3 days ago
WNBA Finals' Underwhelming Bonus Leaves Star Disappointed
WNBA Finals' Underwhelming Bonus Leaves Star Disappointed originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Business is booming like never before in the WNBA. Attendance around the league hit the 2.4 million mark in 2024, while more than 50 million viewers caught nationally-televised games as new stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese debuted.
Advertisement
Clark's Indiana Fever continue to rack up big numbers on TV in 2025, showing the 2024 momentum has not slowed. Last season ended with one of the most competitive -- and best-viewed -- Finals series in league history, as the New York Liberty held off the Minnesota Lynx in five games to secure their first-ever championship.
However, WNBA salaries are not rising with the increased demand amid the league's surge in popularity. Though The W has expanded to 13 teams in 2025, no player in the league makes more than $250,000 per season, and frustration is growing with commissioner Cathy Engelbert ahead of possibly contentious collective bargaining negotiations.
On her Twitch program "Studbudz," Lynx guard Courtney Williams on Monday revealed that she received a $3,000 bonus for making it to the WNBA Finals in 2024. In stark contrast, players on the losing side of this year's NBA Finals will split more than $3 million.
Advertisement
"Once our paychecks after the regular season and we're going to the playoffs, honestly, you're just playing for pride at that point," Williams said as she double-checked the $3,000 figure with Minnesota teammate Natisha Hiedeman.
Williams, now in her 10th WNBA season, has followed the path of many other WNBA stars by playing overseas to earn extra cash and stay in shape during the league's offseason. Williams has spent offseasons in Israel and China, and she joined the 3-on-3 Unrivaled league last year -- which offered its players more than $220,000 in guaranteed salary.
Williams' revelation about the Finals bonus adds to the players' growing list of action items amid CBA negotiations with the league.
Related: Dallas Wings Receive Unfortunate Paige Bueckers News After Concussion Update
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
