logo
Dick Vitale Doesn't Hold Back After WNBA Players' Salary Demand

Dick Vitale Doesn't Hold Back After WNBA Players' Salary Demand

Newsweek5 days ago
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
It's no secret that WNBA players are hoping to leverage the league (and Caitlin Clark's) popularity to negotiate higher salaries in their next collective bargaining agreement.
The message was also sent loud and clear during Saturday's All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana when players wore black shirts with a simple message printed across the front: "Pay Us What You Owe Us."
Fans also chanted "pay them" during warmups and when WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert presented Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier with the game's MVP award as well.
"That was a powerful moment," Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum said, via ESPN. "We didn't, at least as players, we didn't know that was going to happen. So it was a genuine surprise. Those chants tonight, those signs, it just shows that as players, we are united, but the fans are united in believing what we're seeking."
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty wears a shirt saying "Pay us what you owe us" prior to the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at...
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty wears a shirt saying "Pay us what you owe us" prior to the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. MoreMore WNBA: Chicago Sky Send Clear Message to Angel Reese After All-Star Game
This all happened two days after a group of players met with league officials in the latest round of CBA negotiations, which several players agree didn't yield the kind of progress they'd like to have seen regarding the salary range they are hoping to get into.
The Team Collier and Team Clark (Caitlin Clark's team) All-Stars agreed hours before tipoff on Saturday that a statement needed to be made, and they decided that during one of, if not the league's most-watched games of the year with a sold-out capacity crowd of 16,988 fans was the place to do it.
And while an increase to the WNBA wage scale has been a hotly debated topic since Clark entered the league last season as the No. 1 overall pick, sports media pundits haven't been afraid to weight in.
ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale has been an outspoken supporter of Clark, and on Sunday morning he took to social media to make his stance on the situation known.
"Since the arrival of @CaitlinClark22 the @WNBA's growth has been fantastic (Ticket sales - TV ratings) - the players are so UNDERPAID ! They DESERVE a big increase!" Vitale wrote on X.
Since the arrival of ⁦@CaitlinClark22⁩ the ⁦@WNBA⁩ 's growth has been fantastic (Ticket sales - TV ratings ) - the players are so UNDERPAID ! They DESERVE a big increase!⁦@ESPNPR⁩ via @ESPN App https://t.co/NoL5sNRSvH — Dick Vitale (@DickieV) July 20, 2025
More WNBA: Paige Bueckers Makes WNBA History During 2025 All-Star Game
This isn't the first time Vitale has drawn attention to Clark's impact on the WNBA. He told Front Office Sports nearly three weeks ago that he believes Clark is responsible
"What she has done to help the WNBA has been unbelievable," Vitale said. "Think about it. PR excitement. Ticket sales. TV Ratings and interest. Salary increases. More charter flights than the past. Plus, she is so exciting to watch."
Vitale has called Clark "the best thing to happen to the WNBA," pointing to the surge in the league's television ratings, merchandise sales, and public recognition since Clark's arrival.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Broncos roster: DL Matt Henningsen (No. 91) fighting for rotational role
Broncos roster: DL Matt Henningsen (No. 91) fighting for rotational role

USA Today

time14 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Broncos roster: DL Matt Henningsen (No. 91) fighting for rotational role

Broncos Wire's 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at fourth-year defensive lineman Matt Henningsen, No. 91. Before the Broncos: Henningsen (6-3, 291 pounds) played college football at Wisconsin, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors as a senior in 2021. Following a redshirt freshman season, Henningsen spent five years with the Badgers, totaling 91 tackles (13 behind the line of scrimmage), eight sacks and three fumble recoveries (two returned for touchdowns). He played in 42 games with 29 starts during his time at Wisconsin. Broncos tenure: Henningsen's defensive presence impressed Denver Broncos coaches in the pre-draft process, which led to him being drafted in the sixth round (206th overall) of the 2022 NFL draft. In his rookie season, Henningsen played in 17 games, as primarily a rotational player, recording 1.0 sack and 21 combined tackles (eight solo, 13 assisted, two tackles for loss). In 2023, Henningsen once again played in all 17 regular season games, with two pass deflections and 19 total tackles (10 solo, nine assisted). In 2024, Henningsen was a practice squad player in Denver, not appearing in any games as an active player. Chances to make the 53-man roster: Practice squad or rotational backup player. Henningsen has been in the Broncos system for several years now, and will either be a rotational backup player in relief of John Franklin-Myers and Zach Allen. One of the players Henningsen will compete with for the backup role is Broncos third-round draft pick Sai'vion Jones. Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

Where does Sixers legend Moses Malone land on top 100 players list?
Where does Sixers legend Moses Malone land on top 100 players list?

USA Today

time14 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Where does Sixers legend Moses Malone land on top 100 players list?

