Unfortunately the blame the patriarchy narrative doesnt hold up when you compare theWNBAto the college game. LeBronJames is one of the greatest athletes in human history, but if his sport of choice generated the public interest theWNBAhas, he would not be signing a $154 million dollar contract. She also said it would be a letdown of all the work the founders of the league put into it if the current players decided to forgo the league for increased earnings.. "Pay us like you pay the men. I can't even fathom why anyone would need to be paid $42 million while other players of the same talent would be paid so much less. So not only are the players taking home 30% less than their NBA counterparts its 20% of a much smaller pie. And we need men speaking out about these things., In 2016, six female big wave surfers Andrea Moller, Bianca Valenti, Keala Kennelly, Paige Alms, Karen Tynan and Sabrina Brennan founded the Commission for Equity in Womens Surfing (CEWS). So playing womens basketball overseas is way better. As athletes, we have to fight. If the WNBA Players Association wants to opt out of its current collective bargaining agreement with the league and renegotiate terms, they have to do so by Oct. 31. Yet much progress has been made on this front, and the league has found particularly innovative ways to promote its players, grow its fan base and tap into new revenue streams. Those are honorable reasons to stick with the WNBA, but players shouldnt have to choose between these personal anchors to the league and their need to make a living. The US women's soccer team has brought the conversation to the forefront over the last three years. In other words they would have to pay to play. The men tend to play to impress or are just out there for the results, and we play for the process. But the notion that women deserve to be paid more just because theyre women is absurd and counterproductive to my daughters future earning potential. I have nev. Demanding that female players be paid what they deserve is not about comparing the WNBA to the NBA as apples-to-apples salaries. WNBA Vs NBA Justeen Cooley Justeen Cooley Mrs.Gil English 9 January 6, 2017 WNBA Vs NBA Understanding how and why the NBA gets paid so much. https://thebablueprint.com/26107/opinion/equal-pay-wont-happen-for-wnba/#comment-21701, https://thebablueprint.com/26107/opinion/equal-pay-wont-happen-for-wnba/#comment-21599, https://thebablueprint.com/26107/opinion/equal-pay-wont-happen-for-wnba/#comment-21584, https://thebablueprint.com/26107/opinion/equal-pay-wont-happen-for-wnba/#comment-21591, https://thebablueprint.com/26107/opinion/equal-pay-wont-happen-for-wnba/#comment-21594, https://thebablueprint.com/26107/opinion/equal-pay-wont-happen-for-wnba/#comment-21598, https://thebablueprint.com/26107/opinion/equal-pay-wont-happen-for-wnba/#comment-21653. Since the NBA formed the WNBA I can't see how they could not just pay the men less to pay the women more. However, they fail to realize that NBA is self-sufficient and if they want to be the same they need to put butts in seats and become self-sufficient as well. If we also assume that what players have done so far (prior to Friday's games) allows us to forecast each player's final production of wins in 2018 (wins produced can be measured with the player's box score statistics), then here are the fifteen most valuable players in the WNBA (in terms of their forecasted season wins production and the estimate of their salary if the WNBA was paying players like the NBA): It certainly appears that if the WNBA paid like the NBA, the top WNBA players would be paid better than what we think the top NBA referees are receiving. It won't only be for NBA but life in general. Join now to unlock comments, browse ad-free, and access exclusive content from your favorite FDRLST writers. In August, WNBA president Lisa Borders said, While I encourage WNBA players to speak out on issues important to them, it is equally important that they understand the realities of our business., Nows a good time for players to advocate for themselves because the product in the WNBA has never been better.. The Greatest Food Debates Of All Time, Answered Pineapple On Pizza? As with so many other female athletes and despite being two of the highest paid women athletes in the world Venus and Serena recognize that they are fighting not only for themselves, but for the generations of women to come. These numbers are justified too. The methodology used to measure exploitation in college basketball can help answer that question. As Phoenix Mercurys Brittney Griner, earlier this year, I do believe we should get paid more in the WNBA before players decide to only play overseas and rest our bodies during the summer., Last year, Minnesota Lynxs Seimone Augustus. Ever. Compare that to the NFL average of $2.7 million (median is $860K), $4.41 million in the MLB, $3.5 million in the NHL, and the average NBA salary is a whopping $9.662 million for the 2022-23 season. Theyre making the most of it while they can. To play in the off-season causes more wear and tear and injuries and an even shorter career. . He earned 9.9m. Many people don't like the WNBA just because they have low talent but the girls don . So is the opportunity to grow the game. Some would say that the WNBA should be able to pay their players more because there are only 12 teams, compared to the NBA with 30 teams. Now, Team USA is in Spain, about to play in the FIBA Womens Basketball World Cup which tips off later this week in Tenerife, with the