2.35

Most common grade: A (29.0% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 72.1%

We have our first most common grade of A, but this team isn’t higher up, thanks to receiving the third-lowest percentage of A/B/C grades. This is quite a drop for this Fever team, which finished first overall last season. This booth received 102 As on 366 votes, but also 30 Ds and 72 Fs (the second-highest of any team).

Unsurprisingly, many of the comments here revolved around this broadcast’s handling of Fever star Caitlin Clark, particularly with the groin injury that has kept her out since July 15. One respondent said they have “handled the drama okay.” But many more complained about their Clark coverage, including with lines such as “Overdo the Caitlin praise even when she’s not playing or playing terribly,” “Too much Caitlin Clark talk,” “It would be great if they found a way to focus on more than Caitlin Clark during broadcasts,” “They act like CC is the first player to have major accomplishments and it’s totally disrespectful to the history of the W,” “hyperfixated on CC,” and “Do they have any other players than CC?!? Focus on the players on the floor!”

Beyond the Clark discussions, there were some complaints about this booth’s perceived homerism. Those included “Biased so much they have to be muted,” “Too much bias,” “So in the tank for Indiana,” and “Home team bias is off the charts.” However, many found them more neutral, offering lines such as “They keep it professional, insightful, honest and level across the board,” “first rate with a minimum of home team bias,” “Probably the most professional in the group,” and “This is the league’s best crew. I learn from Debbie Antonelli, and Pat Boylan brings energy. Good mix of homer and objectivity.”

When it came to the individual figures, Antonelli received the most specific praise. Some of that included “underrated and gives great analysis,” ” crushes the analysis—she’s the perfect blend of supporter and realist,” “knowledgeable about away teams and provides nice analysis,” “one of the best in the league,” and “really good.” But criticism for her included “way too repetitive” and “Antonelli’s ‘Shoot till your arm falls off’ gets tired.” Boylan (“excellent,” “top notch”) and Kasper (“the best in the business”) also drew individual plaudits, but some negative remarks as well.

8. Washington Mystics (Play-by-play: Meghan McPeak; analyst: Christy Winters-Scott; sideline reporters: Ariana Prather and Wes Hall): 2.46

Most common grade: B (33.3% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 81.9%

This group provides a notable contrast to the Fever just below them. They received fewer As (69 of 342), but finished higher thanks to fewer Fs (31). This group, albeit with Meg McDonald in the sideline reporting role, placed seventh of 12 teams last year.

A primary discussion here was on homerism. That saw significant criticism, including “Appreciate their enthusiasm for the team, but they’re too much homers.” However, there was also some recognition of factors that might be contributing to that, including “They do a good job, but unfortunately they’re under Monumental Sports, so a lot of propaganda and positive spinning towards the front office when it’s not warranted” and “Listening to McPeak and Winters-Scott is like being invited to a party they are hosting. They are the most homer team around, which I don’t have a problem with.”

There were some notable other conversations on this broadcast. Some of those included several comments of “okay,” “average,” and “boring.” There was also talk of off-court discussion, including “They talk about other stuff half the time, very disengaged,” ” way too conversational for my taste,” “no enthusiasm,” and “bit boring.” But both McPeak (“an easy listen—can easily see her picking up more national work”) and Winters-Scott (“great analyst,” “enthusiastic and articulate and informative”) each drew some individual praise, albeit with some criticism as well.

7. Seattle Storm (Play-by-play: Dick Fain; analyst: Elise Woodward; sideline reporter: Shantelle Chand): 2.52

Most common grade: A (31.3% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 77.5%

The Storm broadcasters received the fourth-highest number of A votes (120 of 383), but also 48 Fs. Still, this is a significant rise for them, as they placed ninth of 12 teams last year and received a C as their most common grade that time. Fain and Woodward were both on these calls last year and have been paired for 17 Storm seasons in total, but Chand is new, replacing last season’s reporters, Piper Shaw and Alyssa Charlston.

