NIL Hits The WNBA

[RockyMTblue2]

Las Vegas may be the only city in the WNBA that can do this:

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[LwrcasefaN]

View attachment 100841

Yea... not feeling this. Vegas... gambling...and free money for players. I'm assuming that this is taxpayer money. In any case ... just a terrible idea.

 

[Cuango]

I don’t see how the W can let this happen! They’re looking at some majorly unhappy players/teams if Las Vegas gets to do this. It smells anywhere, but especially in Las Vegas! I predict this will not be allowed to stand, probably at all, but certainly not without some major revisions! They wouldn’t even let owners pay for their own team‘s charter flights last year, claiming “competitive advantage“! How much more of a “competitive advantage” would one hundred grand bonuses per player be? I hope the Vegas players aren’t counting their money yet, cause I think they’re gonna be $100,000 short! This could get ugly real fast!

 

[MSGRET]

It is not the city of Las Vegas that is sponsoring the Ace's team members. It is the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, (LVCVA). The LVCVA is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of 14 members representing the county, the incorporated cities within the county and gaming and tourism leaders. The board's primary function is to formulate policies to guide the LVCVA in fulfilling its mission of attracting an ever-increasing number of visitors to Southern Nevada. State law establishes the number, appointment and terms of the board members.

The LVCVA is funded solely by the room tax paid by visitors to our destination. They receive no revenue from any other source, including local residents. The players have been welcoming arrivals at Las Vegas International Airport and at casino's with short videos since the Ace's have been in Vegas, just like other local teams here in Vegas. The also do local events during both the season and off season, now they are getting paid as LVCVA representatives.

 

[Skeets]

It is not the city of Las Vegas that is sponsoring the Ace's team members. It is the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, (LVCVA). The LVCVA is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of 14 members representing the county, the incorporated cities within the county and gaming and tourism leaders. The board's primary function is to formulate policies to guide the LVCVA in fulfilling its mission of attracting an ever-increasing number of visitors to Southern Nevada. State law establishes the number, appointment and terms of the board members.

The LVCVA is funded solely by the room tax paid by visitors to our destination. They receive no revenue from any other source, including local residents. The players have been welcoming arrivals at Las Vegas International Airport and at casino's with short videos since the Ace's have been in Vegas, just like other local teams here in Vegas. The also do local events during both the season and off season, now they are getting paid as LVCVA representatives.

Sarge, if the source of the funding is the room tax, then yes, the players are receiving taxpayer money. This violates the salary cap (not to mention morality), but I don't know how to stop it in this age of NIL.

This is much less of a problem in other professional like men's baseball, football, basketball, etc. because of the amount of money the players make. They don't need to stand around in airports welcoming people. So one solution is pay the WNBA players a heck of a lot more money so that $100K is no big deal.

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[oldhusky]

Sarge, if the source of the funding is the room tax, then yes, the players are receiving taxpayer money. This violates the salary cap (not to mention morality), but I don't know how to stop it in this age of NIL.

This is much less of a problem in other professional like men's baseball, football, basketball, etc. because of the amount of money the players make. They don't need to stand around in airports welcoming people. So one solution is pay the WNBA players a heck of a lot more money so that $100K is no big deal.

I'm not questioning the rest of your points, but disagree with the way you are describing this as taxpayers money. It is not taken from income, sales or property tax. If you view money that comes from someone that is a taxpayer as taxpayer money, then if I but a big gulp at the local 7 Eleven and the owner ultimately spends it, he is spending taxpayer money. Looking at it that way the only money that isn't tax payer money is money coming from someone that doesn't pay taxes.

This is a local tax on discretionary spending, mostly applied to out of town visitors. I agree it could be an issue from an unfair competitive advantage standpoint. I would compare this more to a state paying a celebrity to do a commercial to promote a state lottery.