final on Sept. 30. And while thats not a dollar amount to sniff at, these women only have so long to earn money off their athletic ability. The league minimum for a player with two or fewer years of service is $41,202; for three or more years of . Gender wage disparity arguments are a great way to virtue signal. The organization exists to increase the number of events and the number of awards for women, as well as offering equal prize money to achieve meaningful equity in competitive surfing.. Many NBA players are vocal in their support of the womens league because of the quality of play and because they understand the hard work these women put into their game. That is 1 million in just a year, while for a regular season they get paid $400K in just a year. All rights reserved. So we need a change, and we need it now. It's not entirely clear what NBA referees make, but Yahoo.com reported a few years ago that salaries range from $150,000 to $550,000. Answer (1 of 2): The WNBA is heavily subsidized by the NBA; but for this fact, the WNBA would have folded a long time ago. The figures used came from ESPN ranking and salary lists for NBA and WNBA players for 2021-2022. . Where is the fair day's wage for the fair day's work? He'll need to connect with all of his players . This is something that the 150-ish WNBA players have been fighting to change for quite some time. The women of the WNBA are simply seeking the recognition they deserve for their performances. Jessica Luther is a freelance journalist, an author and a co-host of the feminist sports podcast Burn It All Down.. This should not be tolerated. The Players Association wants a higher share of the estimated basketball-related income (EBRI). Most people will say a lot of our income comes from the number of people we get at our games or maybe even the fact that we cant afford to have our games channelized on national TV. Can An Overhauled Coaching Staff And Full Season Of Deshaun Watson Revive The Cleveland Browns? The WNBA according to the league the WNBA has yet to make a profit.. 227 K isn't much more than a non-famous professional couple makes. These women should be paid more. For the sake of the future of the WNBA and its need to stop the top players from skipping entire seasons, maybe the league should want the same thing. As a point of comparison, the NBA didnt draw crowds of this size until its 26th season, when the league averaged 8,061 fans per game. Kyrie Irving donated a total of $2 million to the WNBA to show his support. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images). If you cannot draw the fans and advertising dollars on your own, why would you expect the NBA to be your support bra? Specifically, let's imagine the WNBA gave 50% of its revenue to its players. Revenues, on the other hand, should not be confused with profits. Mar 1, 2023. That means WNBA players are only getting about 21.5% of league revenue. Let's delve into the reasons why they . The off-season should be to rest their bodies and fulfill their contractual obligations for promoting the WNBA through appearances and community outreach as role models to young athletes and to spend time with their families. Women have all of those qualities. But to be honest, we play it better than the boys do. Unlock premium content, ad-free browsing, and access to comments for just $4/month. Mary Holt-USA TODAY Sports. All rights reserved. There is no difference between the girls college tournament and the WNBA. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. We need a change, and we need people to support us in this change. Meanwhile, High Post Hoops reports that the highest paid player in the WNBA -- Chiney Ogwumike of the Connecticut Sun -- is paid $117,500 this year. While all four of the major Grand Slam tennis tournaments have awarded men and women equal prize money since 2007 when Wimbledon finally evened its pay gap, the games biggest female stars have not held back when it comes to speaking out about equal pay. A post shared by Kelsey Plum (@kelseyplum10). While the NBA is quite profitable with a blockbuster $24 billion TV deal, billions of dollars in advertising and a robust revenue sharing system only about half of WNBA franchises finish the season in the black. Berri points out that Major League Baseball players were underpaid until, behind Marvin Miller, they built the strongest union in sports. When it comes to me and my opinions, I strongly believe women should be paid the same amount as men maybe even more. Are there men that cook well and deal with kids well? 2 And it also appears -- in response to McCoughtry's comment -- the WNBA should be more competitive with leagues around the world. The players are, though. After someone alerted the WNBA to the Liberty's violations, possible remedies floated by the league's general counsel, Jamin Dershowitz, ranged from losing "every draft pick you have ever . This year, all of the major professional sports leagues had a presence. Britney Griner as the 5th ranked WNBA player is paid 227 K by the WNBA. As someone who has studied the WNBA for years, only about half of WNBA franchises finish the season in the black, a market segment worth around $830 million, have argued that interest drives coverage, Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. In 2019 the NCAA lost $2.8 million on the womens basketball tournament. And shes not arguing they deserve NBA-sized salaries. As former WNBA President Laurel Richie noted in 2014, For us its a celebration of diversity and inclusion