logo
WNBA All-Stars make CBA statement by wearing ‘pay us what you owe us' T-shirts during warmups

WNBA All-Stars make CBA statement by wearing ‘pay us what you owe us' T-shirts during warmups

Chicago Tribune12 hours ago
INDIANAPOLIS — Players on Team Clark and Team Collier warmed up for Saturday night's WNBA All-Star Game in shirts that read 'Pay us what you owe us.'
The shirts come after the players and the league failed to reach a new collective bargaining agreement at an in-person meeting Thursday. The league's players opted out of their last CBA in October and are looking for a better revenue-sharing model, increased salaries, improved benefits and a softer salary cap.
'I'm just so inspired by the amount of players that showed up, the engagement that was there,' WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike said. 'That's really what it's all about. Because the more that happens, the more that we're going to be able to get things done. I think today we're going to be able to use this conversation to start rolling the ball on things.'
After the failed negotiations, many players said there was a large discrepancy between what they want and what the league was offering. If a new CBA is not reached by Oct. 31, some players, including All-Stars Napheesa Collier and Angel Reese, have mentioned the potential of a walkout.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

WNBA stars' All-Star Game message on pay increase draws social media reaction
WNBA stars' All-Star Game message on pay increase draws social media reaction

Fox News

time27 minutes ago

  • Fox News

WNBA stars' All-Star Game message on pay increase draws social media reaction

WNBA stars participating in Saturday night's All-Star Game wore a message on their T-shirts during warm-ups directed at league officials amid tense collective bargaining agreement (CBA) talks. Each WNBA All-Star, including Indiana Fever sharpshooter Caitlin Clark who was sidelined for the game, wore the shirt. The clothing also featured the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) logo underneath the message. The shirts read, "Pay Us What You Owe Us." However, the message didn't appear to resonate across social media. WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike praised the players for using their platform. "I'm just so inspired by the amount of players that showed up, the engagement that was there," she said. "That's really what it's all about. Because the more that happens, the more that we're going to be able to get things done. I think today we're going to be able to use this conversation to start rolling the ball on things." Players have argued that business has been booming for the league and they deserve an increase in salaries because of it. The WNBA was a part of a new $2.2 billion rights deal that will start next season and, with the league planning to expand to 18 teams by 2030, the new franchises are paying a $250 million expansion fee. The New York Post reported last year that the league was projected to lose $40 million during the 2024 season. The new media rights deal is expected to bring at least a $100 million increase from what the league was making on its current rights deal, which the report said was about $60 million in 2024. Even through the contention, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Saturday night that she was optimistic a deal would get done. "I'm still really optimistic that we'll get something done that would be transformational," she said. "And that, next year at All-Star, we'll be talking about how great everything is. Obviously there's a lot of hard work to be done on both sides to get there." The current CBA is set to expire on Oct. 31. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Players make their feelings clear at record-breaking WNBA All-Star Game
Players make their feelings clear at record-breaking WNBA All-Star Game

Washington Post

timean hour ago

  • Washington Post

Players make their feelings clear at record-breaking WNBA All-Star Game

INDIANAPOLIS — As players strode onto the court for pregame warm-ups at Saturday's WNBA All-Star Game, the group took one more opportunity to make a statement on the dominant topic of the weekend. Each player wore a black T-shirt that read: Pay Us What You Owe Us. Team Collier defeated Team Clark — which was without injured captain Caitlin Clark — 151-131, but story of the weekend revolved around collective bargaining negotiations.

WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike doubles down on CBA negotiation stance
WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike doubles down on CBA negotiation stance

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike doubles down on CBA negotiation stance

The post WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike doubles down on CBA negotiation stance appeared first on ClutchPoints. As the 2025 WNBA season rolls on, one of the consistent storylines will continue to be the ongoing CBA negotiations between the league and the WNBA Players Association. WNBPA president and Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike offered an update on negotiations with the current CBA set to expire at the end of the season. As the league continues to enjoy its meteoric growth, she is continuing to publicly push for her colleagues' salaries to reflect that. 'We have women out here who know the business. And we understand where our league has been and where it's going,' Ogwumike said Sunday after her Storm defeated the defending champion New York Liberty. 'And we're prepared. We're prepared. And we want to be able to come out here and represent ourselves and our value the same way we do on the court, in our contracts, in our facilities, in the standards of the resources that are available to us.' In 2026, the league will begin an 11-year media rights deal worth more than $2 billion in total, and with ratings, attendance and advertising at an all-time high, player salaries are still lagging behind. With the WNBA's momentum gaining, Ogwumike is hoping to see changes. 'Everybody wants to go to the same place. Everyone just has a different idea of how we get there,' she continued. 'We've seen a lot of growth recently, so we have to see that being reflected in how we're compensated to continue to give you guys games like this every night.' The WNBA has shown willingness to work with the players in the past, including most recently on rolling out charter flights league-wide. The previous CBA also led to a sizable pay increase for the players, including additional earning opportunities like the Commissioner's Cup. But the league has grown since then, buoyed by back-to-back popular rookie classes in 2024 (Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese) and 2025 (Paige Bueckers). Ogwumike entered the league in 2012 and became WNBPA president in 2016, so she has seen how far the league has come. With two expansion teams set to join in 2026, there are about to be more eyes than ever on the WNBA.

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