TRENDING NFL Week 8 updates CFB winners & losers Week 8 Fantasy Football Toolkit Williams earns MVP honors Alvarez schools Mbilli Story by Story by ‘Diabolical,’ ‘Unprofessional’ – Outrage Erupts Against USA Network For Having Dream Co-Owner on Finals Broadcast 'Actually Diabolical,' 'The Most Unprofessional Stuff' — Rachel DeMita, Fans Call Out Dream Co-Owner Renee Montgomery's USA Network Role Tushar Bahl Sun, November 1, 2026 at 6:46 PM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday night, winning a championship in just their second season.
By the end of the night, WNBA pundit Rachel DeMita and several fans had criticized the dual role of Renee Montgomery, a Dream co-owner who also works as a studio analyst for USA Network.
At issue was a team owner covering a Finals her own team was playing in, for a network that carried the WNBA Finals for the first time this year. The criticism ranged from conflict-of-interest complaints aimed at the league and the network to comments about Montgomery herself.
The Dream led 30-24 at halftime at Chase Center in San Francisco, then were outscored 44-33 after the break. Gabby Williams scored 30 points as the Valkyries took the series 4-3 in the first winner-take-all Game 7 in WNBA Finals history, with both franchises chasing a first title.
That ending put both of Montgomery's roles in the same spotlight. She holds a stake in the Dream, and she worked USA Network's pregame, halftime and postgame coverage of Game 7 on site as an analyst, alongside host Elle Duncan.
DeMita zeroed in on that overlap, writing , "having one of the Dream's owners host the post game show is actually diabolical."
Several fans focused on the timing, with Montgomery's own team on the losing end.
READ MORE: 'No Egos In the Locker Room' — Angel Reese Breaks Silence After Dream's Heartbreaking WNBA Championship Loss vs. Valkyries
"Renee Montgomery gotta mourn and put on a good face live on TV," one fan wrote .
Another fan posted , "Renee Montgomery having to do the postgame after her team lost is priceless. You hired a quitter in Bonner to try to win a title and failed. Renee keep glazing the Valkyries we love it!!!"
Another fan wrote , "Renee Montgomery fake smiling…..priceless."
Others took issue with the arrangement itself. One fan put the question to the league: "Explain why the WNBA allows Renee Montgomery, a Dream co-owner, in the studio with her team playing in the final. I want this league to thrive, but they do the most unprofessional stuff."
Another fan made the same case in fewer words: "Renee commentating was lowkey a conflict of interest …"
One user appealed directly to USA Network: "Since it's the last night of WNBA, I need to repeat this one last time … please do not renew Renee Montgomery's contract. … she also shouldn't be commentating on games as a WNBA owner with COIs."
The question was not a new one. Montgomery is often at Dream home games and was on the sideline celebrating with players when the team clinched its Finals spot last month.
"I love the sport so much that you have to cover it a certain way," the 11-year WNBA veteran told Front Office Sports in an interview published Oct. 17. Like I understand the effort, I understand the grind, I understand all the sacrifice that went into a player having a good game. So whether or not that player is playing for the Atlanta Dream doesn't matter. I have to analyze the game for what I see."
The outlet also reported that a USA Network source confirmed Montgomery had no restrictions. That report came two weeks before the Dream's Game 7 loss. Whether USA Network changes its approach to Montgomery's dual role next season remains to be seen.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
Source: Sports
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