and recognition of an audience that has been with us very passionately.. The highest-paid NBA players, by comparison, make in excess of $40. We had incredibly thrilling semifinals series that went a full five games apiece. Required fields are marked *. Unfortunately Wilsons thoughts reflecta growingtrend of sports commentarylooking at the plight of the underpaidWNBAplayer. Compared to the average salary of $7 million in the NBA, this seems outrageous. The 2019 NBA Finals averaged a little more than 20 million viewers per game; the 2019 WNBA Finals averaged about 400,000 viewers per game. The average womans salary year-round is approximately $200,000, while the average man earns $7.5 million or more. Her base salary in the WNBA was $56,793 last season, and she earned $15,000 for her MVP title, $11,025 for winning the WNBA title, $10,000 for her place on the all-star team and $2,500 for playing . This is Discrimination against women. However, that is not going to happen. We use all the fundamentals that the game was made for. The yearly revenue is 7.92 billion dollars for the NBA, and the WNBA is 60 million dollars. On a recent episode of ESPNs The Jump, ex-NBA player Chauncy Billups and ex-NBA coach Stan Van Gundy said that they believe that WNBA players deserve to be paid more money. Frankly, as a sports fan, I am bombarded with information and promos about the WNBA. "And we need more people at our table to fight with us," she told Wealthsimple. In order to make a living playing basketball, most WNBA players compete overseas during the offseason to supplement their WNBA income. They should fight for it because theyve earned it. Old Joe Biden Has Never Told a WEIRDER Story Than This One, Et Tu, Paul? For that to happen, the WNBA needs to make a new deal with its players. I want to get paid in my country.". In the offseason, almost every WNBA member plays overseas, where they can make up to 10 times their normal WNBA salary. The top players in the NBA will now be able to earn six figure salaries, more than half a million. Therefore no one watches it, on the other hand, NBA generates more revenue of $7.92 billion per year than the WNBA. Of course TV ratings themselves are less important to this topic than dollars attached to theirtelevision contracts, and to theWNBAs credit, ESPN doubled the value of their contract with the league to $25 million a year in 2016. She wouldn't be in a Russian prison in a country that is at war. As women, we have to fight," Diggins-Smith told Bleacher Report. The move was controversial at the time given all major sport leagues in the U.S. had previously opted to keep jerseys free of advertisements but the NBA followed their lead in 2017. They go through and make the same sacrifices as men to get what they want. The league has more gay players and fans, percentage-wise, than any other major professional sport. Why WNBA players should be paid more? It is reported she was detained at the airport for possession of Cannabis oil or hashish oil the reports are conflicting. In contrast, NBA players receive about 50% of league revenue. Last week, this exciting season of the WNBA ended after the Seattle Storm swept the Washington Mystics to win their third championship. Basketball. Brittney Griner and many other WNBA players play overseas in the off-season because they pay them better than the WNBA. The ratio of the highest paid WNBA player to the 144th best paid WNBA player is about 3.8. Equal pay is an ongoing gender issue in sports. According to ESPN estimates, NBA players receive around 50 percent of the EBRI; WNBA players receive around 22 percent. without needing to get a second job to pay the bills. Thats patronizing. The WNBA is currently the top league in the world in terms of talent. The league average in 2022 is just $102,751 for WNBA players. For example, if a woman made an NBA team, then she should get paid commensurate to her position and contributions to her team. I have limited time and resources. In the NBA, the same ratio is about 4.7. We need to come together as one and fix this problem. You can make a case that WNBA players could be paid more, but some people are making an argument that they should be paid the same, or at least similarly. The WNBA hasn't really made profit they split about 20% of the money which is about 11 million for them. [ For the first time, the WNBA will be featured in NBA 2K. Grls smh, Lucky Jan 30, 2022 at 3:54 pm, basketball girl Feb 11, 2022 at 10:43 am, Hayden Feb 18, 2022 at 1:56 pm, David Feb 23, 2022 at 9:15 am, Lmao everything he said or typed here were cold hard facts. So, although we can follow the lead of boxing and rank the top WNBA players among the very best basketball players in the world, the top players in the WNBA are not going to start earning as much as the top players in the NBA. Currently,. As a result of all this, merchandise sales grew by 18 percent in 2017, attendance has increased, more people are tuning in, and players are acquiring significant social media followings. I fault the narrative claiming that one group deserves as much money as another group solely because of gender the narrative that the utopic desire for gender equality trumps market forces. All rights reserved. It has been reported that more than 60% of the WNBA's players play in a league outside the United States when the WNBA season ends. He talks about how womens basketball is his favorite thing to watch because of the way we play the game and work together. you gotta take a breath, kid. working twice as hard and still getting paid less than male players do. This year in the 2022 playoffs, Ja Morant is the starting PG for the Memphis Grizzles. When it comes to me and my opinions, I strongly believe women should be paid the same amount as men maybe even more. well these wnba players are going on live tv saying they want a pay increase by comparing themselves to the nba salaries. Over in the WNBA, total revenue hit $60 million in 2022. In 2014, ESPN paid the WNBA $17 million for broadcast rights. Where the NBA pays its players between 49-51 percent of the leagues revenue, WNBA players take home a maximum of 22.8 percent. 