Ever since the Indiana Fever’s game against the Connecticut Sun, the drama in the W has been brewing fiercer than ever. And why not? You know how the situation between the two teams had been, but while the game was no doubt entertaining to watch, it also highlighted key issues. Chief among them is the league’s lack of transparency when it comes to player fines – an issue that’s drawn concern from several coaches across the league. Until recently, Sandy Brondello of the New York Liberty had stayed silent on the matter. But following the visible bias between a Flagrant 2 call and a technical foul in that game – something that prompted the league to update its Flagrant 2 foul guidelines and quietly issue fines – Brondello, too, has now spoken out.
It all came up in a postgame press conference after the New York Liberty vs. Phoenix Mercury game this Thursday at Barclays Center, when a reporter asked Brondello about the differences in fines between the WNBA and the NBA. “Do you feel like there should be complete transparency as it relates to fines?” the reporter asked HC. And then, Brondello couldn’t help but smile and her answer came without hesitation. “Oh, man, you’re really making me talk about and appreciate it. Yes, I think there should be. Why not? You know, if we get fined, shouldn’t it just say we’ve been fined?” she responded.
Sandy Brondello was asked if the WNBA should be fully transparent about fines:
“Yes, why not? If we get fined, just say we’ve been fined.” pic.twitter.com/siOrOQ7ySH
— New York Liberty Videos (@SNYLiberty) June 19, 2025
And she’s got a point. In the NBA, fines are publicly disclosed with detailed statements outlining the incident, the rationale behind the decision, and the exact dollar amount. Remember Draymond Green’s $50,000 fine? The NBA has clear-cut suspension policies that accompany flagrant fouls and technicals. And not just that, the men’s pro league even publishes Last Two Minute Reports to maintain officiating transparency.
While the NBA offers clear transparency, detailing who was fined, why, and how much, the WNBA still struggles in this area. Only clear-cut rule infractions (like media violations or obvious on-court breaches) are made public, since they’re non-controversial and purely disciplinary. But when an incident carries a social or political undertone, the league often opts to keep fines confidential to avoid stirring things up even more.
Similarly, fines tied to contract clauses, overseas commitments, or discretionary provisions outlined in the CBA are inconsistently disclosed, often because they’re governed by union negotiations and internal discretion, rather than by any mandated public disclosure. The result is that granular punishment amounts, be they from technical fouls, flagrant fouls, or public criticism, frequently remain hidden. For example, Fever head coach Stephanie White was fined in May for openly criticizing officiating, yet the league never revealed the amount.
Take the recent Fever vs. Sun clash as an example, where Sophie Cunningham grabbed Jacy Sheldon by the back of the head, she was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul that came with a standard fine. However, a day later, additional charges were added as well. Yet no public statement was issued regarding the dollar amount. Similarly, Marina Mabrey, who was initially handed a technical foul in the same game, had her penalty upgraded to a Flagrant 2 with another fine. But, it’s not that the league doesn’t have guidelines for fines, they do.
As the first three technical fouls cost $200 each and fourth through sixth technicals escalate to a $400 fine each. Then, upon receiving a seventh technical, a player faces both an $800 fine and a one-game suspension. However, when it comes to flagrant fouls, the W leaves the fine amount to the league’s discretion, without the public transparency the NBA offers. As Front Office Sports noted, a Flagrant 1 generally costs $200, while a Flagrant 2 runs $400. Further disciplinary action can be taken when players escalate situations or fail to immediately exit the court, exactly what happened with Cunningham.
This isn’t a new topic within league circles. Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve has long championed the need for greater transparency, especially around fines and disciplinary actions. On an episode of The Press Box podcast with Richard Deitsch, Reeve said: “I can think of at least 10 years ago we’ve been asking for [greater transparency] in our competition meetings. The teams have wanted it. The league has not—for a variety of reasons. If you’re transparent about what the fines are and you’re fining someone $500, you’re perpetuating the narrative that players aren’t worth very much. We’re not paying them very much.”
Reeve’s words highlight a harsh reality: the league’s hesitance to disclose fines may stem from not wanting to reinforce how low WNBA salaries still are compared to their male counterparts. A $500 fine may seem insignificant in the NBA, but in the W, it carries weight.
So when Brondello echoed that sentiment and backed the call for transparency, it was notable – not just because she’s a respected figure in the league, but because she was standing up for transparency in a situation involving the very team that handed her Liberty squad their first loss of the season! And while Liberty was still trying to forget that defeat, they dropped another game, this time against the Phoenix Mercury. But no matter how rough the week had been for New York, head coach Sandy Brondello made it a point to speak up in support of all 13 WNBA teams.
The NY Liberty is just not satisfied
The game was more than winnable for the Liberty. So, losing despite Sabrina Ionescu’s season-high 35 points, that did not really sit well with Brondello. She held back no punches in making sure the message went through. “We’re not happy with the way we played,” Brondello said. “They got energy as it went along with the success that they had. We let that one go.”
Well, the Liberty really kept things consistent, turning the ball over 20 times yet again. They also got out-rebounded 42–32, and let the Mercury gobble up 15 offensive boards. “We didn’t respond very well at all,” Brondello continued. “It’s on us. I got to find ways to get us going a little bit more aggressively in the beginning here. And it was too easy, too easy for them. And they got a lot of confidence out of that.”
Yes, how they lost to Phoenix isn’t really the Liberty standard. At 10-2 now, do you think they can revive spirits against the Storm?
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