WNBA Players Are Simply Asking For A Greater Share Of WNBA Revenues
David Berri
David Berri Contributor
SportsMoney
Washington Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne watches form the bench during the second half of Game 3 of a WNBA semifinals basketball playoff game against the Atlanta Dream, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, in Washington. The Dream won 81-76. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne watches form the bench during the second half of Game 3 of a WNBA semifinals basketball playoff game against the Atlanta Dream, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, in Washington. The Dream won 81-76. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
"To put it really simple: If you don’t respect women’s basketball, you’re a joke.
You’re a joke, man."
Isaiah Thomas -- NBA All-Star and guard for the Denver Nuggets -- said this on Monday. And he is not the only NBA player to make such an argument.
Despite support from NBA players, though, there remain people who clearly do not respect the WNBA. This past week, some of these people went so far as to invent quotes from WNBA players regarding the issue of pay in the WNBA. As Matt Ellentuck argued, such quotes appear intended to create divisions between WNBA and NBA players. These quotes also obscure the argument the WNBA players are making.
In the past few weeks, a collection of WNBA stars have spoken out about pay in the WNBA. An incomplete list would include Liz Cambage, Kelsey Plum, Skyler Diggins-Smith, A'ja Wilson, Seimone Augustus, Kia Nurse, and Brittney Griner. According to High Post Hoops, none of these players are paid more than $115,500 by the WNBA. Meanwhile, according to ESPN, the eight lowest paid players in the NBA in 2018-19 will be paid $838,464. And none of these players have even played in the NBA yet.
Despite this disparity, the WNBA players are not being asked to be paid the same amount as an NBA player. What WNBA players keep emphasizing is that they want the WNBA to change the way the WNBA revenues are shared with its players.
Currently, the NBA pays about 50% of its revenue to its players. The WNBA -- as I previously calculated (and also as noted by The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, ESPN, The Minnesota Star Tribune and The Washington Post) pays less than 25% of its revenue to its players. The players of the WNBA -- as A'ja Wilson specifically noted -- would like this revenue split to be changed.
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