The fact that NBA players get a much larger piece of the revenue pie does seem to say something about how each respective league values its players. Compare that to the NFL average of $2.7 million (median is $860K), $4.41 million in the MLB, $3.5 million in the NHL, and the average NBA salary is a whopping $9.662 million for the 2022-23 season. This is something that the 150-ish WNBA players have been fighting to change for quite some time. If the WNBA doesnt figure this out, players are going to opt out of the league. In conclusion, the WNBA will never be paid the same amount as the NBA players. This is Discrimination against women. All rights reserved. So female basketball players work just as hard as male basketball players, yet even the best WNBA players are paid much less than the mediocre and below average NBA ones. If you don't sell tickets and negotiate a huge TV deal, you're not going to get rich. The US women's soccer team has brought the conversation to the forefront over the last three years. Jahniya Marion is a Junior at Centreville High and enjoying her first year on the Journalism staff. After all, sponsors want exposure for their brand. That same year, however, only 2 percent of airtime on the stations flagship show, SportsCenter, was allocated to womens sports. It is a credit to the economics profession that the labor theory of value has largely fallen out of style. After pushing their bodies to the limit in their regular season and in an equally demanding World Cup, a whole lot of WNBA players will be spending a significant chunk of their year overseas playing on professional teams and in leagues in order to supplement their WNBA income. The WNBA might be the most boring form of basketball I have ever seen. So yes, it appears NBA referees do make more than a WNBA player. And while that's not a dollar amount to sniff at, these women only have so long to earn money off their . And that's a 7 percent increase. . Perhaps the American public will come to appreciate thestrong fundamentalsof theWNBAand, as a result, salaries will improve. But let's talk about the competitiveness of the field for a minute, because, arguably, it's true: In many sports, the difference in skill and ability between the top women's athlete, and say, the 100 th-ranked women's athlete, is a much wider gulf than the same comparison between male players of similar ranks.For instance the recent women's football World Cup match between the #1 . The main reason why WNBA players are paid less is WNBA is not as famous as NBA. And theyre not done. In August, WNBA president Lisa Borders said, While I encourage WNBA players to speak out on issues important to them, it is equally important that they understand the realities of our business., Nows a good time for players to advocate for themselves because the product in the WNBA has never been better.. In the past, some top male players including Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have claimed men should earn more as they attract more people. In fact, in the segment, ESPNs Rachel Nichols cautions, Heres another key point in all this. The WNBA has about 570,000 people that are watching the games. Better cooks etc. The new CBA addresses this issue. 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. A 47 point difference is absolutely terrible. Zion Williamson at 68 can jump 44 and broke a rim during an all star game due to dunking the ball with two hands so hard. Yet, they still choose to play in the US because . I dont know how any single person could enjoy watching someone shoot wide open jump shots and wide open layups. It felt like records were set on an almost weekly basis. As athletes, we have to fight. The WNBA has made strides to increase player salaries and find other waysto compensate players in the last CBA, which was ratified in 2020. Currently, the NBA pays its players 50 percent of its total revenue. This is the first time salaries for women in the WNBA will achieve an average salary that is six figures (Glamour). James reportedly walked away with $370,000, while Bird only collected $11,356. Nancy Lough does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Median WNBA Salary is $ 71,635. Im sorry, the WNBA is awful compared to the NBA. Many WNBA players head overseas to play during the off-season, where they can be paid much more than they earn in the U.S. Griner, who was arrested for allegedly transporting drugs, is one of them. With a net worth estimated to be somewhere between $5 million and $17 million dollars, Brittney Griner might be the highest paid female basketball ever. Wake up to the day's most important news. You may opt-out by. 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. "The International Cricket Council funded all the men's teams to fly business class but, only paid for the women's teams to fly economy class" (Wigmore). And in sport, just as in society, women are fighting back, working towards the day when pay equality is achieved. The league average in 2022 is just $102,751 for WNBA players. Be lovers of freedom and anxious for the fray, Twitter Bans Sen. 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Last week, this exciting season of the WNBA ended after the Seattle Storm swept the Washington Mystics to win their third championship. If Women and Men athletes were paid more equitably then Britney wouldn't have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. For example, the average salary for a WNBA player is just over $100,000. Although that's true, there's still a substantial gender wage gap in professional basketball, even after you adjust for the revenue difference. In her defense, Wilson is a 21-year-old athlete who probably hasnt thought a great deal about economics. In other words, if the WNBA doesnt figure this out, players are going to opt out of the league. While leading to the WNBA finals in a sell-out game, Kyle Lowry, Ja Morant, Ty Lue, Alvin Gentry, and Demarcus Cousins all attended the WNBA finals this year. Finally, the NBA is not soccer and will not be screwed the way mens soccer got screwed. This year, all of the major professional sports leagues had a presence. The Long Fight for Pay Equality in Sports. Player's salaries in the NWSL range from about $16,000 to $46,000 annually, according to NPR. 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 has ledDavid Berri ofForbesto argue that becauseWNBAsalaries make up less than a quarter of league revenue, as opposed to the NBAs 50 percent split, theWNBAis clearly exploiting their players. We had incredibly thrilling semifinals series that went a full five games apiece. It is ridiculous to continue this argument. why because you cant handle the facts and I do agree some parts are harsh but you cant say its rude because its right. 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. In essence, the owners arent making money off the league. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images). 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. As for the players, well, they deserve to be able to play the game they love (that theyre good at!) What many of the women are asking for is equity in revenue sharing, as economist David Berri has written about repeatedly at Forbes. Against The Men By: Dave Seminara June 29, 2017 10 min read Over the next fortnight at The Championships, more commonly known as Wimbledon, 256. Just like how these. For example,last month theWNBAaveraged 250,000 viewers per game with a high of 378,000. However, due to aspects such as entertainment value and . The NBA's average attendance is 17,760, the WNBA's 6,535. I know this is a controversial statement because women are never supposed to ask for more than they have, lest they be ungrateful for whatever theyve been given thus far. Part of HuffPost News. The Women's National Basketball Association only generates $60 million per year. The WNBA is 50 years behind in building its brand and working out labor issues. And while thats not a dollar amount to sniff at, these women only have so long to earn money off their athletic ability. Also, say if they were to get 50% of the WNBA revenue it would mean they would owe instead of receiving increased salary. She is also not the only one to skip a WNBA season. 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