DT sounds off on the W

[Cuango]

I can't imagine that many of the Euro teams make money, some of the crowds look even smaller than the W...yet they pay their talent at least adequately, sometimes handsomely.

Teams are owned (as here) by super rich individuals...There, they choose to pay the players adequately...here not.

Coming from the classical music biz, there were always managers who had the attitude that the talent should (almost) pay them in order to thank them for giving them a platform to shine ...seems like the collective viewpoint of the W.

It's just the prevailing sentiment of current W ownership...and a maverick who took a more generous view would be severally pressured by his colleagues to desist. ...Would be interesting if such an owner came forward; all the best players would flock to him...perhaps change the situ of the game.

But comparing salaries to current attendance and acceptance is a "red herring': and is not a real world explanation for the problem.

Just typical American greed and willingness to exploit talent. not a whole lot different from coal minors and automobile laborers.

“I can’t imagine that many of the Euro teams make money...” Maybe they do. Regardless, writing the problem off as “typical American greed” is ludicrous. Until the W can start making a profit, little will change. The clear implication is that they (owners) should simply pay the players like the men because that is the fair thing to do. I would be willing to bet a lot (for me) of money that if the NBA suddenly stopped making big bucks, the idiotic salaries would soon go the way of the Dodo bird. I’m all for these players making more money! Diana is one of my all time sports heroes but If I owned the Mercury, I would still expect them to turn a profit before I started paying them as if they were on par with the NBA.

 

[bballnut90]

I think Diana has mentioned this before, but a quick fix that makes a big difference is raise the max salary cap so that stars actually make more money than veteran role players. Almost all veterans are making relatively similar money and most teams have many players at the max salary (which I believe is around 115k). Restructure it so you reward the best players and pay them more money like they do in the NBA and reduce salaries for the vets who contribute but arent franchise player. Something isnt right when Lyttle and January make about the same as Taurasi/Griner.

 

[eebmg]

I think Diana has mentioned this before, but a quick fix that makes a big difference is raise the max salary cap so that stars actually make more money than veteran role players. Almost all veterans are making relatively similar money and most teams have many players at the max salary (which I believe is around 115k). Restructure it so you reward the best players and pay them more money like they do in the NBA and reduce salaries for the vets who contribute but arent franchise player. Something isnt right when Lyttle and January make about the same as Taurasi/Griner.

Then change over to 3 x 3 (or better 2 x 2 or 1 x 1).

 

[DefenseBB]

That part had to be hyperbole. I flat out dismissed it.

Actually that part is probably the one fact DT got 100% right. The janitor/custodian works a full year for that salary while the lesser WBB player “works” 4 months. So the “salary” itself is one year vs. 4 months but hey it was just pointed out that Dee was never strong in economics.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Actually that part is probably the one fact DT got 100% right. The janitor/custodian works a full year for that salary while the lesser WBB player “works” 4 months. So the “salary” itself is one year vs. 4 months but hey it was just pointed out that Dee was never strong in economics.

Even then. $100+ K for a janitor? Or was she talking about rookie contracts?

 

[Adios]

Running the WNBA IS a humanitarian effort right now. The market is not large. However, the Sun might be Connecticut's first successful tier 1 professional franchise. They seem as if they are here to stay. Outlasted the Whalers.

 

[Plebe]

Even then. $100+ K for a janitor? Or was she talking about rookie contracts?

"And I use an example of when B.G. [Brittney Griner] was a rookie, she was walking in this arena, and the janitor was making more money than her."

 

[bballnut90]

Even then. $100+ K for a janitor? Or was she talking about rookie contracts?

Rookie contracts but DT neglects the fact that Griner as a rookie making 40-50k only plays for Phoenix 3-4 months out of the year....the janitor works full time year round.

Players get worked up over salaries but no one offers viable solutions or acknowledges that the games are poorly attended. Do they really think owners are taking in big bucks from the W? The money has to come from somewhere.

And I've posted on this a zillion times but despite what these articles tell you, the players are NOT poor by any means. Most vets make 6 figures for working 3-4 months out of the year and have 8-9 months free to supplement their income with overseas play (which usually pays more), coaching, or something completely outside of basketball. No, it isnt NBA money, but good players who have a 10+ career playing year round can build up a pretty nice nest egg to live off of after their playing days are over. Or at least give them a big head start compared to most individuals who are in the work force.

 

[j66kicker]

Running the WNBA IS a humanitarian effort right now. The market is not large. However, the Sun might be Connecticut's first successful tier 1 professional franchise. They seem as if they are here to stay. Outlasted the Whalers.

