Latest news with #Caitlin Clark
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA union rep calls league's CBA offer a ‘slap in the face' as feud intensifies
We've got you covered on the Liberty beat Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA. tRY IT NOW Satou Sabally, a Mercury star and Women's National Basketball Players Association representative, didn't mince words. Negotiations with the WNBA hit an early roadblock when the union rejected the league's first collective bargaining agreement offer sent recently, according to Front Office Sports, and Sabally called it a 'slap in the face' when addressing reporters Tuesday. 'I love to see the league growing,' Sabally said one day after the league announced it'll expand to 18 teams by 2030. '… But how cool would it also be to have a little bit of expansion on the rosters? Let's focus on the teams that have everything set up right now.' The WNBPA opted out of its current CBA in October, essentially setting up a scenario where 2025 would be the last year on the current iteration, and a work stoppage could follow without a new agreement once it expires after the campaign. So negotiations have served as the backdrop to everything that transpires during games this season, with players such as the Fever's Sydney Colson using an interview to leverage the union's thoughts and Caitlin Clark calling out — in the aftermath of Indiana's Commissioner's Cup title earlier this week — the discrepancy in pay between winning the in-season tournament and the postseason one. The first proposal wasn't seen as 'entirely responsive' to the union's stance, according to Front Office Sports, which cited an anonymous source. WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike told The Post's Madeline Kenney on June 22 that negotiations were 'on track' and added that the union wants to have a 'productive' in-person meeting at All-Star Weekend later this month. But as Liberty star Breanna Stewart said, challenges exist when attempting to negotiate during a season. 'I think the hardest things are like finding time,' Stewart said on May 15. 'Time for the calls, because it's like everyone's got a different schedule. Everyone's got personal things going on. But it shows how important it is, and that's really why everyone's — we're able to make time. We're able to make sure that we're gonna not leave anything on the table in terms of when we're talking about what we want.' A new 11-year media rights deal worth $2.2 billion will start next year, and seismic roster shifts could happen this offseason with plenty of players — intentionally — set to hit free agency with the hope of capitalizing on an expected increase in salaries. The WNBA announced that Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia will all add teams by 2030, joining Golden State (this year), Portland (2026) and Toronto (2026) as other cities to receive expansion teams. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told reporters earlier this week that she didn't want CBA negotiations to interfere with the league's plan to scale, calling it the 'right moment' for growth, according to Sportico. But that doesn't mean the WNBPA agrees with how those negotiations have unfolded in the meantime.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Colin Cowherd erupts at WNBA star Kelsey Plum for Caitlin Clark jab following All-Star Game stunt
Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd blasted Los Angeles Sparks star Kelsey Plum for a joke she made at Caitlin Clark 's expense that missed the mark. WNBA players are set to be locked in a fight with the league's owners over salary increases and other items as the collective bargaining agreement between the players' union and owners is set to expire at the end of the season. At this weekend's event, players wore shirts that said 'Pay Us What You Owe Us' - a pointed statement at the owners as they hope to cash in on the rising popularity of the league. Those shirts were agreed upon at a players meeting on Saturday morning. However, according to Plum, no one from 'Team Clark' (Caitlin's roster for the All-Star Game) attended. Plum joked, 'Not to tattletale but, zero members of Team Clark were very present for that.' Sabrina Ionescu, who was part of 'Team Clark', rolled her eyes and replied, 'That really needed to be mentioned.' Plum replied that she was 'trying to make the situation light'. "You went from a Motel 6 in a sketchy part of town to a Four Seasons in the shopping district. Stop talking." @colincowherd reacts to Kelsey Plum calling out Caitlin Clark at WNBA All-Star Weekend — Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 21, 2025 Kelsey Plum took a jab at Caitlin Clark over the WNBA All-Stars' calling out league owners Judging by that last comment, it's unclear if Plum meant that no one from Clark's team was physically at the meeting - or if they may have been tired or possibly recovering from a night before. Regardless, Clark and her team wore the shirts throughout the weekend in support of the players' united front to make a better living. But Plum's comments generated outrage across the internet at the time, and it was discussed again on Monday when Cowherd chipped in. After Cowherd remarked that the WNBA players are 'going to get a raise, there's no question', he then took aim at Plum's comments. 'Why do you take a shot at the golden goose, Caitlin Clark?' he asked. 'You guys were flying - before she arrived - on one of those airlines that made you pay for a cup of water. One of those airlines that... the planes are the color of a highlighter. Now you're flying private. 'You went from a Motel 6 in a sketchy part of town to a Four Seasons in the shopping district. Stop talking.' To be clear, Clark wasn't responsible for the WNBA upgrading its travel conditions for players - something the union and players had been demanding for years prior to her arrival in the league (owners who previously provided charter flights for players were even fined by the league before 2024).
