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NBC News
22-07-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Why WNBA players are telling the league: 'Pay us what you owe us'
When the WNBA's biggest stars took the court for the league's All-Star game in Indianapolis on Saturday night, every player on the floor wore a black T-shirt adorned with white lettering sharing a simple message: 'Pay Us What You Owe Us.' After a weekend of celebration for a league that continues to rise in popularity, the players' message was a reminder that they are still looking for a stronger financial foothold in a league that falls far behind its contemporaries in regard to how the athletes are paid. Since the last collective bargaining agreement between the WNBA and the players' association was signed in 2020, the economics of the league have shifted rapidly. From 2019 to 2023, the WNBA's revenue increased from $102 million to $119 million, according to Bloomberg. That was before Caitlin Clark's rookie season in 2024, which aided one of the most important years in league history. With Clark in tow, the WNBA set records for merchandise sales last year, and also had its most-watched regular season in 24 years. So far this season, the league's average attendance is the highest it has ever been, according to Across the Timeline. The WNBA has responded to the explosion with expansion. The league will increase to 18 teams by 2030, adding franchises in Portland, Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia over the next five years. (The Golden State Valkyries became the W's 13th team this season.) The Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia ownership groups will also pay a $250 million expansion fee — a substantial increase over the $50 million the Valkyries paid in 2023. On top of all that, the WNBA also signed a new television rights deal last summer that will reportedly pay the league $2.2 billion over the next 11 years, an average of $200 million a season. (NBC News' parent company, NBCUniversal, is one of the rights' holders under the new deal.) The biggest issue for the players, then, is how to capitalize on the increase in interest around the game with a new economic model. The WNBPA opted out of the CBA agreement last year, and the deal will expire on Oct. 31 unless a new agreement is reached. Currently, WNBA players receive only 9.3% of league revenue, according to MarketWatch, less than one-fifth the share of most other professional leagues. Players can earn a higher share, but only if certain cumulative revenue targets are reached. In the NBA, players receive 49% to 51% of basketball-related income. In the NFL, players are guaranteed at least 48.8% of revenue in a 17-game season. NHL players receive 50% of hockey-related income. (MLB players do participate in a revenue-share system.) The average salary in the WNBA this season is only a little over $102,000. The entire value of Clark's four-year rookie contract is less than $340,000. She is being paid only $78,066 this year. 'It's time for WNBA players to get a higher percentage of the league's basketball-related income,' Chiney Ogwumike, who last played for the Los Angeles Sparks in 2023, wrote in The Players Tribune in May 2024. The league and union met Thursday in advance of the All-Star festivities, though players expressed frustration with the discussions. In addition to salaries, another one of the key issues for the union will be prioritization, or how committed players are expected to be to their WNBA teams. Many players participate in different leagues outside of the WNBA season to supplement their salaries — such as the player-founded Unrivaled league. WNBA owners are lobbying for stricter commitments from players to put the W first, while players hope to maintain flexibility. '[The] meeting was good for the fact that we could be in the same room as the league and the Board of Governors and that type of thing," said Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty forward and union vice president, on Friday. 'But I think, to be frank, it was a wasted opportunity,' she noted. 'We could have really kind of gotten into a deeper dive of everything. Based on their most recent proposal, we just aren't able to get to a place where we're actually even talking about the same thing,' Stewart added. Ultimately, while there will be several details for the league and the players to hammer out between now and the end of October, expect money to be the biggest sticking point. 'Rev sharing is truly transformational,' Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum said. 'We want a piece of the entire pie. Not a piece of part of the pie. We're a resilient group. We know the unity it takes to be able to [get] the outcome desired.'