Philadelphia 76ers legend Moses Malone is one of the best players to ever play the game of basketball. A rebounding machine, Malone averaged 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds--5.1 offensive rebounds--per game across his 12 years in the league. He played five seasons with the Sixers--across two separate stints--and averaged 21.0 points and 12.0 rebounds with Philadelphia. He was a key member of the franchise's last title team in 1983 when he was named finals MVP as the Sixers knocked off the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of the 1982 finals. Malone averaged 25.8 points and 18.0 rebounds in the sweep of the Lakers. Bleacher Report ranked the top 100 players in the history of the NBA and Malone comes in ranked No. 21: The all-time leader in offensive rebounds (both total and per game), Malone dominated the glass throughout his career. Though not particularly skilled as a finisher or passer, all those boards produced plenty of second-chance opportunities and free throws, and Malone led the league in attempts from the foul line five times. His first two MVP awards came with the Houston Rockets in 1978-79 and 1981-82, and he followed that up with a third for the Philadelphia 76ers in 1982-83, earning the distinction of being the only player in NBA history to win back-to-back MVPs for two different teams. In addition to those wins, Malone boarded his way to seven other top-10 finishes. His 'fo', fo', fo'' prediction in 1983 didn't quite come to fruition, as the Sixers swept just two of their three playoff series en route to a 12-1 postseason record that culminated in a championship. Malone's No. 2 jersey hangs from the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center as he is one of the best players in the franchise's history. He teamed up with Julius "Dr. J" Erving to give the Sixers a formidable duo on a nightly basis. Philadelphia leaned on him heavily to get the job done in a tough Eastern Conference.

Home again? Why Kenley Jansen could be a good trade match for Dodgers
Home again? Why Kenley Jansen could be a good trade match for Dodgers

Los Angeles Times

time14 minutes ago

  • Los Angeles Times

Home again? Why Kenley Jansen could be a good trade match for Dodgers

Kenley Jansen signed his first professional contract with the Dodgers 21 years ago. He was Clayton Kershaw's catcher in rookie ball. He has been honored as an All-Star four times. He has saved more games than all but three men in major league history, all of them Hall of Famers. He won a World Series with the Dodgers. For all that Jansen has accomplished in his two decades in pro ball, there is one thing he has not experienced: He never has been traded. That could happen in the coming days, with baseball's trade deadline next Thursday. As we talked about that possibility Friday at Angel Stadium, and about how the sport can be a cold business at times, he dropped 11 words that stood out. 'I thought,' he said, 'I would play my whole career with the Dodgers.' Maybe you can go home again. The Dodgers are urgently shopping for right-handed relievers. In Anaheim, Jansen is enjoying a season that by some measures is his best since 2021, his last season with the Dodgers. First things first: Jansen did not sign with the Angels just to rack up saves. He is 36 saves shy of 500, a milestone reached only by Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman. 'I came here with one goal in mind,' Jansen said, 'and the goal was to help this team turn around, to end that playoff drought. That's what I'm here for. 'If they move me, I'd definitely feel disappointed we didn't accomplish it.' But let's be real: The longest playoff drought in the majors is likely to hit 11 years. The Angels would have to pass six teams to sneak into the last wild-card spot in the American League playoffs. The Angels demoted their fifth starter this month. They have been running bullpen games because they had no one in their farm system ready to fill the vacancy. They only have two starters you could pencil into their 2026 rotation. They need pitching depth, and it would be organizational malpractice not to get some by trading their pending free agents, Jansen included. For the Angels, the optimal outcome would be a team desperate for a closer overpaying to get Jansen. However, such a team would be more likely to overpay for the marquee names on the market, including Jhoan Duran of the Minnesota Twins, Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians and Felix Bautista of the Baltimore Orioles, with a second tier led by David Bednar of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Ryan Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers hate to overpay. Jansen has 17 saves and one blown save, with a 1.00 earned-run average in save situations and a 3.19 ERA overall. The latter is his lowest ERA since 2021. By ERA+, a statistic that accounts for league and ballpark factors, Jansen was at 131 entering play Friday — or 31% better than league average. The only Dodgers relievers with an ERA above 131+, entering play Friday: left-handers Alex Vesia and Jack Dreyer. Dodgers relievers entered play Friday throwing 49.2% of the team's innings pitched; the highest percentage of any major league team. Vesia, Anthony Banda and the injured Tanner Scott rank among the top 20 in appearances. Ben Casparius, who earned his first major league save Friday, ranked second among major league relievers in innings pitched. In an ideal world, the Dodgers would enter the playoffs with four primary right-handed relievers: Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips. Phillips is out for the season. Treinen could return from the injured list next week, with Kopech possibly to follow next month and Graterol in September, but it is risky to count on injured players to return healthy and effective. In a major league career that started in 2010, Jansen never has been on the injured list because of an elbow or forearm issue, and his two stints for shoulder inflammation were brief. The Dodgers could drop Jansen into their mix of high-leverage right-handers. They would not want Jansen if he would want to be the unquestioned closer. He is getting the job done as a closer, and he is getting closer to 500 saves. But the Dodgers' analysts would probably take note of his career highs in exit velocity and hard-hit balls, and a .795 OPS against left-handers that compares unfavorably to his .601 career mark, and might want to spot him against a run of right-handers. Could be the sixth inning, could be the ninth. Whether it's the Dodgers or any other contending team, would Jansen consider a role outside the ninth inning? 'At that point, it's just about getting rings,' Jansen said. 'My goal is to win. You play for that, always. I understand there is a milestone I am close to. But, at the end of the day, it's what you play for. You play to win. You play to win a World Series. 'If I have to go throw the sixth, seventh, eighth, I would do it. I'm a professional. I would do what I do best, and that is pitch.' Jansen said he hasn't given up on this Angels team, or this Angels season. He would love to win in Anaheim. The Angels could help him do that: Trade him for another pitching piece that could help them next year, then sign Jansen again over the winter.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store