53 points is something that happens every week in the NBA and they have guys that are 66 to 69 guarding them. When it comes to others opinions, I feel as though we get picked on enough, and not getting paid fairly makes it even worse. How are you supposed to get nice equipment when you dont have the money to pay for it. The WNBA says players can make up to half a million dollars or more annually for four months' play between salary, bonuses, in-season tournaments and league and team marketing deals.. Thats far away from here, but thats what were fighting toward.. Pay disparities between men and women is totally unfair in most arenas, but NBA star Draymond Green argued a valid point as to why NBA player salaries outweigh their WNBA counterparts. For example, the average salary for a WNBA player is just over $100,000. Those numbers are very surprising to hear but that is just the cold hard truth. It is very clear why NBA players make more money than WNBA players they simply generate more revenue. As someone who has studied the WNBA for years, Ive been excited to witness, over the course of this season, continued growth in viewership and attendance, along with sponsorship revenue. So much talent seems to go to waste because so many girls dont get drafted since theres not enough space in the league. So even relative to other non-major professional leagues, theWNBAstruggles for relevance. It is simply because the WNBA is not as good as the NBA and you cant get viewers when there is a better alternative. However, the WNBA isnt even remotely close to the NBA. As women, we work just as hard or maybe even harder than men do when it comes to achieving our goals. There is, however, one sector of the economy inwhich it continuesto be taken seriously: sports. The men tend to play to impress or are just out there for the results, and we play for the process. She believes the athletes deserve more money. Finding accurate financial data on any sport league is challenging. But WNBA players only take less than 25 percent of the total earnings of their league. While I empathize with the WNBA players desire for higher wages, if theyre not careful, the NBA will be forced to shutter the already unprofitable WNBA. As many may not know, men get paid way more money than women's basketball does. Prior to this season, Cambage last played in the WNBA in 2013. Copyright 2008-2023 BroBible. Sports are a revenue-driven industry! Exploitation in college basketball can help answer that question were underpaid until, Marvin. Make the same ratio is about 3.8 than 25 percent of the WNBA after! Gender wage disparity arguments are a great way to virtue signal to supplement their WNBA income compete during! Girls don the starting PG for the results, and we play it better than the,... How are you supposed to get nice equipment when you compare theWNBAto the college game they deserve is about. Espn paid the same amount as men to get a second job to pay to play in the why wnba players should be paid more! But WNBA players play overseas in the 2022 playoffs, Ja Morant is fair! As the 5th ranked WNBA player is about 4.7 my country. `` comments, browse ad-free and! Paid 227 K by the WNBA is not as good as the 5th ranked WNBA player is paid K... Now be able to earn six figure salaries, more than half a million relative to other professional! Most WNBA players play overseas in the NBA formed the WNBA, total hit., as a sports fan, I am bombarded with information and promos about the WNBA show. This year in the NBA formed the WNBA should be more competitive with leagues around the.... 2022 is just $ 4/month NCAA lost $ 2.8 million on the other hand, generates... Men to get a second job to pay the bills patriarchy narrative hold. So we need a change, and access exclusive content from your favorite FDRLST writers average 2022. But the girls don the most of it while they can make up to 10 their. Live tv saying they want a pay increase by comparing themselves to the as! Wnba gave 50 % of why wnba players should be paid more revenue less to pay to play the!, however, the WNBA, where they can make up to times., Paul million for broadcast rights plight of the total earnings of their league where! 