There are real issues here, but not because of where the money comes from., rather because of the potentially unfair competitive advantage, which is a broad issue pertaining to many things. The league obviously had a problem with chartered flights if wealthy team owners gave their team a competitive advantage over others that couldn't afford it. The same is true but not mentioned as often regarding training facilities.

The Aces built a state of the art training facility, and many teams don't even have a dedicated practice facility. Seattle has done the same this year. I presume the unfair competitive advantage argument could come up there as well. Some teams have the advantage of owners who can indirectly compensate players with advantages others teams can't. It will be interesting how this all plays out.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Very dicey, but better than under the table $100,000 envelopes.

 

[RadfordRam]

View attachment 100841

This is no different from Nike sponsoring each player on the Aces team. The Aces are popular and very good, it's a great investment by the Las Vegas Tourism agency. Nothing will come of this investigation except wasted time.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

This is no different from Nike sponsoring each player on the Aces team. The Aces are popular and very good, it's a great investment by the Las Vegas Tourism agency. Nothing will come of this investigation except wasted time.

The difference is Nike wouldn't do that. What end of the bench player has 100k endorsements? Which raises the question...why would Vegas? All they have to do is keep winning? They were winning before this! no? So why pay for something you're already getting for FREE? There's a reason why there are salary caps and there's a reason why the worst teams have a better odd of getting top picks in the draft. It's called preserving competition and the integrity of the WNBA product.

 

[MSGRET]

Sarge, if the source of the funding is the room tax, then yes, the players are receiving taxpayer money. This violates the salary cap (not to mention morality), but I don't know how to stop it in this age of NIL.

This is much less of a problem in other professional like men's baseball, football, basketball, etc. because of the amount of money the players make. They don't need to stand around in airports welcoming people. So one solution is pay the WNBA players a heck of a lot more money so that $100K is no big deal.

They don't stand around in the airport, they do what is a video message welcoming the people to Las Vegas and give them info on sites to visit while in Vegas. As for the taxpayer money, it is the funding for the LVCVA who does all the advertising for the County and Cities within Clark County, bring in the conventions, promote the pro and semi-pro teams, plus UNLV. They budget for all types of activities, for the FY24 budget they allotted $463.4M for the general fund budget which includes $99.5 million for advertising, $23.7 million for marketing, $69.9 million for special events and $114.4 million in debt payments. The players are getting paid for representing Las Vegas in a good light and bringing in visitors to their games. Those said visitors stay on the Strip and spend their money while they are here.

 

[baggerbob]

I'm not questioning the rest of your points, but disagree with the way you are describing this as taxpayers money. It is not taken from income, sales or property tax. If you view money that comes from someone that is a taxpayer as taxpayer money, then if I but a big gulp at the local 7 Eleven and the owner ultimately spends it, he is spending taxpayer money. Looking at it that way the only money that isn't tax payer money is money coming from someone that doesn't pay taxes.

This is a local tax on discretionary spending, mostly applied to out of town visitors. I agree it could be an issue from an unfair competitive advantage standpoint. I would compare this more to a state paying a celebrity to do a commercial to promote a state lottery.

There are real issues here, but not because of where the money comes from., rather because of the potentially unfair competitive advantage, which is a broad issue pertaining to many things. The league obviously had a problem with chartered flights if wealthy team owners gave their team a competitive advantage over others that couldn't afford it. The same is true but not mentioned as often regarding training facilities.

The Aces built a state of the art training facility, and many teams don't even have a dedicated practice facility. Seattle has done the same this year. I presume the unfair competitive advantage argument could come up there as well. Some teams have the advantage of owners who can indirectly compensate players with advantages others teams can't. It will be interesting how this all plays out.

Most big cities have a hotel tax that they can use to do the same thing if they choose to. If this stands expect others to do the same, or find other avenues, to circumvent the players contract with the league.

 

[MSGRET]

Most big cities have a hotel tax that they can use to do the same thing if they choose to. If this stands expect others to do the same, or find other avenues, to circumvent the players contract with the league.

