In recent years, the WNBA has flourished in popularity within the basketball fanbase but contracts are struggling to keep up. The players union is in negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement, the agreement that regulates salaries, licensing rights, roster size, benefits, and working conditions. With the stands being as full as ever, skyrocketed TV ratings, and the addition of the Golden State Valkyries, players demand more. 

Over a year ago, the WNBPA chose to opt out of the CBA that was originally signed in January of 2020. The decision was monumental, reflecting the WNBA’s evolution in the industry over the last five years. The signing of the original contract was before the WNBA shattered the glass ceiling with top moments that shifted the industry forever.

It was signed before the New York Liberty broke their 28-year championship losing streak, before there were reports of record viewership, before Sabrina Lonescu made history as the first college  player to accrue 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds in her career. And especially before young prodigies like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese and Aliyah Boston transformed the league to what it is today.

With all of that change, the industry was struggling to trail the success with the financial means that were being demanded by players. The priorities of the business wasn’t paying the players what they owed but instead expanding to new cities and making billion dollar media deals. 

As well as adding new teams to their roster, the WNBA also just secured an 11-year media rights deal. Partnerships with Disney, Amazon Prime Video and their new rights holder NBCUniversal cost about $2.2 billion or $200 million per year with hopes of additional partners bringing their total to $3 billion dollars. 

In the months leading up to the contract deadline on Oct. 31, players attended an in-person CBA meeting last July during WNBA All-Star weekend. The meeting that was held in Indianapolis was full of open ears and failed to satisfy the needs that the union demanded. A few days later the players wore “Pay Us What You Owe Us” t-shirts during the game to protest against the league. Tensions between the players and the league had grown, laying the groundwork for what’s going on right now. 

This season particularly is the most successful season in history and players deserve to get their well-deserved piece of the pie. The player’s salary has yet to be matched by the rapid increase in revenue this past season.

Forbes reported that the revenue for the 12 teams that played in the 2024 season was a total of $226 million. Bloomberg reported that in the last two years, the revenue had increased from $100 million in 2019 to $200 million in 2023. Sportico reported that their new addition of the Golden State Valkyries are on track to earn more than $70 million in revenue in 2025. With the addition of the Valkyries, it’s safe to assume that the total revenue for the WNBA is at least $300 million. Through all of this, the player’s salary remains at a standstill. And with the additions of Detroit, Philadelphia and Cleveland teams, the average franchise value has increased up to a record-setting 180% since last year. Not to mention the investment groups that paid $250 million dollars for each team added. 

The basketball industry is no stranger to the gender wage gap. The minimum salary for the 2025 season for WNBA players is a whopping $66,000 with the maximum reaching $250,000. With that being said, the minimum salary for an NBA player as a rookie is at a whopping $1 million dollars. As of right now, WNBA players receive 20-25% of basketball related income – the NBA is at 50%. The average NBA player earns around $10 million – which is 80 times more compared to the $127,000 salary the WNBA. 

The WNBA finds itself attracting one-third of viewers per player as the NBA does. According to the estimated ratio of broadcast revenue per player, WNBA players should be receiving 30% of what NBA players receive. Instead, it’s 1/80th of what they are earning. Since the NBA owns the WNBA, their response to this dilemma is that the WNBA is causing them to lose money. The investors that paid upwards of $200 million dollars prove otherwise. 

In a world where WNBA players can strut the catwalk in Victoria Secret lingerie and become the faces of signature brands, how many spinning plates are needed to receive a fair contract?