SBJ Morning Buzzcast SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 24, 2026
Mar 24, 2026
WNBPA's landmark CBA vote and salary framework make the headlines. Record viewership spikes for the men's NCAA Tournament grab attention. AI tools are compared for bracket predictions. Seattle's arena ownership shift fuels NBA expansion talk. A federal bill aims to restrict sports on prediction markets.
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WNBA CBA Marks Structural Pay Shift
- The WNBPA won unanimous player approval for a proposed CBA that includes a 20% revenue share and a $7M opening salary cap rising to $11M by 2032.
- Joe Lemire notes the union frames the deal as broader workplace progress, rejecting the idea women should just be grateful for opportunity.
March Madness Posts Strong First Day Ratings
- The men's NCAA tournament set a first-day record with a 9.8 million average audience across CBS and TNT, up 6% year-over-year amid improved measurement.
- Duke-Siena was the single most-watched game (~5.5M) and primetime windows hit 12.5M viewers.
Host's AI Bracket Results Versus Reality
- Joe Lemire shared his AI-assisted bracket performance: ChatGPT predicted 12 of the 16 remaining teams correctly, Google's model got 11, and combined women's bracket tools hit 10 of 16.
- He highlighted model weaknesses like misjudging Florida's exit and only Google's model predicting Iowa over Clemson.