By: Reagan McLean
Within the past two years, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has been soaring. Given the media attention top players such as Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, and Angel Reese have been receiving, you’d expect they are paid well; however, players are currently fighting for better pay and playing conditions during the high-stakes Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
If the conditions players want aren’t met, a lockout could be looming as the players are currently fighting for their value. They believe they are worth far more than their paycheck reflects. Thus, with two fronts: negotiations underway in the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and the 3-on-3 basketball league founded by Minnesota Lynx player Napheesa Collier and New York Liberty player Breanna Stewart.
There have been many updates on the progress toward a CBA agreement. One of the main focal points in this CBA is the salary. The current WNBA maximum salary is $249,244; however, the average salary is approximately $130,000 with a salary cap increase of 3%. To address this problem, according to CBS Sports, the league proposed a $1 million maximum salary with an increased salary cap of $5 million in year one alone.
There is a catch: the WNBPA opposed this proposal.
An article from Sports Business Journal stated, “The concern of the players’ union is the league’s proposed revenue share system that — after expenses and other miscellaneous items — actually would dwindle the players’ portion to 15% or less.”
This is important because, as LA Sparks Guard Kelsey Plum said on “All The Smoke” podcast with Matt Barnes in July, “We’re asking just the same percentage of revenue or a similar percentage of revenue. And right now, that’s not the case. That’s what we’re fighting for.”
Plum refers to the basketball-related income (BRI). The NBA has a system in which players receive 49% to 51% of the money from media rights, merchandise, and ticket sales. Looking past financial concerns, the league has also proposed cutting housing and starting training camp much earlier. Meaning it is much harder for players to secure income participating in playing overseas for more money. With the deadline pushed from Oct. 31, Nov. 30, and now to Jan. 9, if an agreement can’t be reached, there will be a lockout.
The second front is the 3-on-3 basketball league created by Collier and Stewart, Unrivaled. According to the Associated Press (AP), this league “sets a new standard for women’s basketball.” Debuting Jan. 17, on TNT and HBOMax, this league has an average salary of $220,000 and a 15% equity stake divided among the initial players.
The reason behind making this league, according to Collier and Stewart in an interview with Ramona Shelburne, is “…their goal is to help players get paid more while complying with the WNBA’s prioritization rule.” The rule is that players must return to their respective teams on time for training camp; if not, they will face a suspension for that season. Now, Unrivaled is a crucial bargaining chip in the new CBA deal. This is due to the many amenities offered, including: a personal chef, housing, a “glam room,” a better salary, and childcare.
With Unrivaled’s foundation being “created for players by players,” this model is placing pressure on the WNBA to essentially do better. Players have been advocating for years to make the league much better and sustainable in the long run, but people choose not to listen to the complaints; people just have to suffer the consequences.
. The future is currently unknown for the WNBA. The players are advocating for better salaries and to have a roof over their heads. With Unrivaled setting a standard for what the league could become, the WNBA is placed under a lot of pressure to implement the changes players want to see happen in the league.