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"WNBA Loses $50 Million Every Year And Has Never Generated A Profit. You Deserve $0."- Fans Get Harsh About WNBA Stars' Statement
"WNBA Loses $50 Million Every Year And Has Never Generated A Profit. You Deserve $0."- Fans Get Harsh About WNBA Stars' Statement originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game was supposed to be a celebration, a showcase of athleticism, star power, and the league's growing reach. Instead, it sparked one of the most contentious online debates the league has ever faced. With Caitlin Clark and her fellow All-Stars donning warm-up shirts that read 'Pay us what you owe us,' the statement was meant to highlight the long-standing gender pay disparity in professional basketball. But the reaction from fans online was anything but sympathetic. One viral comment summed up the backlash bluntly: 'The WNBA loses $50 million every year and has NEVER generated a profit. You deserve $0.00.' Harsh, no doubt, but reflective of a large section of the sports-viewing public who feel the WNBA's financial reality doesn't support its stars' demand for better compensation. For context WNBA has never turned a profit in its 28-year history. While pre-2023 annual losses hovered around $10 million, 2024 saw that number balloon to $50 million, even as league revenues grew to over $200 million. It's a bitter truth. The NBA, which owns approximately 60% of the WNBA, has been subsidizing those losses since the league's inception in 1997. The WNBA's operational existence depends on that support. So when a player, even one as impactful as Caitlin Clark, takes a visible stand and demands back pay or a fair share, many fans see it as tone-deaf rather than empowering. Online, some comments crossed the line into vitriol. 'Welfare National Basketball Association,' one user wrote, mocking the league's dependence on NBA funds. Another piled on: 'Paying them nothing is still too much. They should pay the league for the privilege of participating.' While cruel, the remarks reflect a growing frustration over the disconnect between financial sustainability and perceived entitlement. Others tried to offer more nuanced takes. One user wrote, 'They don't deserve $0. DoorDash didn't make a profit for a very long time, and they paid their employees more than zero dollars.' The idea being, you can still invest in a product you believe will eventually grow, even at a loss. Still, the counterpoint is that the WNBA has had nearly three decades, and the losses have only grown. Not everyone at the All-Star Game fully embraced the message either. Kelsey Plum subtly hinted that not all of Team Clark wanted to wear the 'Pay us what you owe us' shirts. That comment sparked its own wave of controversy, especially since Clark is seen as the league's driving marketing force; her presence alone has boosted viewership, jersey sales, and game attendance dramatically. Even with the upcoming $2.2 billion media deal starting in 2026, which will inject ~$200 million a year into the league, the question remains: Can the WNBA reach profitability without massive structural changes? And do players deserve more, or is the financial reality too stark to ignore? One thing is clear, fans aren't just watching games anymore. They're watching the books. Related: Kelsey Plum Hints Team Clark Didn't Want To Wear "Pay Us What You Owe Us" Shirts At 2025 WNBA All-Star Game This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Dave Portnoy: WNBA players SHOULD get paid more... it's a sporting scandal that morons are missing
Barstool Sports chief Dave Portnoy has taken aim at 'morons' as he weighed in on the WNBA 's pay scandal in a fiery rant. Caitlin Clark and her fellow WNBA stars took a stand during Saturday night's All-Star game when they called out the league with a pointed jibe over its failure to pay them what they believe they deserve. The league's All-Stars took to the court in T-shirts telling league bosses to 'pay us what you owe us' talks over a new collective bargaining agreement stalled in Indianapolis this week. However, the players faced backlash on social media with fans questioning why players should be paid more when the league has been operating at a loss. Yet Portnoy, who has become heavily invested in the WNBA over the past year as a staunch supporter of Clark, fired back as he defended the players over the scandal. 'I see lots of morons trying to act like WNBA players don't deserve more money,' the media mogul, who inked a deal with Fox Sports this week, began in a fiery rant on X. 'They are throwing around this 'lost 50 million' number that nobody even knows where it comes from. The finances of the league are a mess, tied in with NBA and purposely murkey. The owners don't want to say how the league is doing cause then you gotta pay more going into bargaining agreement. 'The league is exploding. Franchise values are exploding. Ticket sales, merch, tv rights all exploding. The players have an opt out in their CBA. Of course they took it. 'It's all about leverage in re-negotiations and for the 1st time in history of league players have power. The players make virtually nothing while the entire league explodes. Of course they deserve more money. 'Just the values of the team pay for it without all the other stuff. If somebody told me I could buy a Boston team for 250 million I would do it without blinking. That's all you got to know about the WNBA finances.' Negotiations between the WNBA and Women's National Basketball Players Association continued in Indianapolis this week but failed to reach a deal and erase the friction between the two sides. In fact, many WNBA players were disappointed in the lack of progress of an in- person session on Thursday that was attended by 40 players. The negotiations certainly didn't narrow the gap between the two sides. 'I think (Thursday's) meeting was good for the fact that we could be in the same room as the league and the Board of Governors,' said Liberty star Breanna Stewart, a union vice president. 