Which they should if they can. It's a shame that the WNBA has been so inept over the years when it comes to the business of basketball. You have many college teams that have more fans at their games then the W does. Then you have owners who won't put the money into their teams for facilities and support. The Ace's moved to Las Vegas from San Antonio and in the first year they were doing the same as Atlanta and other shoddy ran teams. Then Mark Davis (Raiders owner) bought the team, allowed the team to use the Raider's facility in Henderson while he built a top notch facility next door. He brought in top leadership, hired Becky Hammon as head coach, who was allowed to bring in a top staff. Almost anything they need is given to them. The only way that the W is going to improve is to insist that the owners commit to their team or sell it. The owner's of the Liberty the Storm and a few others are matching the commitment that Davis has done.

 

[MSGRET]

The difference is Nike wouldn't do that. What end of the bench player has 100k endorsements? Which raises the question...why would Vegas? All they have to do is keep winning? They were winning before this! no? So why pay for something you're already getting for FREE? There's a reason why there are salary caps and there's a reason why the worst teams have a better odd of getting top picks in the draft. It's called preserving competition and the integrity of the WNBA product.

No it's called a failed business model. There are teams in Europe that pay more than the W does, that's why you have the stupid rule that keeps players from staying the whole season in Europe or the one's that do get penalized by being banned from playing in the W that season. Gabby is staying in France this year because she wants to play on their Olympic team. Dorka is going to be able to play in Minnesota because she falls under the 0-2 year rule. While Jessica Shepard is not going to be able to play for Minnesota this season because she has 3+ years in the W. Maybe the W should move their season back a couple weeks so they don't punish players and maybe they would be able to get some top notch foreign players to play, which might even improve some of the play.

 

[David54]

Hey the montville tribe can do better than that! What happens when a player gets traded?

 

[HuskyNan]

They don't stand around in the airport, they do what is a video message welcoming the people to Las Vegas and give them info on sites to visit while in Vegas. As for the taxpayer money, it is the funding for the LVCVA who does all the advertising for the County and Cities within Clark County, bring in the conventions, promote the pro and semi-pro teams, plus UNLV. They budget for all types of activities, for the FY24 budget they allotted $463.4M for the general fund budget which includes $99.5 million for advertising, $23.7 million for marketing, $69.9 million for special events and $114.4 million in debt payments. The players are getting paid for representing Las Vegas in a good light and bringing in visitors to their games. Those said visitors stay on the Strip and spend their money while they are here.

Orange County Florida does the same thing. There's a 6% tax on hotel rooms that supports area organizations. While the Orlando Magic NBA team players don't receive payouts from the tax, their venue could be improved with funds raised (not this year, though).

Orange County leaders decide how to spend tourist tax money

Residents who opposed the spending spoke out during public comment, saying the city should focus on affordable housing and other needs.

www.wesh.com

I do understand the concern that the payout could appear to be an end run around the salary cap. The optics are not good.

 

[MSGRET]

Orange County Florida does the same thing. There's a 6% tax on hotel rooms that supports area organizations. While the Orlando Magic NBA team players don't receive payouts from the tax, their venue could be improved with funds raised (not this year, though).

Orange County leaders decide how to spend tourist tax money

Residents who opposed the spending spoke out during public comment, saying the city should focus on affordable housing and other needs.

www.wesh.com

I do understand the concern that the payout could appear to be an end run around the salary cap. The optics are not good.

But it might also be a way for teams to come up with creative ways of getting extra dollars to these players so they stay in the city that they play in year around and promote the W.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

No it's called a failed business model. There are teams in Europe that pay more than the W does, that's why you have the stupid rule that keeps players from staying the whole season in Europe or the one's that do get penalized by being banned from playing in the W that season. Gabby is staying in France this year because she wants to play on their Olympic team. Dorka is going to be able to play in Minnesota because she falls under the 0-2 year rule. While Jessica Shepard is not going to be able to play for Minnesota this season because she has 3+ years in the W. Maybe the W should move their season back a couple weeks so they don't punish players and maybe they would be able to get some top notch foreign players to play, which might even improve some of the play.

