'Pay them! Pay them!' Fans, WNBA players make clear, loud statement on salaries during All-Star Game
What the fans were referring to were the ongoing negotiations between the league and the players' union for a new collective bargaining agreement. The current agreement, which the union opted out of, expires on October 31, and the two sides have had multiple meetings negotiating a new CBA.
The most recent of those meetings came Thursday; a meeting union president Nneka Ogwumike said later was a "wasted opportunity." The two sides didn't make any progress on contract talks during this meeting, but talked through a lot of their points.
"I want to call it constructive. We had candid dialogue. This is part of the process," Engelbert said before the All-Star Game on Saturday. "... Just want to say I really respect the players. We're listening. They're listening to our owners. We're kind of in the middle as the league trying to make sure we're setting this league up for success for decades. That's the goal, to have a fair CBA for all."
Some of the biggest sticking points are salaries and revenue sharing, exemplified by two different campaigns the players did during the All-Star Game. The first came in their warmup shirts: fans cheered as players took off their warmup jackets to reveal shirts that read "Pay Us What You Owe Us."
"That's something we wanted to make well known.," Ogwumike told Rowe postgame. "In the bubble we always knew how to make a stand with some T-shirts, so we did that today. We look forward to negotiating our fair share and our value.'
The second came postgame as All-Star Brittney Sykes held a sign that read "Pay the Players" behind All-Star Game MVP Napheesa Collier as Rowe interviewed her on the court.
Currently, WNBA players only receive revenue sharing profits if the league hits its 'cumulative revenue target' for the season. After that target is hit, players on a WNBA roster will receive 25% of the revenue sharing profits, and the other 25% will be added to the pool the WNBA pays players in the offseason for marketing agreements.
In contrast, the NBA has a 50-50 revenue split with the players; they receive 50% of all the revenue generated, regardless of target.
The players' union is also hoping to exponentially increase salaries. Right now, the super-maximum for the league is just about $250,000, and that is only available to cored players. The regular max is at $216,000, and the rookie scale contract starts around $72,000.
Coming out of All-Star weekend, one thing is clear: the players aren't going to back down from the things most important to them.
"It's no disrespect to the league, you just want to make sure that the statement is made clear of what we as players have come to deserve," Fever guard and All-Star Kelsey Mitchell said. "I think it was less about trying to make a statement, and more about making sure that statement is clear-cut."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Paramount Snatches $7.7B UFC Deal--Shakes Up Streaming's Fight for Subscribers
Paramount (NASDAQ:PSKY) is making its biggest sports rights bet yet. The company has signed a seven-year, $7.7 billion agreement to become the exclusive U.S. home for all Ultimate Fighting Championship events, a move designed to give Paramount+ a year-round sports anchor. Beginning next year, the platform will stream all 13 numbered UFC events and 30 additional fight nights annually, with select bouts also airing on CBS. The price tag works out to roughly $1.1 billion per yearmore than double what TKO Group Holdings was getting from Walt Disney's ESPNand Paramount has indicated it may look to secure international rights when they come up for grabs. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Signs with PSKY. The strategy marks a significant shift in UFC's distribution model. Instead of charging fans both a subscription fee and pay-per-view pricing, Paramount will make all events available to Paramount+ subscribers at no additional cost. By adding a sport with a consistent, year-round schedule, Paramount+ could improve retention during quieter months for its existing sports lineup, which already includes the NFL, college football, golf, and soccer. The UFC is a unicorn sports asset, said David Ellison, who took control of Paramount last week, noting that no other platform will have a sport of this scale entirely to itself. TKO executives Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro had been shopping UFC's rights throughout the year, with interest from Amazon, YouTube, Warner Bros. Discovery, Fox, and Netflix. ESPN had an exclusive window to renew but let it lapse, clearing the way for Paramount's aggressive bid. While the UFC has faced challenges in producing new breakout stars in recent years, its popularity among younger fans and its global appeal were enough to secure a rights deal that represents a major step-up in value. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The NBA is already punting on the Eastern Conference
For most of the 21st century, the disparity between the NBA's Western and Eastern Conferences has been a chasm. The prevailing sentiment among hoops fans has been that the West's overall quality usually blows the East out of the water. Between the contrast in the number of All-NBA selections, the massive difference in the number of league champions this millennium (17 for the West, nine for the East), and the sheer amount of free agent superstars who seemingly waste no time running to states like California and Texas, it's hard to ignore this reality as a basketball lover. I just never thought the NBA itself would directly acknowledge the gulf between the West and East. Well, at least heavily imply it exists, you know? On Friday, the league revealed (news-dumped) its opening night and Christmas schedules. These are, as I'm sure all of you know, traditionally considered the two biggest evenings on the NBA regular season calendar. One tips off eight months of professional men's basketball after a much-needed summer break. The other is essentially a marquee league showcase for people who have been paying attention to the NFL and college football up until that point and are ready to start devoting their energy elsewhere. But when you look at the reported games, you'll notice there's a distinct lack of Eastern basketball flavor. Of the seven total opening night and Christmas games, only the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks are carrying the East's torch. One game. Of 14 total slots, just two East teams. Woof. Essentially, the only two teams being featured are the two who might end up meeting in this year's Eastern Conference Finals. Otherwise, the NBA is temporarily giving up on selling