The biggest Arizona sports stories of 2025 — and what's next for Valley teams

As we get closer to the new year, The Show is taking a look at what 2026 may hold in a few areas of life here in the Valley — starting with the sports landscape.

The year started with the Arizona State University football team’s surprise run in the College Football Playoff and included the Phoenix Mercury’s surprise trip to the WNBA Finals. But the Suns broke up their so-called big three after failing to make the playoffs and the Cardinals are enduring another losing season.

Paola Boivin, a longtime sports reporter and columnist and director of the Cronkite News Phoenix Sports Bureau at ASU, joined The Show to speak about some of the big trends in sports on the horizon And we started with some of the biggest issues she thinks we’ll be dealing with and questions that’ll need resolving in 2026.

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Full conversation

PAOLA BOIVIN: I think one of the biggest storylines, and I'm excited it's a big storyline, is the WNBA and their CBA.

MARK BRODIE: Collective bargain agreement.

BOIVIN: Collective bargain agreement, right? I think it's just a pivotal time. I mean, it's a pivotal time for women's sports, but what has happened, the transformation of the WNBA and the attention it's getting. There's a lot of leverage right now for the women and there's some really big issues and they are about to secure this huge television contract worth, I think, $2.2 billion and maybe more. So there's a lot of potential for the league to grow. And I think that's one of the biggest storylines.

BRODIE: As you say, potential for the league to grow, but also it seems, potential for the league to really kind of have a problem, a self-inflicted wound, right? Like if it can't get a new labor deal in place, given as you say, where it has gotten to over the last couple of years.

BOIVIN: Absolutely. And there is a lot of attention on the commissioner of the league, who does not seem very well received by players right now. And it seems like any misstep or any storyline that has some negative perception gets blown up, whether it is, you know, traveling on in coach on Southwest Airline in a middle seat for a 6'7" center to, you know, it's inevitable people compare WNBA and NBA salaries.

I don't think we're in a place to do that yet, but certainly the salary issue, the revenue distribution, the bad fan behavior, I think, has certainly had a spotlight on it in the last year. So there's a lot of storylines.

BRODIE: Speaking of labor disputes, Major League Baseball is potentially barreling toward another, another labor dispute with their collective bargaining agreement. How significant do you think the conversations around that will be as opposed to maybe, hey who's doing well in the field, who's winning, who's losing, who's you know hitting a lot of home runs?

BOIVIN: That's a great question. I think people, because it's a year out now, I think it's Dec. 1, 2026, is when they have to settle that. I don't think people really appreciate how bad it might get. Players remain adamant about not wanting a salary cap. I think the owners more than ever are pushing for it. You know, it's just not only the Dodgers and the Ohtani salary, but it's the salaries of a lot of the other players that don't have Ohtani skills.

And so I've been talking to a lot of people, really respected writers I know in baseball, who said they've never anticipated a, you know, a work stoppage like they expect this one's going to be. It could be a short time. It could be a season. It's that bad. And I think if you ever listen to a player right now interviewed, they are absolutely adamant about not having that. So I think that's a storyline we're going to hear about in spring training during the season and beyond.

BRODIE: Yeah, well, and much like the WNBA, you know, ratings for Major League Baseball are up, attendance is up. It had a terrific World Series, a very well-contested, exciting World Series. This would also seem like a pretty bad time for MLB to decide we're going to stop playing for a little while.

BOIVIN: So bad because you're right. All those good things are happening. And what was so funny, I thought, was the World Series kind of put a spotlight on these different sides, you know, having a Dodgers team that's so successful and then in the playoffs and then a Brewers team that does not spend a lot of money, but was successful until the end.

I think that sort of put a spotlight on it. But there's been so much good happening in baseball. I thought even like the pitch clock, you know, those kind of things.

BRODIE: Yeah.

BOIVIN: They're trying to move forward with the game, which is not something baseball has necessarily embraced in the past. So you'd hate to see that momentum stop.

BRODIE: You referenced the TV deal with the WNBA, Major League Baseball has a new media rights deal. When you look at sort of the money and the media rights involved for not just those two leagues, but leagues in general, what comes to mind for you and what do you think we should be looking for going forward?