Trust me....I'm not supporting or cheerleading business practices, but I'm just not of the belief that any or some money solves more problems than it causes. I'm definitely suspicious of 100k for a part-time virtual Walmart greeter. lol. I need to change professions! TBH....I get the sense that some of these WNBA teams are just tax write-offs until or if they ever turn a profit. I like expansion even though it's not a quick fix. I'm a basketball enthusiast, but I can barely watch a WNBA game because of all the talent that's sitting on the ends of the bench or that never make a team. BUT, I watch even fewer NBA games because the money has spoiled the product. In a couple of years one of these super teams will average 150 -160 points per game over a season. I can't watch that...even for free.

 

[MSGRET]

Trust me....I'm not supporting or cheerleading business practices, but I'm just not of the belief that any or some money solves more problems than it causes. I'm definitely suspicious of 100k for a part-time virtual Walmart greeter. lol. I need to change professions! TBH....I get the sense that some of these WNBA teams are just tax write-offs until or if they ever turn a profit. I like expansion even though it's not a quick fix. I'm a basketball enthusiast, but I can barely watch a WNBA game because of all the talent that's sitting on the ends of the bench or that never make a team. BUT, I watch even fewer NBA games because the money has spoiled the product. In a couple of years one of these super teams will average 150 -160 points per game over a season. I can't watch that...even for free.

First of all they are not a virtual Walmart greeter's. They are local celebrates that are giving public messages for the LVCVA at one of the busiest airports in the World. These messages are from the time the visitor gets off the plane until they leave the airport. They can be messages about health safety during the summer, about shows or other areas of interest such as skiing or snowboarding during the winter months, Hoover Dam, The Boneyard, which is where many of the old icon neon signs that have been replaced are there for viewing, Valley of Fire plus many other areas. The LVCVA has been doing this since the early sometime in the 80's maybe even earlier. At one time they were paying people like Wayne Newton, Sheckie Green, Barry Manilow, The Bee Gees, Sammy Davis, and others. They have had local pros from the Raiders, Golden Nights, the Semi pro baseball players from the Aviators and from the Aces. They also have messages in the Las Vegas Convention Center and even on the the community announcements that are on the TV's in every hotel room.

I believe that if the WNBA tries to stop this that the players will have a nice lawsuit on the horizon and in the end that the W will end up losing.

 

[CL82]

I actually see this as being a game changer. If playing in Las Vegas means that players get an extra hundred thousand dollars, even though that's from an outside agency and not from the team, then they have a competitive advantage versus every other team. That means that every other team has to find sources of revenue in order to be competitive. At least one of them will up the ante.

Things are about to become very interesting in the WNBA.

 

[psconn]

Bad news for the Sun. No way Uncasville is going to pony up 1.2 million in "sponsorships" to be competative with large market franchises.

 

[Dogdude]

Hmmm...tax dollars go to universities for their practice and game facilities in order to attract recruits, and sponsors already support teams with their logos appearing on team jerseys, so while this is a grey area, it's hard to find how this violates anything...

 

[Dogdude]

Bad news for the Sun. No way Uncasville is going to pony up 1.2 million in "sponsorships" to be competative with large market franchises.

Maybe true, but will a consortium of business and individuals that are working hard to get any sort of pro sports team into the XL center be willing? We may be at the doorstep of a big reshuffling, who knows..

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Hmmm...tax dollars go to universities for their practice and game facilities in order to attract recruits, and sponsors already support teams with their logos appearing on team jerseys, so while this is a grey area, it's hard to find how this violates anything...

That's not a player. Big difference. And if they want to support the team...negotiate that logo on the jersey. Just do not pay individual players. You could say well Clark just struck a huge deal with Nike (?). Difference is...not the entire team and her deal stands no matter what team she plays for.