Taurasi to sit out 2015 WNBA Season

[VAMike23]

It certainly looks like the first shot in a trend…Maya, Brit, et al…really does not make business sense for the top echelon to do in their bodies for peanuts.

The likelihood that Maya in particular would follow suit is very, very low, as long as she is not injured.

1) she spends less total time playing for her Chinese team than the elite Euroleague players do for their teams. She takes a full month or more off after the WNBA season and then also has a substantial break after the spring finale, even though her team has been in the championship series with regularity. This is why she is always the first vet back for the Lynx for training camp, and well-rested to boot. The others who play Euro ball barely have time to get over their jet lag and camp has already started.

2) Maya is making a (presumably) large chunk of change from her domestic endorsements, especially Nike/Jordan brand, so skipping out on her home country's pro league and all the visibility it offers her would be a non-starter.

 

[UConnDan97]

Kate Fagan's solution is "quit paying mediocre players as much as Taurasi." She says 36 players make roughly the $107K league maximum. So some quick math: if 25 of those 36 players are considered "mediocre" and got a $50,000 pay cut, that pay cut would fund $1.25 million of increases for the remaining 11 "elite" players, or an average increase of $114K each. For some this might be enough to keep them playing in the summer. How many?

But then the 25 really good players who got the pay cuts would be more inclined to forego the NBA. So keep them happy by giving the $75,000 players a $25,000 pay cut. Etc, etc. It just doesn't work. The problem is there isn't enough revenue, meaning there aren't enough fans. The solution has to be to somehow make the game more appealing to mainstream sports fans.

I think the bigger problem is that there are coaches making almost 3 times what D is making, according to Fagan. I'm pretty sure that's a part of the problem as well. Sure, good coaching is important. But most people are watching this league for the star players, and D is arguably the biggest star of them all...

 

[j66kicker]

I think the bigger problem is that there are coaches making almost 3 times what D is making, according to Fagan. I'm pretty sure that's a part of the problem as well. Sure, good coaching is important. But most people are watching this league for the star players, and D is arguably the biggest star of them all...

Same problem. Not only is there not enough revenue/fan interest to pay the players, there's also it enough to pay the best coaches. No way a top-tier college coach could afford to leave for the WNBA. It's almost a volunteer league, with players and coaches donating their time/services.

 

[JoePgh]

I have never seen a convincing explanation of the economic underpinnings of the foreign WBB leagues. Their game attendance is far worse than for the WNBA; they don't have TV contracts; and their quality of play is less than in the WNBA. So where do they get the money to pay these salaries?

On another point, I don't think it does the WNBA any significant harm if some older players take sabbatical years to allow their bodies to recover. The younger stars will provide all the star power that the league needs. I don't expect Maya Moore or Brittany Griner to take a year off from the WNBA until their 30th birthday is in the rear view mirror.

 

[Striper69]

IMO...

the only thing that will suffer by this is the Mercury's chances at repeating.

It opens up the chances for LA, Minny and the rest of the West to win the title. The rest of the league for that matter.

I don't blame her. She wants to get something to hold her after she's done playing.

The WNBA will be OK. There's enough quality players coming up to sustain or increase interest.

 

[Farney]

If I remember right the team that DT plays for in Russia was owned by a billionaire who didn't care about losing money. He wanted to win so badly that he would pay anything.

 

[UConnDan97]

Same problem. Not only is there not enough revenue/fan interest to pay the players, there's also it enough to pay the best coaches. No way a top-tier college coach could afford to leave for the WNBA. It's almost a volunteer league, with players and coaches donating their time/services.

If what Fagan says is correct, I wouldn't classify a 200k - 300k salary as "donating time / services"...

 

[Striper69]

If I remember right the team that DT plays for in Russia was owned by a billionaire who didn't care about losing money. He wanted to win so badly that he would pay anything.

I read a story about a guy who paid Sue and Diana a lot of money and treated them like royalty but he was murdered.

There's more than one guy like that?

 

[Striper69]

If what Fagan says is correct, I wouldn't classify a 200k - 300k salary as "donating time / services"...

Doesn't seem to be a real secure job though. LOL

 

[j66kicker]

If what Fagan says is correct, I wouldn't classify a 200k - 300k salary as "donating time / services"...

Sorry - just the players I guess. Top-level NCAA coaches would be 'donating' if they coached in the WNBA for that money.

 

[j66kicker]

I read a story about a guy who paid Sue and Diana a lot of money and treated them like royalty but he was murdered.

There's more than one guy like that?

I have read that many of the European teams are sponsored by rich guys who can afford to subsidize the teams

 

[CL82]

It's the right call for Diana. I wish her the best.

I'm a little tired myself. Anyone want to pony up so I can take the summer off?

 

[j66kicker]

It's the right call for Diana. I wish her the best.

I'm a little tired myself. Anyone want to pony up so I can take the summer off?

