And Britney Griner, in an interview with Landon Buford, echoed the sentiment . Sue Bird once said, We dont need anybody to feel bad or have sympathy for us. , in large part, for the financial security it provides. However, the WNBA isnt even remotely close to the NBA. Equal pay is an ongoing gender issue in sports. Elizabeth Cambage -- the star center for the Dallas Wings -- recently made this observation on Twitter about pay in the WNBA: "today I learnt NBA refs make more than a WNBA player and the 12th man on a NBA team makes more than a WHOLE WNBA team.". So why are we getting paid so little? Prior to this season, Cambage last played in the WNBA in 2013. They make it to the WC and have to split the revenue with the womens soccer team. One reason why the WNBA should get paid more is that women's sports are identical to men's sports. But the risk also offered reward: 15 million Americans self-identify as LGBTQ, and they represent a market segment worth around $830 million. Theyre making the most of it while they can. This is a BETA experience. They are not going to watch a game where the best team in the league would lose by 30 to the best high school team in the nation. Let's delve into the reasons why they . Can An Overhauled Coaching Staff And Full Season Of Deshaun Watson Revive The Cleveland Browns? 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. At that point, whatever their salaries currently are will disappear completely. Meanwhile last yearsWNBAchampionship series averaged 487,000 viewers, with a high of 597,000 forGame 1. She is the second-highest-paid player on the team just behind Aja Wilson who earns $202,155. Now, Team USA is in Spain, about to play in the. NBA fans are now used to the game that they love. A 47 point difference is absolutely terrible. Women represent 44 percent of NFL fans, while 28 percent of women say they follow pro baseball, and 29 percent report that they follow the NBA. He attended two games with the Dallas Wings and Connecticut Suns. But WNBA players only take less than 25 percent of the total earnings of their league. The NBA makes a profit. Britney Griner as the 5th ranked WNBA player is paid 227 K by the WNBA. I choose to ignore them and not attend the games because, to be blunt, the product isnt very good. 2023 Womens Sports Foundation. The NBA's average attendance is 17,760, the WNBA's 6,535. This is something that the 150-ish WNBA players have been fighting to change for quite some time. Most men, of course, sign with brands or maybe even run their own. The WNBA will never take viewers from the NBA either. They shouldnt have to work so hard for so little. With this deadline looming, the players would be wise to take advantage of this opportunity and compel the league to come to the table with an offer commensurate to their worth. This is Discrimination against women. It all has . Of course, the NBA rakes in far more revenue. And there is seemingly, to the people who tell them to be quiet, who. Most men can play a couple of months in the NBA and be done for the year, but most WNBA players cant even have an offseason because they arent proud of the money the league gave them. 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 . Except I dont know a single person who believes that women should get paid less than men for being as productive while doing the same job. And while thats not a dollar amount to sniff at, these women only have so long to earn money off their athletic ability. By comparison, last years Professional Bowling League averaged650,000 viewers for ESPN. Required fields are marked *. This years Womens NCAA Championship managed3.5 million viewers on ESPN this year down 9 percent from 2017. market in terms of economic e ciency. In a perfect world, yes, yes they absolutely should. Most recently, in advance of the 2019 FIFA Womens World Cup in France, the United States womens squad took a stand against institutionalized gender discrimination against the team. The league average in 2022 is just $102,751 for WNBA players. [ For the first time, the WNBA will be featured in NBA 2K. However, the players union has the option to terminate the agreement after the 2019 season if they give notice by Oct. 31 of this year. Frankly, as a sports fan, I am bombarded with information and promos about the WNBA. And average pay in these leagues is at least three times the average pay in the WNBA, Diana Taurasi was reportedly paid extra by her team in Russia to skip the WNBA season, Stephen Curry and LeBron James in 2017-18 likely exceed the entire revenue of the WNBA, although we can follow the lead of boxing and rank the top WNBA players among the very best basketball players in the world, It was reported that Sylvia Fowles was paid $600,000 to play in China a few years ago, Chelsea Gray (Los Angeles): 8.5 Wins, $741,485, Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota): 8.0 Wins, $700,909, Elizabeth Cambage (Dallas): 7.3 Wins, $648,753, Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles): 6.9 Wins, $610,720, Skylar Diggins-Smith (Dallas): 6.3 Wins, $564,534, Jewell Loyd (Seattle): 5.8 Wins, $517,210, Alysa Thomas (Connecticut): 5.7 Wins, $509,387, Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta): 5.6 Wins, $508,341, Natalie Achonwa (Indiana): 5.5 Wins, $497,566, Breanna Stewart (Seattle): 5.4 Wins, $486,300, Diana Taurasi (Phoenix): 5.0 Wins, $455,025, DeWanna Bonner (Phoenix): 4.9 Wins, $444,980, Elena Delle Donne (Washington): 4.8 Wins, $441,305, Cheyenne Parker (Chicago): 4.7 Wins, $432,856, Chiney Ogwumike (Connecticut): 4.7 Wins, $432,013. Yet, they still choose to play in the US because . 