OT WNBA getting paid what they are worth

[HuskyNan]

The WNBA literally has the lowest Television ratings of any sport. There are reruns of Seinfeld that pull more viewers.

So there's that.

Personally I have not watched a single WNBA game since Maya Moore was dominating the league....And I only watched her team because of her. But that is just me.

Not true

Now, halfway through the 2025 season, the WNBA is on a victory tour. TV ratings are even higher than last year, up 23% across the board. Attendance has also kept climbing, with games on average seeing 13% more fans than last year and total ticket sales up 26% overall with the debut of the league's 13th team, the Golden State Valkyries.

https://www.npr.org/2025/07/19/nx-s1-5471422/wnba-all-star-game-caitlyn-clark-indianapolis

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[EricLA]

I hate the comparisons of how much players make in the NBA vs. the WNBA. The NBA is exponentially more profitable with billion$ in revenues from sponsorships, souvenir sales and what not, fan sell outs at higher ticket prices, etc.

The WNBA, while on a big upswing, is making million$. Yes they should be paying their players a lot more. No it should not be just double what they make now. For a 6 month season, rookies of Paige's caliber should probably be in the $350-400K range. Until the WNBA has the REVENUE that the NBA has (I don't want to hear about profitability), the women will never be paid the same, nor should they.

 

[1974yankees]

Not true

Now, halfway through the 2025 season, the WNBA is on a victory tour. TV ratings are even higher than last year, up 23% across the board. Attendance has also kept climbing, with games on average seeing 13% more fans than last year and total ticket sales up 26% overall with the debut of the league's 13th team, the Golden State Valkyries.

https://www.npr.org/2025/07/19/nx-s1-5471422/wnba-all-star-game-caitlyn-clark-indianapolis

I am not going to deny that the WNBA ratings have been up since Clark entered the league.

Their ratings are still bad though compared to other professional sports leagues...MLB, NFL, NBA etc.

The WNBA is still capitalizing off of the Clark situation and they have done a good job promoting her. Just like the NCAA did.

I still won't watch this league. I wish I could enjoy it but I dont.

But in all fairness, I don't really watch the other professional sports leagues either. I am more of a college sports person.

Admittedly I did watch Maya/Minnesota when she was in the league.

 

[Sifaka]

I wonder if the DSM (https://www.psychiatryonline.org/dsm) has anything for people who claim they don't watch something while making proclamations about that something, including details of its performance in comparison to other things they claim not to watch?

Just to give folks a taste of what I'm chattering about, imagine that
1) there was a discussion of cricket player’s compensation, and…
2) I were to assert something or other about cricket having fewer viewers than parcheesi (Pachisi) and Whist, and…
3) I would proudly declare that I did not watch any of them, and
4) I would fully expect you to take my opinions and proclamations seriously.

What, as they say, is wrong with this picture?

 

[1974yankees]

I wonder if the DSM (https://www.psychiatryonline.org/dsm) has anything for people who claim they don't watch something while making proclamations about that something, including details of its performance in comparison to other things they claim not to watch?

Just to give folks a taste of what I'm chattering about, imagine that
1) there was a discussion of cricket player’s compensation, and…
2) I were to assert something or other about cricket having fewer viewers than parcheesi (Pachisi) and Whist, and…
3) I would proudly declare that I did not watch any of them, and
4) I would fully expect you to take my opinions and proclamations seriously.

What, as they say, is wrong with this picture?



View attachment 110854

I wonder how many people have 2 young girls who absolutely worship some of these players but have parents who monitor what they watch because of the outrageous language coming from some of their favorite players. Not to mention the absolute violence in some cases from certain players.

Unfortunately, because of this we definitely don't tune in the WNBA. It is impossible to miss the violent clips of what they have done to Clark too.

Personally, I am glad Maya Moore left that league early. She was too good for that place.

We have been to several Uconn games and my kids have gotten autographs from some of the Uconn players. I just think that these players have a responsibility to tone down the language there too. Thousands of kids attend these games.



Just curious.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

I wonder if the DSM (https://www.psychiatryonline.org/dsm) has anything for people who claim they don't watch something while making proclamations about that something, including details of its performance in comparison to other things they claim not to watch?

Just to give folks a taste of what I'm chattering about, imagine that
1) there was a discussion of cricket player’s compensation, and…
2) I were to assert something or other about cricket having fewer viewers than parcheesi (Pachisi) and Whist, and…
3) I would proudly declare that I did not watch any of them, and
4) I would fully expect you to take my opinions and proclamations seriously.

What, as they say, is wrong with this picture?



View attachment 110854

Arguing with this person (and I unfortunately have) is like facing off against a mythical Hydra. Cut off one head and you’ll have to face 5 more.

Or to use another metaphor, it’s like a Squirrel stole a goal post and merrily proceeds to prance through several rabbit holes.

It is an arguing style akin to Gish Gallop, albeit in a written forum where it loses its bite.

And this particular person intrudes himself on a thread by WNBA interested parties merely to derail the thread (and not start a new thread) from a position of prejudice.

Whether such arguing is a result of a psychiatric condition (which I am not qualified to comment) or a trolling style, your guess is as good as mine.

 

[cancontent]

I hate the comparisons of how much players make in the NBA vs. the WNBA. The NBA is exponentially more profitable with billion$ in revenues from sponsorships, souvenir sales and what not, fan sell outs at higher ticket prices, etc.

The WNBA, while on a big upswing, is making million$. Yes they should be paying their players a lot more. No it should not be just double what they make now. For a 6 month season, rookies of Paige's caliber should probably be in the $350-400K range. Until the WNBA has the REVENUE that the NBA has (I don't want to hear about profitability), the women will never be paid the same, nor should they.

Even as profitable the NBA is, it hasn't stopped owners from claiming they were losing money during negotiations. Owners claimed they were losing money in 1999 and 2011 during CBA negotiations.

And, like the WNBA, it's impossible to know for sure because the books for NBA teams are unavailable. This talking point is part of the league's negotiation strategy.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

The WNBA Has a Good Problem on Its Hands - The Atlantic: “Women’s basketball players are demanding higher pay. That’s what happens when business is booming.”

“Over that time frame, NBA owners have indeed spent a considerable amount of money to keep the league afloat. But that spending wasn’t charity; it was an investment. And the investment is very clearly about to pay off.”

I would add that the players (the product) had skin in the game with their agreed upon discounted pay relative to other markets for their services during the WNBA’s prototype market phase when the WNBA had yearly losses. The players also had an opt out of that discount to be exercised when they felt the WNBA is no longer in its prototype market phase.

The WNBA clearly — and you only need market signals (in article) and not open books to make that determination — isn’t a prototype market in 2026 when the media (~$3B over 10 years) /monetization deals become effective — and the players had a great deal to do with that. And the players rationally exercised the opt-out when they did.

“At 28 years old, the WNBA is arguably in better shape than the NBA was at the same juncture. As the league grows, the players’ salaries should be growing right along with it.”