WNBA Players Opt Out of Contract

[Fairfield Fan]

Now we'll see the numbers:

WNBA players opt out of CBA, to start talks

Or so we hope. Neka Ogwumike says that they're asking for the financials, while the acting president of the WNBA says the players have everything. In any case, it's clear that the players want to grow the game and believe that it can be marketed much better. Neka is certainly taking a conciliatory position going into the negotiations. The leaders are Neka and UConn's Sue Bird.

Can't wait to see how this unfolds for our Uconn alumnae.

 

[CocoHusky]

WNBA player need to be very careful what they wish for here.

 

[JellyBean]

I hope the players know what they are doing.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Here's a perceptive piece from the economics professor Berrie and Forbes contributor whom Forbes just fired:

The Challenges And Opportunities Facing The Next WNBA President

He argues for higher salaries (the players, according to him they receive just 20% of the gross of $60 million), more franchises in big cities currently not served by the WNBA, and much more independence from the NBA. The NBA owns 50% of the league outright, while NBA owners own another 20% of the teams directly.

But Berri was just fired from Forbes because the WNBA objected to what he was writing. The WNBA doesn't specify what they wanted added or subtracted from his articles, however. And is it any wonder that the WNBA management would come down hard on a writer advocating for higher player salaries at the same time that the WNBA players were opting out of their collective bargaining agreement?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...-wnba-player-salaries/?utm_term=.365b023abda0

Kinda smells, no?

 

[Magy Cannon]

Steve Forbes has written articles against Title IX. I quit subscribing to the magazine because of his lack of support for athletic opportunities for girls and women.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Now we'll see the numbers:

WNBA players opt out of CBA, to start talks

Or so we hope. Neka Ogwumike says that they're asking for the financials, while the acting president of the WNBA says the players have everything. In any case, it's clear that the players want to grow the game and believe that it can be marketed much better. Neka is certainly taking a conciliatory position going into the negotiations. The leaders are Neka and UConn's Sue Bird.

Can't wait to see how this unfolds for our Uconn alumnae.

Don't they have a Union or group Attorney? Seems that full disclosure of Team/League finances would be necessary to negotiate a contract. There is a guy or three on the BY that has more current knowledge in this area that knows more than I.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Steve Forbes has written articles against Title IX. I quit subscribing to the magazine because of his lack of support for athletic opportunities for girls and women.

Magy you don't wear your support on your sleeve it's factual and in your heart. Equality between Women and Men teams can only occur with SUPPORT from people like YOU.

 

[BroadwayVa]

WNBA player need to be very careful what they wish for here.

I'm not for certain what you mean. I think you are referring to the limited income of the WNBA from all sources. That could be a problem and push some teams to implode. However, pushing to see the income from all areas could be a good thing for all concerned, I would suspect.

 

[CocoHusky]

I'm not for certain what you mean. I think you are referring to the limited income of the WNBA from all sources. That could be a problem and push some teams to implode. However, pushing to see the income from all areas could be a good thing for all concerned, I would suspect.

I think the expectation from the players and many here on the BY is the "books" contain some hidden good news and perhaps profitability. I just don't see it that way. This is America realistic money making ventures always attract investors. Don't see people lining up to own WNBA franchises.

 

[bballnut90]

Hoping for the best, but honestly I think there is huge potential for this to backfire big time. Women's sports just don't appeal to most sports fans unfortunately and I'll be surprised if the money is there. You look at other women's sports opportunities and you have:

-Pro soccer: Max pay is $44,000/player for 24 game season.

-Beach volleyball: April Ross is unquestionably one of the best beach players in the world and has earned just 1.8 million in 13 years of play, for an average of $138,000/year playing year round internationally. She has to foot the bill for flights, insurance, benefits, hotels, coaching, and many other expenses that the WNBA covers for its players. Ross is also an anomaly because she's the best in the. Take a different player, Lauren Fendrick, for example. Fendrick has played consistently for 13 years and has a net earnings of $678,000, or an average of $52,143/year. Fendrick is also not your average player, she was an Olympian in 2016. Think about that...an Olympic athlete is making just $52k/year at age 36, footing her own bill out of her earnings to travel to and participate in these tournaments with no guarantee of income.