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sophie Cunningham, other WNBA players speak out about expansion, team needs amid CBA negotiations
MINNEAPOLIS — Sophie Cunningham isn't eager to visit two of the league's newest expansion teams when they begin play in the coming years. 'It's a hard decision-making situation, but, man, I don't know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or [Cleveland],' Cunningham said Tuesday morning ahead of shootaround for the Commissioner's Cup final. Advertisement The WNBA announced the return of teams in Detroit and Cleveland on Monday morning, as well as the introduction of a third expansion team in Philadelphia. By the end of the decade, the WNBA will total 18 teams, a historic number in the burgeoning league's 29th season. It previously played with 16 in the early 2000s, including the Detroit Shock (1998-2009) before its relocation to Tulsa and ultimately Dallas, and the Cleveland Rockers (1997-2003). The expansion clubs' ownership groups spoke highly on Monday of their cities' respective passion for women's sports and the excitement they heard from business and government leaders about the prospect of their own teams. Detroit Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem told a story about Governor Gretchen Whitmer playing a competitive game of knockout with the Pistons and her immediate support of their bid for a WNBA team. Advertisement 'She was all in,' Tellem said on Monday. 'She may be our No. 1 fan in the state. She'll really be excited for this news, and she'll, I'll tell you this, she'll be a regular working out with our team.' Those cities backed them up on Tuesday afternoon. The city of Detroit pushed back on Cunningham's comments, noting the Shock ranked top five in attendance for five straight seasons, topped the charts in three and set a single-game attendance record of 22,076 fans in the playoffs. The team averaged around 9,500 fans in those years after a franchise-high of 10,229 in 1998 that ranked sixth, according to Across the Timeline. The city of Cleveland also clapped back, sharing a video of Fever teammate Caitlin Clark speaking highly of the city while playing in the 2024 Final Four. Nic Barlage, CEO of Rock Entertainment Group and the Cavaliers, said that event was the 'final catalyst to kind of go all in and go all in the way we did.' Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell also got involved, responding on X to Cunningham's comments by sharing fire emojis highlighting Cleveland in the summertime. NBA groups win WNBA bids All three incoming franchises will be owned by NBA ownership groups. Cunningham, in her first year with the Indiana Fever, said she understands why that choice was made, while still questioning other options. Advertisement 'I totally get having kind of the brother team of the NBA side because it is helpful,' the seven-year veteran said. 'It's way more helpful. You just get more perks. There's more opportunities. And so I get that aspect. 'You also want to listen to your players, too. Where do they want to play? Where are they going to get excited to play and draw fans?' Cunningham began her career in Phoenix, where the Mercury and Sun share an ownership group. The Fever and Pacers share an ownership group as well. The Liberty, Lynx, Mystics, Sparks and Valkyries all have the same umbrella structure. NBA and WNBA teams under the same ownership structure often share facilities, social media staffers, communication/PR crews and marketing leaders. They also host games in the larger arenas, whereas other teams in the league are limited to smaller event spaces. Nashville, Miami, Houston lose out The expansion news follows years of incoming bids from cities around the country, including ones in Nashville, Denver, Houston, Austin, Charlotte and Kansas City. Predators chairman and bid leader Bill Haslam called out the commonality of NBA ownership groups in a statement on Nashville not being awarded a team. Cunningham said people wanted Miami or Nashville, a city she singled out specifically for its lucrative women's sports base. The Missouri native also highlighted the bid by Kansas City, noting that though she is biased, it 'has a great situation for a women's sports team.' Advertisement 'Amazing opportunity,' she said. 'There's a huge arena downtown that no one's using. And I think that the women's soccer league that people draw.' The NWSL's Kansas City Current averaged 11,500 fans per game in 2024, according to Sportico. It ranked sixth in the 14-team league and is one of seven to average five digits. Four of the six WNBA expansion teams announced since late 2023 are in the eastern half of the U.S. It creates the natural rivalries Commissioner Cathy Engelbert craves, but also results in WNBA deserts. 'You would think that you would want to try to get more of the country engaged in the WNBA,' Cunningham said. Advertisement Fans called out the lack of teams in the south after the announcement, and others circled Denver as a perfect connector. Houston, where the Comets became the league's greatest dynasty out of the gate, is still high on the list, Engelbert said. Roster expansion vs. team expansion There was muted caution by Cunningham and other players in Minneapolis for the Commissioner's Cup championship between the Fever and Lynx, as well as from players around the league on Tuesday. There will be an expansion draft each of the coming years through 2030, creating roster uncertainty and diluting the talent pool of teams, as well as available in-season free agents. Players have long voiced their desires for larger rosters versus team expansion, citing player health and safety as 10-player rosters and hardship contracts are regular occurrences. Advertisement 'When teams are still playing with nine players, but there's 18 teams, it's a little bit challenging,' Lynx seven-year veteran Bridget Carleton said. 