BOIVIN: What comes to mind is everyone I know, you know, reaching out, how do I find this game? I mean, and you know, obviously the older you get, I think the more challenging it is for some people. But I think even for the average fan, it's been frustrating.

We are in a very bumpy transition time right now with broadcast, with streaming and finding things. And it's not just baseball. I think we're dealing with it all around. And I think trying to get some sense of normalcy for people and viewing and clarity is going to be something that they're going to have to solve soon because there is some frustration on that end.

BRODIE: Yeah. Let me ask you about college sports and especially in college football. We have seen an awful lot of change over a pretty short amount of time. be it in terms of the way that players move around, be it the way that they are paid now with NIL and the settlement money that they get, be it with the new championship, the playoff format that college football has.

What are you looking for in terms of the effects of some of those changes on college football or maybe even new changes coming up?

BOIVIN: I struggle with this. You know, I look at the Sam Leavitt situation, ASU's quarterback, who was beloved in this community. And then he misses the team banquet and word comes out that he's entering the portal. And just like that, people have turned.

So the biggest challenge, certainly with NIL, is what's happening with loyalty, with fandom things like that. I never thought I would go this direction, but I think at some point there has to be some parameters put around NIL. I absolutely believe in free enterprise and an athlete's right to earn money. But I think it's changing the sport in a negative way. How negative?

I don't know, because once again, TV ratings have been great. And as much as people have been complaining about the CFP, certainly this season.

BRODIE: College Football Playoff.

College Football Playoff. The reality is we'll be talking about it all the way up into the championship game. And so there's a lot of still good things about the sport, but I think NIL and the transfer portal is making it a bit challenging.

And so I wouldn't be surprised to see some kind of parameters. I just don't know what they are and I honestly don't have a solution. It's going to take somebody really smart to figure this one out.

BRODIE: When you talk about potential problems with NIL and the transfer portal, is it really just about loyalty? Are there other concerns you have that you think might need to be addressed come 2026 or beyond?

BOIVIN: I mean, one of the things I've seen with NIL is there are some athletes who are suddenly making millions of dollars who have never been educated about how to manage their money, for example. I mean, it sounds so basic, and I think places and universities are doing a job with that.

But I'm hoping that there is some responsibility and some guidance and leadership. With those athletes, I think that's one of the problems. And I just saw a quote this week from I think it was NAU's football coach, and they were tracking. players even from their school who had transferred and the reality was the ones that had transferred, I think less than 50% were getting any more playing time at the places they landed.

So it's not always a grass is greener type of situation. I think that's another thing they're dealing with.

BRODIE: It'd probably be interesting to also see if those players like have more endorsement deals, right? If they're making more money after they transfer. I would think that at least for some student athletes is a consideration.

BOIVIN: Yeah, I think often that's right now, that's probably the Number 1 courtship tool. is what is the possibility of revenue generation, but we're also finding people are being promised money transferring to other schools, and then suddenly they're told that money isn't available.

BRODIE: Yeah. So we have spent this entire conversation not talking about actual teams in the Valley. There are some of those, right?

So I want to ask you, which of the four major professional teams in the Valley? We'll go Suns, Cardinals, Diamondbacks and Mercury. However it is that you define success, which of those teams will have the most success in 2026?

BOIVIN: That is a great question. I think the Diamondbacks are getting closer. I don't think they're there. You know, I'll tell you, I don't know if they're going to have the most success, but they're they're that close, I think, are the Suns, who have been an absolute surprise this season.

You know, I think a commitment from the owner to fix things, a coach who's doing a better job of navigating difficult terrain, which is a lot of successful athletes with big egos. Then the way they've been playing, I don't know if it's going to happen for them in a year, but I think within the next couple years, people are going to be talking about the Suns.

And I'm optimistic about the Diamondbacks, too. I know this is a wishy-washy answer. I will not throw the Cardinals in there. I think they're a disaster right now, and I don't feel like there is something positive on the horizon, and that's too bad.

And I ignored the Mercury because they've just been consistently good. But I mean, if we're looking at all those teams, probably immediate success I think is them because they're bringing a lot of really good players back.