'But, I think, to be frank, it was a wasted opportunity.' The dispute began when the players union announced after the 2024 season that they would opt out of the CBA on October 31, 2025. With television revenues on the rise - largely due to the presence of Clark - the players want a larger piece of the financial pie. The Barstool Sports chief shared a lengthy rant to social media about the issue on Sunday The players' top priorities are greatly increased salaries and a revenue sharing plan. In the WNBA, players reportedly only receive 9.3 per cent of league revenue which is way less than athletes in most other sports leagues. But, as a New York Post article in October pointed out, the WNBA was set to lose $40million last season and NBA owners were starting to get frustrated by it. The NBA owns nearly 60 per cent of the league and owners were pressing commissioner Adam Silver for answers on when they can expect a return on their investment. There's a lot of money coming into the league over the next few years with a new 11-year media rights deal worth over $2.2billion, three new expansion teams that each paid $250m in fees and many new sponsors. According to Sports Illustrated, WNBA salaries roughly range from a minimum of $66,000 to a super maximum contract of around $250,000. For reference, Clark will earn $78,000 in the 2025 season while All-Star rival Napheesa Collier has an average annual salary of $184,000. Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings has the highest average annual salary in the WNBA at $241,000. Players can supplement their income through commercial deals and it's thought Clark, the Indiana Fever sensation, earned $11million in 2024. The deadline to reach a new agreement is just three-and-a-half months away. 'Rev sharing is truly transformational,' Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum told reporters. '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.' Chicago Sky second-year forward Angel Reese termed the negotiations as 'disrespectful.' 'Obviously, women's basketball is skyrocketing,' Reese told reporters. 'And it's important for us to get what we want now, not just now, but for the future as well. ... 'It was an eye-opener for me ... hearing the language of things, not things that I was happy to hear. It was disrespectful -- the proposal that we were sent back.' 'We're on a time crunch. No one wants a lockout,' said Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, another vice president of the WNBPA. 'But at the end of the day, we have to stand firm, and we're not going to be moved on certain topics. So hopefully the league comes back quickly so that we can get have more dialog, more conversations and can get the ball rolling.' Collier and Stewart were co-founders of Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league that debuted last offseason. The fact that both players are part of the WNBPA negotiating party while having significant financial investments in a rival league would appear to be a conflict of interest, though Collier has fought back against that narrative. That also is part of the discussions as the WNBA wants its league to be prioritized among the players, some of whom play overseas. Players point out that Unrivaled's pay scale was better for most players than what they receive in WNBA salary. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert described the negotiations as 'very constructive dialog.' Engelbert said she remains optimistic that a deal with get done.
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Caitlin Clark and WNBA stars make stunning protest against their pay before All-Star game
Caitlin Clark and her fellow WNBA players wore T-shirts telling league bosses to 'pay us what you owe us' as talks over a new collective bargaining agreement stalled during All-Star week. Negotiations have been ongoing between the WNBA and Women's National Basketball Players Association during All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis but they have failed to reach a deal and erase the friction between the two sides. In fact, many WNBA players were disappointed in the lack of progress of an in- person session conducted Thursday. The negotiations certainly didn't narrow the gap between the two sides. 'I think (Thursday's) meeting was good for the fact that we could be in the same room as the league and the Board of Governors,' said Liberty star Breanna Stewart, a union vice president. 'But, I think, to be frank, it was a wasted opportunity.' The dispute began when the players union announced after the 2024 season that they would opt out of the CBA on Oct. 31, 2025. With television revenues on the rise - largely due to the presence of Clark - the players want a larger piece of the financial pie. 'Rev sharing is truly transformational,' Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum told reporters. '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.' Chicago Sky second-year forward Angel Reese termed the negotiations as 'disrespectful.' 'Obviously, women's basketball is skyrocketing,' Reese told reporters. 'And it's important for us to get what we want now, not just now, but for the future as well. ... 'It was an eye-opener for me ... hearing the language of things, not things that I was happy to hear. It was disrespectful -- the proposal that we were sent back.' The deadline to reach a new agreement is just three-and-a-half months away. 'We're on a time crunch. No one wants a lockout,' said Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, another vice president of the WNBPA. 'But at the end of the day, we have to stand firm, and we're not going to be moved on certain topics. So hopefully the league comes back quickly so that we can get have more dialog, more conversations and can get the ball rolling.' Collier and Stewart were co-founders of Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league that debuted last offseason. The fact that both players are part of the WNBPA negotiating party while having significant financial investments in a rival league would appear to be a conflict of interest, though Collier has fought back against that narrative. That also is part of the discussions as the WNBA wants its league to be prioritized among the players, some of whom play overseas. Players point out that Unrivaled's pay scale was better for most players than what they receive in WNBA salary. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert described the negotiations as 'very constructive dialog.' Engelbert said she remains optimistic that a deal with get done. More to follow.