Hey I just want it to "make sense financially" for me to take the summer off!

 

[Fishy]

I have never seen a convincing explanation of the economic underpinnings of the foreign WBB leagues. Their game attendance is far worse than for the WNBA; they don't have TV contracts; and their quality of play is less than in the WNBA. So where do they get the money to pay these salaries?

Taurasi's team is owned by a Russian gazillionaire.

Like a few other gazillionaires in Russia, the team is his hobby.

He's got the cash and doesn't mind losing $5M a year as long as he's winning.

 

[JellyBean]

This is a good move for Diana. She has been playing ball probably non-stop since 2004! The grind wears on you after awhile. The WNBA will be fine. Diana isn't the only marketable star. The WNBA will still move on, which it should.

 

[JSB60]

I hate to even say this, but Diana isn't all that young in basketball years. She needs to rest at some point and with the disparity in pay, not much choice about which season to take off.

 

[xHunt3r]

I've seen a number of other players "take the season off" for varies reasons.... first time I have seen a player get paid to take the season off though...

 

[meyers7]

I have never seen a convincing explanation of the economic underpinnings of the foreign WBB leagues. Their game attendance is far worse than for the WNBA; they don't have TV contracts; and their quality of play is less than in the WNBA. So where do they get the money to pay these salaries?

As a couple of people have said, some of the owners are very rich and this is just a play thing for them. To boost their ego by winning. Also many of the teams come from sports clubs. The clubs put out soccer, MBB, WBB, rugby, hockey, volleyball, etc. teams. They make money on some, lose money (probably a write off) on some.

For instance Tina Charles and Angel McCaughtry play for Fenerbache, which is a huge soccer (Football) club in Turkey. The club's members pay dues, the club has sponsors. They own their on TV and radio and all their facilities. They have swimming pools, an inn, restaurant, rec facility. They have their own company that sells their products (jerseys, etc.).

For some, having a WBB team is just a small part of a much bigger operation.

 

[Striper69]

It make a whole lot of sense for UMMC Ekaterinburg to pay her an honorarium equal to or greater than her WNBA salary to not play the grueling, grossly underpaid, WNBA season.

Although some will deride this decision, it makes perfect business sense.

Is this the beginning of the end for the WNBA?
Will they begin to compensate their athletes more appropriately?

Or will they just soldier on?

I think there's enough U.S. players who will just try to stay here in the offseason like EDD and Skylar Diggins so it won't effect them and their teams. Some younger players will go for the money and travel and just tough out the year round play. They are only playing a game after all and they probably would be playing in their spare time anyway.
When you get older it's not as easy to do that. I told my brother I'd be playing BB when I was in my forties. I really quit when I joined the Army at 27 years old.

 

[Striper69]

I have never seen a convincing explanation of the economic underpinnings of the foreign WBB leagues. Their game attendance is far worse than for the WNBA; they don't have TV contracts; and their quality of play is less than in the WNBA. So where do they get the money to pay these salaries?

On another point, I don't think it does the WNBA any significant harm if some older players take sabbatical years to allow their bodies to recover. The younger stars will provide all the star power that the league needs. I don't expect Maya Moore or Brittany Griner to take a year off from the WNBA until their 30th birthday is in the rear view mirror.

I'll bet a bunch of teams wish Maya and Britney would take a year off...

lol

 

[Waquoit]

Wait, what? Taurasi is paid less than Anne Donovan? In what world does that make sense?

 

[UConnDan97]

Wait, what? Taurasi is paid less than Anne Donovan? In what world does that make sense?

Bingo!!!

 

[CL82]

Taurasi's team is owned by a Russian gazillionaire.

Like a few other gazillionaires in Russia, the team is his hobby.

He's got the cash and doesn't mind losing $5M a year as long as he's winning.

What, what you need to work, Diana? I tell you what. I pay you not to work. We are done no?

 

[msf22b]

I think there's enough U.S. players who will just try to stay here in the offseason like EDD and Skylar Diggins so it won't effect them and their teams. Some younger players will go for the money and travel and just tough out the year round play. They are only playing a game after all and they probably would be playing in their spare time anyway.
When you get older it's not as easy to do that. I told my brother I'd be playing BB when I was in my forties. I really quit when I joined the Army at 27 years old.

EDD and Skylar are also motivated by all the promotional money they make back home.
In addition, EDD has a great deal of charity work set up, likes to be able to see her disabled sister regularly and her family is reasonably comfortable.

PS: I still hoist a few at 75

 

[Striper69]

EDD and Skylar are also motivated by all the promotional money they make back home.
In addition, EDD has a great deal of charity work set up, likes to be able to see her disabled sister regularly and her family is reasonably comfortable.

PS: I still hoist a few at 75

I don't like even shooting around. It reminds me of how good I was and will never be again. It took a lot of work to get where I was.

I don't play pickup cause the dental work would be too expensive...

j/k