Why Wnba Players Are Telling The League: 'pay Us What You Owe Us'

When nan WNBA’s biggest stars took nan tribunal for nan league’s All-Star crippled successful Indianapolis connected Saturday night, each subordinate connected nan level wore a achromatic T-shirt adorned pinch achromatic lettering sharing a elemental message:

“Pay Us What You Owe Us.”

After a play of ceremony for a convention that continues to emergence successful popularity, nan players’ connection was a reminder that they are still looking for a stronger financial foothold successful a convention that falls acold down its contemporaries successful respect to really nan athletes are paid.

Since nan past corporate bargaining statement betwixt nan WNBA and nan players’ relation was signed successful 2020, nan economics of nan convention person shifted rapidly.

From 2019 to 2023, nan WNBA’s gross increased from $102 cardinal to $119 million, according to Bloomberg. That was earlier Caitlin Clark’s rookie play successful 2024, which aided 1 of nan astir important years successful convention history. With Clark successful tow, nan WNBA group records for merchandise income past year, and besides had its most-watched regular play successful 24 years.

So acold this season, nan league’s mean attendance is nan highest it has ever been, according to Across nan Timeline.

The WNBA has responded to nan detonation pinch description . The convention will summation to 18 teams by 2030, adding franchises successful Portland, Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia complete nan adjacent 5 years. (The Golden State Valkyries became nan W’s 13th squad this season.)

The Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia ownership groups will besides salary a $250 cardinal description interest — a important summation complete nan $50 cardinal nan Valkyries paid successful 2023.

On apical of each that, nan WNBA besides signed a caller tv authorities woody past summertime that will reportedly salary nan convention $2.2 cardinal complete nan adjacent 11 years, an mean of $200 cardinal a season. (NBC News' genitor company, NBCUniversal, is 1 of nan rights' holders nether nan caller deal.)

The biggest rumor for nan players, then, is really to capitalize connected nan summation successful liking astir nan crippled pinch a caller economical model. The WNBPA opted retired of nan CBA statement past year, and nan woody will expire connected Oct. 31 unless a caller statement is reached.

Currently, WNBA players person only 9.3% of convention revenue, according to MarketWatch, little than one-fifth nan stock of astir different master leagues. Players tin gain a higher share, but only if definite cumulative gross targets are reached.

In nan NBA, players person 49% to 51% of basketball-related income. In nan NFL, players are guaranteed astatine slightest 48.8% of gross successful a 17-game season. NHL players person 50% of hockey-related income. (MLB players do participate successful a revenue-share system.)

The mean net successful nan WNBA this play is only a small complete $102,000. The full worth of Clark’s four-year rookie statement is little than $340,000. She is being paid only $78,066 this year.

“It’s clip for WNBA players to get a higher percent of nan league’s basketball-related income,” Chiney Ogwumike, who past played for nan Los Angeles Sparks successful 2023, wrote successful The Players Tribune successful May 2024.

The convention and national met Thursday successful beforehand of nan All-Star festivities, though players expressed vexation pinch nan discussions.

In summation to salaries, different 1 of nan cardinal issues for nan national will beryllium prioritization, aliases really committed players are expected to beryllium to their WNBA teams. Many players participate successful different leagues extracurricular of nan WNBA play to supplement their salaries — specified arsenic nan player-founded Unrivaled league. WNBA owners are lobbying for stricter commitments from players to put nan W first, while players dream to support flexibility.

“[The] gathering was bully for nan truth that we could beryllium successful nan aforesaid room arsenic nan convention and nan Board of Governors and that type of thing," said Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty guardant and national vice president, connected Friday. “But I think, to beryllium frank, it was a wasted opportunity,” she noted.

“We could person really benignant of gotten into a deeper dive of everything. Based connected their astir caller proposal, we conscionable aren’t capable to get to a spot wherever we’re really moreover talking astir nan aforesaid thing,” Stewart added.

Ultimately, while location will beryllium respective specifications for nan convention and nan players to hammer retired betwixt now and nan extremity of October, expect money to beryllium nan biggest sticking point.

“Rev sharing is genuinely transformational,” Los Angeles Sparks defender Kelsey Plum said. “We want a portion of nan full pie. Not a portion of portion of nan pie. We’re a resilient group. We cognize nan unity it takes to beryllium capable to [get] nan result desired.”