WNBA Stars Push For Pay Raises Despite League’s Financial Struggles

As the WNBA enters historic negotiations, tensions are continuing to rise between players and the league’s leadership over pay.

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier has been particularly vocal, publicly calling the league’s leadership “the worst in the world” in recent interviews, as previously reported by DX.

Collier is just one of many WNBA players who have called for a pay raise, regardless of the fact that the WNBA loses revenue annually and relies on millions of dollars of subsidy money from the NBA.

Collier has persistently expressed her dissatisfaction with the league, criticizing everything from poor refereeing to inadequate pay and insufficient benefits, in her view.

“I also asked [Engelbert] how she planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin [Clark], Angel [Reese], and Paige [Bueckers], who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years,” Collier told Sports Illustrated.

“[Engelbert’s] response was, ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court, because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.’ And in that same conversation, [Engelbert] told me, ‘Players should be on their knees, thanking their lucky stars, for the media right deal that I got them.’ That’s the mentality driving our league from the top,” Collier added.

Yet, Collier’s demands come at a tricky time, as the WNBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires at the end of 2025, giving players the option to opt out and seek higher salaries.

While stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers garner significant attention off the court, the league itself is far from profitable.

The WNBA still relies on subsidies from the NBA to cover operating costs, even as it expands to 18 teams and negotiates media deals.

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s tenure has seen an 11-year, $2.2 billion media rights deal, with projected revenue of $1 billion this year; however, the league has yet to turn a profit consistently.

Despite these financial realities, WNBA players continue to request substantial raises.

During the All-Star Game, several players wore shirts reading “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” However, some may argue that the publicity stunt showed a lack of understanding about how the league operates financially.

Engelbert has faced internal pressure and criticism from players, as well as from members of the media, such as Scott Van Pelt of ESPN. Sources also told Sports Business Journal that she “hasn’t connected” with players personally, though she has produced some considerable growth for the league.

“As for what Engelbert is alleged to have said to Collier, if she actually suggested Caitlin Clark should be grateful for what she makes off the court, that’s preposterous. Did you miss the Iowa years? Clark is the Tiger Woods tide that lifts all boats,” Van Pelt wrote on social media.

However, Van Pelt appears to have overlooked any objective financial data when comparing Clark to Woods.

For example, the Pro Golf Association (PGA) of America reported a strong year ending March 2024, generating more than $172 million in revenue, up notably from the previous year, per the Paddock Post. Similarly, the PGA Tour saw revenues reach $1.8 billion in 2023, a continued growth that is nowhere near what the WNBA pulls in.

As negotiations approach, the WNBA faces a challenge: balancing the legitimate needs of its athletes with the financial reality that the league faces.