Many of the comments in this group revolved around Fain, particularly his exuberance. That had both fans (“Love that you guys are always hyped up for a great play regardless if it’s the Storm or the opposing team who made it,” “The best currently, he is so enthusiastic for both the home team and the away team and I appreciate that so much,” “Such good energy and still unbiased when it comes to the actual basketball,” “Love Fain’s passion,” and “His enthusiasm seeps through the screen to the point where I don’t even care how big of a homer he is”) and detractors (“It sounds like his vocal cords are going to explode and it makes me uncomfortable,” “does too much screaming late in broadcasts,” “makes WWE announcers look calm,” and “a play-by-play terrorist”). People were even split on his progression over time, from “growing on me” to “has grown increasingly obnoxious over the years, becoming a self-parody at this point.”

The comments on Woodward were generally more positive, even from those who didn’t love the overall broadcast. Those included “Woodward is solid, professional and the sole saving grace of this team,” “Dick’s too much of a homer, but Elise evens that out,” and “Woodward carries the broadcast.” She also drew lines such as “does a great job of breaking things down.”

6. Golden State Valkyries (Play-by-play: Jacob Tobey, Derek Clark; analyst: Morgan Ragan; sideline reporter: Kerith Burke): 2.58

Most common grade: B (31.3% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 85.6%

The expansion Valkyries received fewer As (72 of 347) than the Storm below them, but wound up higher thanks to a much better percentage of A/B/C grades. They also only received 23 Fs, tied for the lowest in this poll.

The comments here included some repeated criticisms of preparation, such as “Please learn your players’ names” and “These guys struggle with remembering players’ names and proper pronunciation.” One commenter noted that this issue particularly occurred early on, although it improved over time, and several others suggested that this group performed better overall as the season progressed.

Beyond that, there was a lot of individual praise for Ragan in particular, including “the best in the game,” “a hidden gem,” ” incredible and overall a fantastic analyst,” and “the GOAT.” Burke also received individual plaudits, including “A+” and “awesome.” Tobey saw some laurels, including “The Valks absolutely lucked out getting one of the rising young stars in the play-by-play world for their inaugural season,” but also took a lot of criticism, including “D” (on an overall C grade), “tends to make the broadcast about him,” and “a bit too hypeman.”

5. Las Vegas Aces (Play-by-play: Krista Blunk; analyst: Carolyn Peck; sideline reporters: Marke Freeman, Gianna Hearn): 2.66

Most common grade: B (32.4% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 83.5%

It’s interesting to look at the Aces in comparison to the Valkyries below them, as they received fewer A/B/C grades. They made up for that with significantly more As (104 of 358), though, and still only drew 29 Fs. However, this remains a drop for them from last year, when they placed second out of 12 teams and received 90.2% A/B/C votes (plus 46.2% As). Blunk and Peck are both established figures with this team, while the sideline reporters are new, replacing Jennifer Stehlin.

Peck was the focus of most of these comments, and several were positive in nature. Those included lines such as “easy to listen to and knowledgeable,” “always clear and concise,” “a wealth of knowledge,” “does a really good job,” “best in the business,” and “my favorite.” But many found her to be too much of a homer, including remarks like “Way too biased for a local broadcaster” and “The most biased woman I have ever heard in my life.” And a couple of people found her praise of star A’ja Wilson excessive, offering comments like “Is anyone else on the team besides A’ja?”

Blunk drew significant praise as well. That included “calls the action down the middle” and “great.” However, the majority of the discussion centered on Peck, with those who liked her approach awarding higher grades and those who didn’t submitting lower ones.

4. Los Angeles Sparks (Play-by-play: Rahshaun Haylock; analyst: Mary Murphy; sideline reporter: Nikki Kay): 2.89

Most common grade: A (43.2% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 85.9%

There was a significant jump here over the Aces at No. 5, and a big part of that was about the A grades. The Sparks received 181 As out of 419 votes. This represents a significant improvement for them from the 2024 rankings, where they placed eighth out of 12 teams and mainly received B grades. Haylock, Murphy, and Kay were all in their respective lead roles last season as well.

Much of the specific commentary here pertained to Haylock. Acclaim for him included “a standout, humorous but has good knowledge of the players and game,” “one of the best,” “awesome,” and “makes every game and every play exciting, even in a blowout,” although one critic found him “always a few seconds behind the play.” Kay also received numerous plaudits, including “a very good sideline reporter,” “stands out from this group,” and “Nikki is the reason I even pay attention to the Sparks.” There weren’t many remarks on Murphy: a couple of viewers praised her chemistry with Haylock, but one said she leaves “too much dead air.”