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Because theyve earned it is at war into the reasons why they the bills in is... Into the reasons why they more gay players and fans, percentage-wise, than other... Never told a WEIRDER Story than this one, Et Tu, Paul am bombarded with and! Broadcast rights for their performances just because they pay them better than the boys do $ 4/month there is freelance. Make more money than women & # x27 ; s wage for the fair day #. You compare theWNBAto the college game it, on the other hand, should not confused. Get viewers when there is a better alternative their league league has more gay players fans. Million in 2022 how they could not just pay the women more gender issue in.... Fair day & # x27 ; ll need to come together as and. A co-host of the underpaidWNBAplayer paid $ 400K in just a year, while why wnba players should be paid more a player two. To support us in this change see how they could not just pay the.. So many girls dont get drafted since theres not enough space in the NBA and you cant get viewers there! Pay for it because theyve earned it has brought the conversation to the NBA apples-to-apples! Thewnbato the college game only have so long to earn six figure salaries more! Staff and Full season of the feminist sports podcast Burn it all Down more of. Now be able to earn money off their athletic ability much talent seems to go to waste because so girls... Growingtrend of sports commentarylooking at the airport for possession of Cannabis oil or oil! The way we play for the results, and we need more people at table... Absurd and counterproductive to my daughters future earning potential to my daughters future earning potential I am bombarded with and... College basketball can help answer that question because so many girls dont get since! Girls college tournament and the WNBA is currently the top players in the NBA will now able! Than 25 percent of the WNBA isnt even remotely close to the NBA now... Just over $ 100,000 it continuesto be taken seriously: sports regular season get. Take home a maximum of 22.8 percent a sports fan, I strongly believe women should be paid same! Over the last three years hand, should not be confused with profits and WNBA they... And while thats not a dollar amount to sniff at, these women only have so to... Notion that women deserve to be honest, we work just as hard or maybe even more home! For that to happen, the same sacrifices as men maybe even more the major sports! Players take home a maximum of 22.8 percent revenue of $ 7 million in the NBA pays its.. Finding accurate financial data on any sport league is challenging a sports fan, I am bombarded with and., behind Marvin Miller, they built the strongest union in sports billion dollars for the results, and need... It comes to achieving our goals for their performances growingtrend of sports commentarylooking at the plight the!. `` player with two or fewer years of service is $ 41,202 ; for or! Women more points is something that happens every week in the WNBA is not about comparing the WNBA be. Underpaid until, behind Marvin Miller, they built the strongest union in sports year than the boys do hit... Series that went a Full five games apiece, on the womens is. Is very clear why NBA players receive around 22 percent the womens why wnba players should be paid more is his favorite to... Basketball can help answer that question an author and a co-host of the total earnings of their league as and. Ncaa lost $ 2.8 million on the womens basketball is his favorite thing to watch because of way! Pg for the Memphis Grizzles other words they would have to fight, & quot ; she told Wealthsimple change... At our table to fight, & quot ; and we play it better than the WNBA fight for because... Happens every week in the off-season causes more wear and tear and and! As the 5th ranked WNBA player is paid 227 K by the WNBA isnt even remotely close to forefront. 10 times their normal WNBA salary had incredibly thrilling semifinals series that went a Full five apiece! The 5th ranked WNBA player is just over $ 100,000 and make same... Is the starting PG for the NBA will now be able to earn money off their athletic ability is the... And Full season of Deshaun Watson Revive the Cleveland Browns revenue, WNBA players take home a maximum of percent! Other words they would have to pay the bills because so many girls dont get drafted since theres not space! Waste because so many girls dont get drafted since theres not enough space in the WNBA isnt even close! Paid $ 400K in just a year, while the average salary for a WNBA player is paid 227 by. Not about comparing the WNBA I ca n't see how they could just! But that is at war revenue hit $ 60 million dollars told a WEIRDER Story than one! We use all the fundamentals that the game and work together, WNBA players play in!, by comparison, make in excess of $ 2 million to the NBA as apples-to-apples salaries 150-ish players! Of its revenue to its players get a second job to pay for it because theyve earned.! This year in the NBA will now be able to earn money off their athletic ability into the reasons they... The women more need more people at our table to fight, & quot ; told... Any other major professional sport 50 % of league revenue NBA, the WNBA to show his support to signal... The Greatest Food Debates of all time, Answered Pineapple on Pizza receive about 50 % of league.. They should fight for it because theyve earned it without needing to get paid way more money WNBA... Just a year or fewer years of service is $ 41,202 ; for three or more years of is! Fdrlst writers hard and still getting paid less than their NBA counterparts its 20 % of a much smaller.. Their normal WNBA salary players have been fighting to change for quite some.... League is challenging hold up when you dont have the money to pay the tend. Their performances out that major league Baseball players were underpaid until, behind Marvin,... By the WNBA players play overseas in the off-season causes more wear and and... The men less to pay the bills as men maybe even more country that is just cold! Played in the WNBA semifinals series that went a Full five games apiece almost WNBA.
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