'So I think there's other areas that need to improve as well.' Carleton compared the schedules of the WNBA and NBA, finding similarity in games played per week. That's been another major talking point as the league expands its number of games within the same footprint. But, she said, the NBA has larger rosters, plus can call up G-League players. Engelbert has repeatedly said expansion allows the WNBA to expand its footprint, thereby growing its business. Advertisement 'I talk to corporate partners, especially on the retail side, and they say, Cathy, we're in 100 cities. You're only in 12,' Engelbert said on Monday. 'That really resonated with me. We need scale. The more cities we're in, the more they'll carry our merch, the more demand that will be for the merch, more fandom we build, so it was that kind of circular thing that was important to me.' Both Cunningham and Satou Sabally, speaking to reporters in Phoenix during the mini Commissioner's Cup break, said that in ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations, the focus is on taking care of the players actively in the league and not so much the prospect of expansion.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Paige Bueckers enters concussion protocol, will miss next 2 Dallas Wings games
Another No. 1 pick will miss multiple games, as Paige Bueckers will be sidelined for, at least, two, the Dallas Wings announced Friday. Bueckers was placed in the WNBA's concussion protocol after Thursday's loss to the Chicago Sky, though she played through the end of that game. She will be out for, at minimum, the Wings' rematch against Chicago on Sunday, as well as Tuesday's contest against the Seattle Storm. There has been a spate of head/face injuries in the early season, with Rickea Jackson, Tiffany Hayes, Te-Hina Paopao and Shakira Austin all missing time with concussions or hits to the head. Aces All-Star Jewell Loyd has also worn a mask after a facial injury suffered in the team's opener. Advertisement The league implemented its concussion policy in 2012, and reviews it periodically 'in order to keep it current and consistent with the evolving science of concussion management,' per the collective bargaining agreement. Although Dallas (1-5) has struggled to start the season, Bueckers has been a bright spot, averaging 14.7 points and 6.7 assists per game, ranking fifth in the league. Per Across the Timeline, Bueckers joined Candace Parker as the second-ever rookie to total at least 50 points, 25 assists and 15 rebounds in her first four games. In the Wings' lone win against the Connecticut Sun, Bueckers became the only rookie to post a stat line of at least 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals while shooting 80 percent from the field. Dallas likely would have been favored against the Sky Saturday with Bueckers available. If she isn't able to return soon afterwards, the Wings would face an uphill battle when Commissioner's Cup play begins in June. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, WNBA, women's sports 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Angel Reese Reacts To Historic News After Fever Game
To open her second WNBA season, Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky faced a tough start, falling to 0-1 after a 35-point loss. On Saturday, Reese and the Sky traveled to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, losing to Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever 93-58 in front of a sold-out crowd. Advertisement Coming into the game, Reese had recorded 446 rebounds during the 2024 WNBA season, which marked the most by a rookie in league history. The former LSU star had also recorded 462 points leading up to the game against Indiana. Less five minutes into Saturday's game, Reese had already recorded her fourth rebound and the 450th of her two-year career. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images In doing so, Reese became the fastest player in WNBA history to record 450 or more points and 450 or more rebounds. The previous record belonged to Tina Charles, who accomplished this in 40 games, per Across the Timeline. In the loss, she finished with 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting and 17 rebounds, another double-double for Reese. This brought her career totals to 474 points and 463 rebounds, obtaining these numbers in just 35 games. Advertisement On Monday, TOGETHXR on X posted the historic news on social media. "One game in and already more history for @Reese10Angel 👑" Reese, who has been relatively silent on social media since the loss to Indiana, reacted to the post with a simple response. "🙏🏽," Reese wrote. While Reese and Clark both made a bit of history in Saturday's opener, the big headline from the game comes from the heated exchange between the two. Clark was handed a flagrant foul for slightly shoving Reese to the floor, while Reese and Aliyah Boston picked up technicals for the aftermath. The Sky will have a few more days of rest before playing their second game of the 2025 season, facing Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty on Thursday night. Related: New Video Shows Caitlin Clark's Motivation for Shoving Angel Reese