-Indoor Volleyball: you have to go overseas to play and make a living. Once there, unless you're one of the very best in the world, you'll likely get payment in the form of housing and a minimal stipend (maybe $1,000-2,000/month). Longevity of playing isn't an option for more than a couple of years unless you're a top player, where you still aren't making near what top women's basketball players make.

-Softball: Want to play in the NPF? Good luck living on an average salary of $5,000-$6,000/year. The best players top out at $20,000/year for a 50 game season.

-Hockey: The Canadian league pays players 5-7k/year to play per season. Season runs from October to March.

Compare the above leagues to the WNBA. For a case study, look at Layshia Clarendon. An article just came out alleging that she makes $91k/year for 4 months of WNBA play, playing an average of 16 minutes per game. Overseas she has the opportunity to clear 6 figures, but decided to stay home and train, work as a broadcaster, and bought a condo in the Bay Area at age 27. She has insurance, benefits, meals, travel costs, hotels, and coaching all paid for while she plays.


The only other sports where women can make decent money are golf and tennis. Golf and tennis requires most players to pay their own way for travel/hotel/food/coaching/etc unless you're one of the very best. In those leagues, you also earn your pay you based on how well you do, women's basketball players get locked in salaries.


I do agree that it is ridiculous how male athletes are compensated so well compared female athletes, but at the end of the day, it comes down to revenue, and money talks. The league needs to get more butts in seats and viewership on TV to make money. And considering that the WNBA viewership and fan support is more similar to volleyball/softball/hockey/soccer than it is golf/tennis, I'm guessing once the numbers come out they aren't going to be so pretty and players might regret their decision.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I just don't think there is any huge money being hidden anywhere. It doesn't mean the books aren't cooked - they certainly are in most college programs and I'm sure it isn't all that different in the "W". But just because there is fudging of the numbers (in college, it often relates to how income and expenses are allocated) doesn't mean they are hiding some huge secret. I just can't see where there is a lot of income coming in, but maybe they will find something.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I think the expectation from the players and many here on the BY is the "books" contain some hidden good news and perhaps profitability. I just don't see it that way. This is America realistic money making ventures always attract investors. Don't see people lining up to own WNBA franchises.

You are SOOOO right! It is a circular issue: They need flamboyant visible to the media outside of the closed Women BB circle personalites, they need BIG Corps to invest that can absorb losses for a decade or so, but mostly they need to attract people to the games, and lastly they need media media media to talk them up. It is, as you pointed out, unrealistic to expect investors to invest in a non money making function. My money is invested to make more money. I donate to good works and expect no return.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Hoping for the best, but honestly I think there is huge potential for this to backfire big time. Women's sports just don't appeal to most sports fans unfortunately and I'll be surprised if the money is there. You look at other women's sports opportunities and you have:

-Pro soccer: Max pay is $44,000/player for 24 game season.

-Beach volleyball: April Ross is unquestionably one of the best beach players in the world and has earned just 1.8 million in 13 years of play, for an average of $138,000/year playing year round internationally. She has to foot the bill for flights, insurance, benefits, hotels, coaching, and many other expenses that the WNBA covers for its players. Ross is also an anomaly because she's the best in the. Take a different player, Lauren Fendrick, for example. Fendrick has played consistently for 13 years and has a net earnings of $678,000, or an average of $52,143/year. Fendrick is also not your average player, she was an Olympian in 2016. Think about that...an Olympic athlete is making just $52k/year at age 36, footing her own bill out of her earnings to travel to and participate in these tournaments with no guarantee of income.

-Indoor Volleyball: you have to go overseas to play and make a living. Once there, unless you're one of the very best in the world, you'll likely get payment in the form of housing and a minimal stipend (maybe $1,000-2,000/month). Longevity of playing isn't an option for more than a couple of years unless you're a top player, where you still aren't making near what top women's basketball players make.

-Softball: Want to play in the NPF? Good luck living on an average salary of $5,000-$6,000/year. The best players top out at $20,000/year for a 50 game season.

-Hockey: The Canadian league pays players 5-7k/year to play per season. Season runs from October to March.