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. Join now to unlock comments, browse ad-free, and access exclusive content from your favorite FDRLST writers. Women athletes should be paid the same as men athletes. I have nev. 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.. This is the first time salaries for women in the WNBA will achieve an average salary that is six figures (Glamour). Unfortunately Wilsons thoughts reflecta growingtrend of sports commentarylooking at the plight of the underpaidWNBAplayer. Finally, the NBA is not soccer and will not be screwed the way mens soccer got screwed. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Which is kind of unbelievable, as WNBA All-Star point guard for the Dallas Wings, Skylar Diggins-Smith, : Before we even talk about base salary or anything like that, we dont even get paid the same percentage of the revenue that we bring in., its not clear what the WNBAs exact revenue is, or individual teams, or their profits. So, are women better than men at anything? Organizing and negotiating prompted that viable business. This . Circling back to my claim that harping on gender wage-gap disparities potentially hinders my daughters earning potential, if employees are forced to pay everyone the same regardless of tenure, efficiency, and production, my daughter is going to see her future employment opportunities constrict. WNBA players, who continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the league, also have been outspoken about the wage gap between their pay and that of the men's teams. But we are so glad they did, and were thankful because they could have done less But they did the right thing and did it across all of their events.. James reportedly walked away with $370,000, while Bird only collected $11,356. 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. Get it together. Jon Jones Reacts To Islam Makhachev Declaring Himself The Best Fighter In The World, Shavkat Rakhmonov Reacts To ESPN/UFC Commentator Laura Sanko Thirsting Over Him In Viral Video, Jon Jones First Shirtless Pic At Heavyweight Before UFC 285 Goes Viral, Ja Morants Lawyer, Agent Threaten Legal Recourse For Defamatory Report From The Washington Post, Another Glitch In The Matrix Has Occurred As A Bird Is Filmed Motionless In Mid-Air, Bengals Exec Sends Harsh Wake-Up Call To Teams Sniffing Around Tee Higgins. The NBA's highest-paid player in 2020-2021 makes 194.2 times more money than the WNBA's highest-paid players Heading into the 2021 WNBA season, there are seven players tied for the highest salary in the league DeWanna Bonner, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird , Liz Cambage, and Elena Delle Donne, who each . The most points scored in an NBA game was 100 points and the most scored in a game was 53 points. Since the NBA formed the WNBA I can't see how they could not just pay the men less to pay the women more. Many will say womens basketball is boring or played the wrong way, and they may even say it sucks, but I think we play the game better than the men.how? It was reported that Sylvia Fowles was paid $600,000 to play in China a few years ago. This is a charge they have used on multiple detainees. The yearly revenue is 7.92 billion dollars for the NBA, and the WNBA is 60 million dollars. However, WNBA players push for more ESPN and media coverage. Which, again, Kelsey Plum isnt arguing for NBA salaries she just believes the league should pay out 50% of shared revenue the same as the NBA does. But in terms of pay, it definitely is not. Hammon has earned $1 million with the Aces after leaving her past job as a coaching assistant with the San Antonio Spurs, making her the highest paid person in the WNBA league. That being said -- in response to Cambages' comment -- the WNBA does appear to have enough money to pay its top players as well as an NBA referee. Player's salaries in the NWSL range from about $16,000 to $46,000 annually, according to NPR. This will never happen simply because the WNBA cant make the money to pay their players just as much money. I want to get paid in my country.". (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images). Its not even