INDIANAPOLIS — Ongoing negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement between the WNBA and the players’ union served as the backdrop for this weekend’s WNBA All-Star Game festivities, and the players made it known what their main priority is: Salaries.
“This is where the money’s at, so both sides are going to fight really hard for it,” Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, a WNBPA vice president, said Friday. “So we just have to make them know that we’re not backing down on this point.”
The players reinforced that priority ahead of Saturday’s WNBA All-Star game, wearing black shirts with “Pay Us What You Owe Us” written across the front.
In response to a question about how her individual sponsorship deals compare to her salary, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark highlighted the importance of improving player pay.
“Honestly, I feel like that’s where we’re really fortunate is that we have those other deals. And I think that’s one of the things we’re in the room fighting for,” Clark said Saturday. “Like Phee said, we should be paid more and hopefully that’s the case moving forward as the league continues to grow. That’s probably the most important thing that we’re in the room advocating for.”
Under the CBA, players on a WNBA roster will receive 25% of the revenue sharing profits if — and only if — the league hits its “cumulative revenue target” for the season. The other 255 will be added to the pool the WNBA pays players in the offseason for marketing agreements.
Conversely, the NBA has a 50-50 revenue split with the players, who receive 50% of all revenue generated, regardless.
In terms of player salary, the WNBA super-maximum is around $250,000 — and that is only available to cored players (one per team). The regular max is $216,000 and the rookie scale contract starts around $72,000.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: ‘Pay us what you owe us.’ Amid CBA talks, WNBA All-Stars send message during warmups with shirts
Reporting by Brian Haenchen and Chloe Peterson, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