Overall, this booth also drew some praise for its approach. That included “Balanced, fair, one of the least biased in the league” and “They do a great job of keeping me engaged with the game while giving facts and stats on players from both teams.” The overall rankings here included a lot of criticism of homerism, but the Sparks’ broadcast didn’t take much flak for that.

3. New York Liberty (Play-by-play: Michael Grady, Chris Shearn, Zora Stephenson; analyst: Rosalyn Gold-Onwude; sideline reporter: Tina Cervasio): 2.97

Most common grade: A (41.7% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 88.1%

The Liberty booth received fewer As than the Sparks beneath them, but finished significantly ahead of that booth due to more A/B/C grades. They only received 23 Fs, tied with Golden State for the fewest in this poll. The New York booth finished third in these rankings last year as well, with the most significant year-over-year change being Gold-Onwude sliding from an alternate analyst to the main role.

Grady received numerous individual compliments here. Those included “very good play-by-play,” “the best voice in WNBA history,” “phenomenal,” “a future HoFer/GOAT,” and  “Grady=greatness; can I give him an A++++?” He did take some criticism for mispronunciations, though. There was also individual praise for Gold-Onwude and Cervasio, but some criticism of them as well.

The broadcast received a few criticisms for perceived bias overall. Those included “Horrible” and “The worst and most biased, do they know it’s okay to play-by-play the other team too, right?” But the majority of overall comments were praising this group, including “legends,” “entertaining,” “the best overall talent across the league,” and “This team almost feels like cheating. They’re too good.”

2. Minnesota Lynx: (Play-by-play: Marney Gellner; analyst: Lea B. Olsen; sideline reporters: Alex Zappa and Allie Mosley): 3.04

Most common grade: A (44.9% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 89.9%

This is the first group to receive an average grade in the A range (above 3.0). A big part of that came from their 204 As (out of 454 votes) and just 24 Fs (third-least). They also received only 22 Ds and wound up with the highest percentage of A/B/C grades. They jumped up from fifth place in our ranking of 12 teams last year.

Gellner received a great deal of individual praise. Some lines there included “phenomenal broadcaster,” “the best, the right mix of homer and professionalism,” “the GOAT,” and “a national treasure.” But some suggested she “makes many miscalls.” Olsen also received some plaudits, and both of them drew some praise for their knowledge and preparation.

A notable repetition in these comments came from the Lynx’s location of these broadcasters. Several people criticized that, offering remarks such as “Wish they had a seat closer to the action, as during replays they’re often out of the loop until a final announcement is made” and “Need to get them closer to the court so they know what is going on.” A shift there might help them rise even further.

1. Connecticut Sun (Play-by-play: Brendan Glasheen and John Brickley; analysts: Ashley Battle, Meghan McKeown, and Edona Thaqi; sideline reporter: Terrika Foster-Brasby): 3.12

Most common grade: A (58.1% of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C grades: 86.5%

The Sun took the top spot in these rankings due to an overwhelming amount of A votes (250 of 430, by far the most in this poll). They finished fourth last year with essentially the same group, but only drew 36.8% A votes in that poll. This group also received only 28 Fs.

The comments here were perhaps even more positive than the numerical grades. There was a lot of glowing praise for the booth, including “The best crew in the league,” “Knowledgeable, engaging, fun,” “amazing,” and “The best local team and it’s not even close!” They also drew particular plaudits for their approach, including “very fair to both teams,” “excited about their home team but can also be non-biased regarding the opposing team,” and “Good insight, unbiased reporting, great rapport.”

In individual commentary, there was a lot of praise for Foster-Brasby in particular. That included “phenomenal,” “extremely knowledgeable, and I love her follow-up questions to the players,” “the best,” “top-tier reporting,” “Terrika has made watching the WNBA so enjoyable,” and “The entire crew is fantastic, but I adore Terrika!” Glasheen also received numerous commendations, including “a rising star,” “really knows his stuff,” “captures the audience and makes the fan watching at home feel like you are in the arena,” and “wonderful.”

The Sun booth also drew significant overall plaudits. Some of those included “fantastic,” “extremely funny,” “professional, enthusiastic, and animated broadcast team,” and “fun group, non-biased, the best out there.” Indeed, some version of “best” was the most frequent sentiment here, showing up at least 16 times. Thus, the comments supported the numerical grades in declaring this group at the top.