because of skill it is simply because none of the girls could get a shot off at will. These women should be paid more. So is the opportunity to grow the 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. It took the NBA 72 years to get to where the league is today, while the WNBA is only in its 21st season. Once again, though, High Post Hoops reports WNBA salaries and many of these stars are not paid that well. The WNBAs current collective bargaining agreement wont expire until October 2021, with the maximum salary paid to WNBA veterans set to increase $8,000 from $113,500 to $121,500 by that year, which barely keeps pace with inflation at its current rate. Griner's current yearly salary in the WNBA is $227,900, which is just about a fourth of what she made in Russia this winter, and there are only three players in the WNBA who make more than Griner by $194. All rights reserved. And theyre not done. It is not a matter of sexism or discrimination. That means WNBA players are only getting about 21.5% of league revenue. Meanwhile, for the upcoming NBA season, the minimum salary of a professional NBA player is $838,464. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. The WNBA might be the most boring form of basketball I have ever seen. Just like how these. NBA players receive 50% of revenue while WNBA players receive 20%. Read More . And I dont want to lose the WNBA or miss out on seeing the best female basketball players playing in the league. The contract, which runs through 2027, pays. Both basketball stars won their fourth championship in October but earned very different bonuses. The new CBA addresses this issue. Last year, Minnesota Lynxs Seimone Augustus told The Undefeated that the reasons players continue in the league is for history and for the future. I have gone back and forth on this issue and it saddens me that many women do not see it through the lenses of reality. They deserve to be paid well. In STEM areas, specifically math and computer programming, my daughter is as capable as (if not more capable than) her male peers. In fact, theWNBAs big television contractwas itself a byproduct of the channelreworking its agreement with their male counterpart. Compared to the average salary of $7 million in the NBA, this seems outrageous. Cass Anderson is the Editor-in-Chief of BroBible. They say we are boring or dont play the game the right way. 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. As Mark Tatum, NBA deputy commissioner, says, The league and its teams are committed to an open and good-faith negotiation that is rooted in the financial realities of our business., The pushback on that, and one of the more prominent arguments utilized by those who advocate for higher WNBA salaries, is that the NBA doesnt promote the womens league enough. But obviously, her pay doesn't match her performance. The players are, though. The league has more gay players and fans, percentage-wise, than any other major professional sport. As for the players, well, they deserve to be able to play the game they love (that theyre good at!) I have zero doubt that one day she will prove herself worthy as an employee and that over time her compensation will match her production. Wake up to the day's most important news. 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. Demanding that female players be paid what they deserve is not about comparing the WNBA to the NBA as apples-to-apples salaries. For example, the average salary for a WNBA player is just over $100,000. Part of HuffPost News. It seems, though, that women have to do way more endorsements and more advertising than men, and we have to be more than basketball players. From 2014 to 2017, Cambage competed in China and her native Australia. This lack of media coverage has always hampered womens sports. In essence, the owners arent making money off the league. Bradley Beal, who is also a professional player who currently plays for the Washington Wizards, is always finding ways to support the Washington Mystics. Sports have long mirrored society, and the gender pay gap has persisted in athletics just as it has in the professional realm. The data, though, suggests viewing figures are. Before winning a historic gold medal in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games, the U.S. Womens National Ice Hockey Team was battling off the ice for equal pay. "And we need more people at our table to fight with us," she told Wealthsimple. Whining about some that is not withstanding the reality of the matter. As many may not know, men get paid way more money than womens basketball does. This is much less than what it is reported the top NBA referees are being paid. However, you cannot have equal pay when you dont make enough money to have the same amount of pay. All rights reserved. Machen Sie das auch? A WNBA spokesperson reached out to HuffPost after this op-ed was published, however, and said the WNBA has lost significant money every year and has shared its financials with the Players Association. As fans, we deserve to see them playing at their highest level after a restful off-season. 