July 21, 2025
The WNBA gamers determined to ship a message to the league amid talks for better pay.
WNBA gamers reaffirmed their stance on equitable pay to the league. The gamers rocked “Pay Us What You Owe Us” shirts whereas collaborating on this 12 months’s All-Star Video games.
The gamers used the platform to maintain consideration on their ongoing struggle for higher pay. In line with The Grio, each side of the match wore the shirts to protest the wages. Workforce captains Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier additionally donned the provocative apparel on the July 19 sport in Indianapolis.
Collier shared how they determined to put on the shirts to unfold additional consciousness on the problem. The Minnesota Lynx ahead detailed how the gamers obtain a “tiny proportion” of the income made off their onerous work.
“We get a really tiny proportion of all the cash that’s made by means of the WNBA, which clearly is made by means of the leisure we offer,” defined the Unmatched founder. “So we would like a good and cheap proportion of that.”
Nonetheless, the shirts had been a last-minute plan. A participant’s assembly sparked the concept that identical morning, with the gadgets showing that night. The general public message additionally comes on the heels of a botched dialogue on a brand new collective bargaining settlement.
The gamers need a increased income share, in addition to elevated salaries and advantages, which might necessitate a extra versatile wage cap. In line with Sports activities Illustrated, the common base wage is $102,249. The determine stands in stark distinction to the tens of millions made within the NBA.
The gamers additionally realized that they had one other pillar of assist from their fan bases. Followers yelled “Pay Them!” whereas others held indicators that confirmed solidarity with their plight.
“We had no concept that they had been in solidarity with our demonstration,” mentioned Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBPA. “I’ve been listening to all of it weekend on the fan occasions, supporting us and wanting us to get our justifiable share of the worth.”
The shirts are additionally on sale, permitting followers to proceed displaying their assist for the trigger.
“You set it on the market, and also you stand on enterprise,” added fellow Minnesota Lynx participant Courtney Williams. “And we’re standing on enterprise.”
Particularly because the WNBA reaches new heights in recognition, with a $2.2 billion media rights deal set to launch in 2026, gamers are hoping to additionally money in on this exponential progress. In the event that they don’t attain an settlement by the top of 2025, there have been inklings of a proposed walkout to protest the meager pay.
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