the East to hardcore fans and casuals alike. By ignoring everyone else, the NBA is saying no other East team this season has the juice. At least, not yet. NBA WIN TOTALS: To be clear, I'm not surprised by this development. With the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers operating without an injured Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, respectively, for the entire season, the East is extremely top-heavy. Giannis Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks aren't in flux, but they're also not very good. The Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, and Detroit Pistons could all be nice stories and great teams by the end of the year, but they're likely not going to attract a lot of eyeballs right now. There's not a lot to work with here. While the East was already weaker than the West on paper, it, by default, has even less intrigue than ever. By comparison, the West has, at minimum, three of the NBA's five best teams (the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Nikola Jokić's Denver Nuggets, and Kevin Durant's Houston Rockets). Luka Dončić plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, arguably the most popular sports team in the world. Potential all-time generational talent Victor Wembanyama is a San Antonio Spur. And, of course, there's still the electric Steph Curry in Golden State and the intrigue of Cooper Flagg in Dallas, among other hotspots. If you were a league trying to sell yourself to bog-standard sports fans, it's just good business to center this conference. But that's the thing. Most of us already knew the NBA's West generally provided better basketball than the East. You know, especially as it tries to get back on its feet. It's still pretty jarring to see the league, the people running the show, agree with us. Serbia has a golden European opportunity For those of you jonesing to see some of your favorite NBA players hoop it up again, may I humbly suggest this year's EuroBasket tournament? I mean, let's be honest, three of the league's four best players will be featured. It's no amateur showcase of young players. It's a serious affair with the vaunted title of European champion on the line. So, to put it lightly, I think it's worth our time. But not every nation participating in EuroBasket is created equal. With all due respect to squads like Iceland and Jeremy Sochan's Poland, they're probably going to have the chance to go home early and put their feet up. FIBA's been keeping track of the leading contenders for the gold medal so far, and I have to say: it's pretty spot on. With Nikola Jokić in the fold, this is Serbia's tournament to lose: I'm not saying Serbia is guaranteed its fourth-ever European championship and the first in nearly a quarter-century. Squads like Franz Wagner's Germany and the always-tough France will be tough outs. But I feel a lot less confident in the French without their twin towers in Rudy Gobert and Wembanyama, who won't play in the tournament. And while Germany is a well-oiled machine of efficiency, it doesn't have the same level of talent or depth that Serbia's program possesses. The Serbians are not so quietly ranked second in FIBA's men's world rankings. They're only a year removed from putting a genuine scare into arguably the greatest on-paper team the United States has ever assembled. And they've only gotten better since then, with more young players coming into their own. Also, again, they still have the world's best player in his prime in Jokić. Call me old-fashioned, but I think it's wonderful that a country with a population of less than seven million people can really put itself on the map as a mainstream basketball powerhouse by winning EuroBasket. Shootaround Kevin Durant isn't fazed by Thunder venom anymore. I don't think he's bluffing. Sydney Colson's season-ending injury is devastating for the Fever. Cory Woodroof outlined some replacement options. Speaking of the injured Fever, at least Caitlin Clark is keeping busy courtside. Grown man Tyrese Maxey doesn't know how to use a standard kitchen tool. This article originally appeared on For The Win: NBA deservedly overlooking Eastern Conference with Christmas schedule
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
House Judiciary Committee Queries Major Sports Leagues On Whether They Still Should Get Antitrust Exemption For Broadcast TV Blackouts
The House Judiciary Committee is requesting a briefing from the heads of the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League on whether they should still get an antitrust exemption for coordinating TV broadcast rights, including a rule that allows for game blackouts. The Sports Broadcasting Act gives leagues immunity for broadcasting deals for games on network television, including provisions that permit blackouts of home games in that team's broadcast area. Such blackout requirements were meant to ensure that ticket sales remained robust in a market. More from Deadline Donald Trump Says He's Deploying National Guard In D.C., Placing Metropolitan Police Under Federal Control Donald Trump Lashes Out At Paul Krugman As "Deranged Bum"; "Now This Is Flattering," Economist Responds Kristi Noem Didn't Laugh Off 'South Park' Satire: "It Never Ends, But It's So Lazy" In letters sent on Monday, Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), who chairs an antitrust subcommittee, wrote that despite the rise of subscription services and online streaming, 'it is sometimes more difficult and more expensive for some fans to watch their teams during the season. In some major sports leagues, a fan may need to sign up for multiple streaming platforms and purchase an over-the-air antenna to watch every game at home. Even then, because every major sports league has its own blackout restrictions, there are certain games that fans cannot watch at home regardless of how much they are willing to pay or how many streaming services they purchase.' The Sports Broadcasting Act antitrust exemption applies to 'sponsored telecasting,' Jordan and Fitzgerald noted, noting that courts have ruled that it does not apply to cable, satellite, pay-per-view and streaming. 'The majority of sports viewership now occurs outside of traditional network broadcasting,' they wrote. 'As a result, most of the distribution agreements that a sports league enters into are subject to antitrust challenges, while a narrow subset are not, creating legal uncertainty, distorting the market, and 'effectively expanding the blind spot for potential antitrust violations.'' Their letters gave the league heads until August 25 to set up a of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media 'The Boys' Season 5: Everything We Know So Far