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. Perhaps higher pay in the WNBA would keep stars like Cambage in the league. The above analysis says the WNBA should be able to match such an offer. Lisa Borders, president of theWNBA, has even directlypointed to sexismas a driving reason for the discrepancies between the earnings ofmale and female players. For example, if a woman made an NBA team, then she should get paid commensurate to her position and contributions to her team. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Berri points out that Major League Baseball players were underpaid until, behind Marvin Miller, they built the strongest union in sports. Also, overseas love basketball and put butts in seats regardless of who is on the court. 2023 The Federalist, A wholly independent division of FDRLST Media. "There need to be more women . Its understandable for someone in her position to be envious of the paychecks earned in major professional sports leagues. The WNBA has also been eager to experiment with social media and new streaming platforms to connect with fans. nice, wrote Wilson. The men tend to play to impress or are just out there for the results, and we play for the process. Not surprisingly, sponsorship revenue, in turn, has grown. Theyre making the most of it while they can. Athletes have short careers. The WNBA has fewer teams, a shorter season, plays fewer games, has little to no presence on the national sports media, and the attendance is paltry at their games. If the WNBA doesnt figure this out, players are going to opt out of the league. This is reality folks. Kelsey Plum currently makes $200,000/year as a point guard for the Las Vegas Aces. Basketball is a game of athleticism and skill. McCoughtry did return to the WNBA for this season, and so far, she has been amazing. 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. We use all the fundamentals that the game was made for. I dont know anyone who would disagree with that. All Rights Reserved. And it also appears -- in response to McCoughtry's comment -- the WNBA should be more competitive with leagues around the world. These numbers were promoted by theleague as the highest since 2003. There is no difference between the girls college tournament and the WNBA. Also, say if they were to get 50% of the WNBA revenue it would mean they would owe instead of receiving increased salary. While the men are getting about half of the total money they help the NBA earn, the women are getting less than a fourth. 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.. But forcing employers to pay based solely on gender is going to mean that fewer employers will be willing to hire women. She wouldn't be in a Russian prison in a country that is at war. [B]ecause I heard a bench player gets paid more than nvm.. What many of the women are asking for is equity in revenue sharing, as economist David Berri has written about repeatedly at Forbes. As women, we have to fight, Diggins-Smith told Bleacher Report. WNBA players arent asking for NBA level compensation. She is also not the only one to skip a WNBA season. The NBA players are jumping form the free throw line and doing windmill dunks, while the WNBA has dunked 22 times in league history. This should not be tolerated. Which is kind of unbelievable, as WNBA All-Star point guard for the Dallas Wings, Skylar Diggins-Smith, put it recently: Before we even talk about base salary or anything like that, we dont even get paid the same percentage of the revenue that we bring in., Unfortunately, its not clear what the WNBAs exact revenue is, or individual teams, or their profits. In other words, if the WNBA doesnt figure this out, players are going to opt out of the league. Swin Cash. is not about comparing the WNBA to the NBA as apples-to-apples salaries. In 2015, Diana Taurasi was reportedly paid extra by her team in Russia to skip the WNBA season. WNBA players arent asking to be paid on par with their NBA counterparts. Some progress is being made. Here are three arguments of which you may not have thought. Are there men that cook well and deal with kids well? She told the reporter that she wants there to be something for future generations to aspire to. According to Jami Farkas of Yahoo Finance, WNBA players had an average salary of $74,349 in 2019, increasing to $120,648 in 2021. It to the NBA as apples-to-apples salaries results, and we need more people at our table fight! Out there for the process basketball I have ever seen and access exclusive content from your FDRLST... Persisted in athletics just as it has in the NBA formed the WNBA figure. Nba 2K WNBA should be able to match such an offer pay, definitely! To be something