WNBA Players Want More Money...But It's More Complicated Than That
WNBA stars are pushing for $1 million salaries. The league says it can’t afford it. The real story? A tangled web of revenue splits, ownership stakes, and increasingly impatient investors.
When the WNBA announced its All-Star Game would be played in Indianapolis, it was supposed to be a celebration for the growing league. Attendance had doubled overnight, and a new $2 billion media rights deal is about to kick in. Now, the WNBA would celebrate its growth by hosting its best players for a weekend full of activities with the league’s top media and sponsorship partners right in Caitlin Clark’s backyard.
The only problem? That feeling of jubilation ended before it even began. Caitlin Clark withdrew from the three-point contest and the game due to an injury. The sport’s most vocal cheerleaders spent 48 hours lambasting Shane Gillis for his WNBA joke at the ESPYs, and the only viral highlight from the weekend came during pregame on Saturday night when players entered the court during warm-ups wearing shirts that read “Pay Us What You Owe Us,” a negotiation tactic during the middle of CBA talks.
So today’s newsletter is going to break down everything you need to know about the WNBA’s CBA negotiation, including what players are asking for, the league’s finances over the last 25+ years, the NBA’s current ownership stake, and much more. This is one of the most important and consequential moments in WNBA history. Let’s dive in.