I suspect the Sun’s losses are a small expense item in the casino’s marketing budget. Get a few thousand people into the casino parking lot 15 times a year, and a lot of them even buy tickets. Hmmmmm....

 

[j66kicker]

Maybe it would help if a wealthy woman (Oprah, etc.) would step up and buy an WNBA team and pay the required salaries to lead the way.

She would need to buy the whole league. The league has rules preventing one team from spending more than the others. These go beyond salary cap & salary rules (no private or first class travel, limits on compensation from side jobs with a team’s affiliated company, etc.).

 

[brownale]

She would need to buy the whole league. The league has rules preventing one team from spending more than the others. These go beyond salary cap & salary rules (no private or first class travel, limits on compensation from side jobs with a team’s affiliated company, etc.).

Trim the rosters to 8 players - that immediately gives the best players a 50% pay raise and eliminates a lot of marginal players. With only the very best playing the product should improve.

 

[eebmg]

Trim the rosters to 8 players - that immediately gives the best players a 50% pay raise and eliminates a lot of marginal players. With only the very best playing the product should improve.

Injuries, foul trouble, fatigue ???

 

[brownale]

Injuries, foul trouble, fatigue ???

For a 50% pay raise, I'll play when I'm tired (season is short and I get rest between games). Eliminate the ticky-tack fouls and/or up the foul limit to 7.

 

[CTrefugee]

Running the WNBA IS a humanitarian effort right now. The market is not large. However, the Sun might be Connecticut's first successful tier 1 professional franchise. They seem as if they are here to stay. Outlasted the Whalers.

Only because most of the seats are free to gamblers and thus subsidized by their loses via the casino. The line to get free tickets is a long one.

 

[UConn990411]

Actually that part is probably the one fact DT got 100% right. The janitor/custodian works a full year for that salary while the lesser WBB player “works” 4 months. So the “salary” itself is one year vs. 4 months but hey it was just pointed out that Dee was never strong in economics.

Why is “works” in quotation marks?

 

[Sargassoc]

But comparing salaries to current attendance and acceptance is a "red herring': and is not a real world explanation for the problem.

Just typical American greed and willingness to exploit talent. not a whole lot different from coal miners and automobile laborers.

I could not agree more.

 

[the Q]

Running the WNBA IS a humanitarian effort right now. The market is not large. However, the Sun might be Connecticut's first successful tier 1 professional franchise. They seem as if they are here to stay. Outlasted the Whalers.

The whalers weren’t being subsidized by the nhl or any other entity though.

 

[Orangutan]

There is no profit motive or effort in European women's basketball. They have far worse attendance at most games. There are corporate and government sponsors who burnish their images with these teams. Europe offers no economic model.

Following the European model would be: Eliminate the salary cap, Jeff Bezos buys a team, the Amazonians win 8 straight championships because they have all the best players.

 

[Adios]

Only because most of the seats are free to gamblers and thus subsidized by their loses via the casino. The line to get free tickets is a long one.

Either way, decent attendance at Sun games.

 

[meyers7]

Why is “works” in quotation marks?

Prolly because most people on here would love for their "work" to be playing basketball for 4 months.

 

[eebmg]

Prolly because most people on here would love for their "work" to be playing basketball for 4 months.

Time for the players to refuse their salaries, pray for forgiveness at their egocentric ways and pay out of their pocket for the privelage of playing to the team owners and dont forget that the players should also pay the fans to come to their games.

 

[meyers7]

Time for the players to refuse their salaries, pray for forgiveness at their egocentric ways and pay out of their pocket for the privelage of playing to the team owners and dont forget that the players should also pay the fans to come to their games.

If you have a job you love, you'll never have to work a day in your life. (I think somebody said that)

 

[DefenseBB]

Running the WNBA IS a humanitarian effort right now. The market is not large. However, the Sun might be Connecticut's first successful tier 1 professional franchise. They seem as if they are here to stay. Outlasted the Whalers.

“Tier 1 professional team”? Umm, just because they outlasted the Whalers and quite a few other WNBA teams, not sure I call it a Tier 1.

 

[DefenseBB]

Following the European model would be: Eliminate the salary cap, Jeff Bezos Ex-Wife buys a team with the money she acquired from the divorce to empower more women to do what they love and the Amazonians win 8 straight championships because they have all the best players.

There, I fixed it for you...

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Thank God for Europe. We spend billions defending them; they reciprocate by paying a few of our most talented women ballers! Let's have the Defense Department adopt the WNBA, pay every one of them a fortune, and withdraw from Europe and let them defend themselves.