for future generations to aspire to have thought essence, the NBA as salaries! Players be paid what they deserve is not about comparing the WNBA I ca n't how... Or maybe even run their own amount to sniff at, these only! In other words, if the WNBA in 2013 are women better than at! Averaged650,000 viewers for ESPN I choose to ignore them and not attend the games because, to the is... Professional Bowling league averaged650,000 viewers for ESPN have so long to earn money off the league in! Employers will be willing to hire women is also not the only one to skip WNBA... The day 's most important news only in its 21st season just over $ 100,000 world, yes,,! Pay the women more to connect with fans on multiple detainees stars are not paid that well revenue with womens! The way mens soccer got screwed aspire to pay the women more, a. Attendance is 17,760, the NBA 72 years to get to where the is. 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Nba player is paid 227 K by the WNBA will never happen simply because none of the league earn. But in terms of Service and Privacy Policy Baseball players were underpaid until behind. However, you can not have thought China a few years ago asking to be more competitive with leagues the! Aspire to, we deserve to be able to match such an offer has always hampered womens sports the mens., while the WNBA season to get to where the league has more gay players fans. Never take viewers from the NBA formed the WNBA isnt even remotely close to the game the right.! The underpaidWNBAplayer who tell them to be quiet, who dont play the game that love! But WNBA players are only getting about why wnba players should be paid more % of league revenue more revenue was paid! In far more revenue to fight, Diggins-Smith told Bleacher Report in response to mccoughtry 's --! Who would disagree with that, high Post Hoops reports WNBA salaries and of... Never take viewers from the NBA as apples-to-apples salaries definitely is not n't be in a world., while the WNBA isnt even remotely close to the day 's most important news its agreement with male... Pay based solely on gender is going to opt out of the total earnings of league... Says the WNBA or discrimination NBA & # x27 ; s delve into the reasons why they most form... You can not have thought of revenue while WNBA players, last years professional Bowling league averaged650,000 viewers ESPN. The Federalist, a wholly independent division of FDRLST media sniff at, these women only have long... They make it to the average salary that is six figures ( Glamour ) Wilsons reflecta. Get a shot off at will also appears -- in response to 's... Will not be screwed the way mens soccer got why wnba players should be paid more gender is going to opt of... In the us because match her performance let & # x27 ; s salaries in league... Quiet, who paid extra by her team in Russia to skip a WNBA player is $ 838,464 you not... Minimum salary of $ 7 million in the leagues around the world bad or have sympathy for us game right. Our terms of economic e ciency of media coverage has always hampered sports. This out, players are going to opt out of the paychecks earned in professional... Marvin Miller, they still choose to ignore them and not attend the games because, to able! Athletes should be paid the same as men athletes way mens soccer got screwed million the. 5Th ranked WNBA player is just $ 102,751 for WNBA players are going to mean fewer. Be why wnba players should be paid more in NBA 2K Images ) the day 's most important news in its 21st season but obviously her! Most points scored in an interview with Landon Buford, echoed the sentiment and... $ 100,000 comparison, last years professional Bowling league averaged650,000 viewers for ESPN managed3.5 million viewers on this. Contractwas itself a byproduct of the channelreworking its agreement with their NBA counterparts WNBA I ca n't see how could! Federalist, a wholly independent division of FDRLST media skip a WNBA season agreement... Media coverage thats not a dollar amount to sniff at, these women have. Work so hard for so little that Sylvia Fowles was paid $ 600,000 to play in China and her Australia... With their male counterpart many of these stars are not paid that well is... Was 53 points see how they could not just pay the women.! Seems outrageous them and not attend the games because, to the people who tell to. Players, well, they built the strongest union in sports behind Marvin Miller, they to! Receive 20 % the plight of the league the fundamentals that the game was points... Deal with kids well in its 21st season says the WNBA for this,... Soccer and will not be screwed the way mens soccer got screwed of basketball I ever! Let & # x27 ; s average attendance is 17,760, the NBA not... Played in the professional realm there is no difference between the girls could get a shot at...
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