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
2025 WNBA Draft: Paige Bueckers Goes No. 1, Dominique Malonga No. 2
WNBA commissionner Cathy Engelbert (L) welcomes Paige Bueckers as she is the number one pick drafted ... More by the Dallas Wings during the 2025 WNBA Draft at the Shed in New York City on April 14, 2025. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) There might not have been a surprised face in the room, but there was no shortage of excitement when Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced Paige Bueckers as the first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings. The announcement came on the heels of Bueckers winning the NCAA tournament less than two weeks ago, making her the first player since Breanna Stewart in 2016 to be drafted No. 1 and win the national championship in the same year. She joins a select group of only six to do so in WNBA history, all from only two schools: Connecticut and Tennessee. Although there were no doubts that Bueckers would land the first overall spot in the draft, concerns had been raised regarding the Wings being able to keep their lottery pick, since the only Texan franchise in the league has navigated rough waters both on and off the court in recent seasons. Missteps and disappointments such as having to pull their Rebel-edition jersey from the stores due to its homage to a military program that excluded Black women, to not making the playoffs in 2024 after being a semifinalist in 2023, fueled speculations about Dallas not being appealing enough for someone with such stardom. Potential trades and scenarios were considered as alternatives by media and fans, but for newly appointed general manager Curt Miller, that was never on the table. 'No, we were never going to trade the pick,' Miller stated during the post-draft media availability. 'We knew we had a special opportunity, and very early on, it was Paige, and Paige only. And she's such a special player. So, very fortunate. Takes us all the way back to that draft lottery where we knew we had an incredible opportunity.' The Seattle Storm, which held the No. 2 overall pick, was one of the main teams brought up in trade scenarios as some deemed the four-time WNBA champion a more desirable destination for players like Bueckers. Despite a rocky start to the offseason that saw franchise player Jewell Loyd request a trade following harassment and bullying allegations against the coaching staff, recent investments raised the team's stock. Seattle has its own brand-new practice facility and hosts games in the recently renovated Climate Pledge Arena, with capacity for 18,300 fans—over 10,000 more than that of Dallas' home court, College Park Center, in Arlington, Texas. With a maximum capacity of 7,000, the Wings held the second-lowest attendance in the WNBA in 2024, according to Across the Timeline. WNBA commissionner Cathy Engelbert (R) welcomes French player Dominique Malonga as she is the number ... More two pick drafted by the Seattle Storm during the 2025 WNBA Draft at the Shed in New York City on April 14, 2025. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) With its lottery pick, the Storm selected 19-year-old French prodigy Dominique Malonga at No. 2. The 6-foot-6 center became the favorite for the second overall selection after the now TCU guard Olivia Miles opted to stay in college and enter the transfer portal rather than declaring for the draft. Although not fulfilling an immediate need in Seattle, Malonga is considered the type of talent that a team can't pass on. 'She's a unicorn. She is one of one, in my opinion. Her ability to do multiple things on a basketball court, guard multiple positions, whether it is the five, whether it's the four, I think her versatility lends to a successful career in our league,' head coach Noelle Quinn said. 'The thing that is very intriguing about her is just the way that she's grown rapidly over the last few years. And so, if you think about her ability to go inside-out, stretch her game, but also her defensive prowess—you know, there's some versatility to her game that won't have me say she is this or that. She is 100% an amazing athlete.' Malonga's professional experience internationally at such a young age gives her an edge over collegiate athletes, who have mostly faced only players untested at the highest level. In addition to representing France in the Olympics, she geared up for LDLC ASVEL Feminin in the EuroCup 2024-25, finishing with a double-double average of 18.5 points and 11 rebounds per game. Those numbers beat those of Dana Evans, of the Chicago Sky, and Temi Fagbenle, of the Indiana Fever. Deemed by San Antonio Spurs and French legend Tony Parker 'the female Victor Wembanyama," Malonga now has the chance to follow in the footsteps of her fellow countryman and expand Europe's surge in American professional basketball to the women's league. The No. 1 and No. 2 pick in the WNBA draft will face each other on May 19, when Seattle travels to Dallas for their first meeting of the season.