Compare the above leagues to the WNBA. For a case study, look at Layshia Clarendon. An article just came out alleging that she makes $91k/year for 4 months of WNBA play, playing an average of 16 minutes per game. Overseas she has the opportunity to clear 6 figures, but decided to stay home and train, work as a broadcaster, and bought a condo in the Bay Area at age 27. She has insurance, benefits, meals, travel costs, hotels, and coaching all paid for while she plays.


The only other sports where women can make decent money are golf and tennis. Golf and tennis requires most players to pay their own way for travel/hotel/food/coaching/etc unless you're one of the very best. In those leagues, you also earn your pay you based on how well you do, women's basketball players get locked in salaries.


I do agree that it is ridiculous how male athletes are compensated so well compared female athletes, but at the end of the day, it comes down to revenue, and money talks. The league needs to get more butts in seats and viewership on TV to make money. And considering that the WNBA viewership and fan support is more similar to volleyball/softball/hockey/soccer than it is golf/tennis, I'm guessing once the numbers come out they aren't going to be so pretty and players might regret their decision.

I absolutely agree and said nearly the same thing, but not as well. We who follow Women's BB be it WNBA or College think everyone does. We are a minority of a minority. If the WNBA books are open wide the possibilities are : 1. there is more money than believed (not likely) 2. Each team is in the red and hanging on by a thread (more likely) The Latter view could sink the WNBA. As Coco so brilliantly said: The Players should be careful what they wish for (paraphrasing of course).

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Geno Auriemma is quoted by Michelle Voepel here. He doesn't mince words:

"It's a testament to the WNBA's staying power that the level of play improves each year," he said. "But what's the next step? I venture to say, as an outsider looking in, that more of a collaboration between the players and the league is needed.

"What are the players genuinely concerned about that impacts them and also could help the league? Salaries is a point that's been raised by the players, and how do we change the salary structure? But I also think they may be the worst-marketed pro league in the world, in terms of what their messaging is. How do they better inspire people to watch the games?"

Let's reread that. According to Coach Geno, the WNBA may be "the worst-marketed pro league in the world, in terms of what their messaging is."

 

[CocoHusky]

Geno Auriemma is quoted by Michelle Voepel here. He doesn't mince words:

"It's a testament to the WNBA's staying power that the level of play improves each year," he said. "But what's the next step? I venture to say, as an outsider looking in, that more of a collaboration between the players and the league is needed.

"What are the players genuinely concerned about that impacts them and also could help the league? Salaries is a point that's been raised by the players, and how do we change the salary structure? But I also think they may be the worst-marketed pro league in the world, in terms of what their messaging is. How do they better inspire people to watch the games?"

Let's reread that. According to Coach Geno, the WNBA may be "the worst-marketed pro league in the world, in terms of what their messaging is."

So........ The worst marketed professional pro league in the world is really profitable and hiding the profitability in the books & the WNBA players want or think they deserve a better salary structure? Does not compute!

 

[Fairfield Fan]

So... The worst marketed professional pro league in the world is really profitable and hiding the profitability in the books & the WNBA players want or think they deserve a better salary structure? Does not compute!

The point, as it was made by the players, is that the league is not being promoted properly. They want the league to prosper, to be well marketed, and by doing so, increase revenues so that they can earn more as well.

They are looking at a comprehensive deal which will include growing the business.

 

[Shades]

Silver says he wants marketing done through social media. He also says chartered flights aren’t in the cards.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

This is definitely a case of "be careful what you wish for". I see no problems with the players feeling they deserve better salaries and treatment and being vocal about it. However, I do not think the league is hiding money to avoid paying their athletes larger salaries. Are they ridiculously low compared to those of NBA and G-League players? Certainly. I do think the league should try to "core" a set of athletes and pay them well enough to keep them in the US during the year and become visible parts of the communities where they play. Stewart in Seattle, EDD in Washington, Diggins in Dallas are all young players who are well known for their play and visibility.

Marketing has been the bogeyman for many years with the league and while I'm no expert, I don't think it's been done poorly but rather lacking a consistent message and focus. It's like "try this for a few years" and when the numbers didn't improve then it was "reinvent" the scheme. The commissioner has changed in and out regularly and it would be good if that person was a true fixture and leader in the game of women's basketball. It's at a point in the league's history now where it may be wise to see if a former player would be interested and able to join the leadership ranks.