WNBA Collective Bargaining Negotiations are ongoing, with the league now willing to enter into a revenue sharing model with the WNBPA players’ union, but only about 15 percent. It was unclear exactly how much revenue the players wanted. But a report by Ben Pickman of The Athletic indicated that players wanted at least 30 percent of revenue. Therefore, the players want double the revenue that the owners are willing to give based on the most recent reports.
I have not been in the mindset that the league was destined for a work stoppage. The players were going to get a big pay raise, and they are getting it — one way or another. Interestingly, the players are willing to take 30 percent of the revenue, which means the league is still getting the clear majority. However, also keep in mind that WNBA player salaries have historically been pegged to set pay increases instead of tied to the overall revenue.
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I’m not an expert on what exact expenses will make a WNBA team profitable or not from an accounting lens. There are a number of different ways to do it. For example, the Washington Mystics are part of Monumental Basketball so they share facilities with the Washington Wizards by design and they share the same boss. An independent group owns other teams like the Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces.
What do you think are fair salaries and/or revenue sharing models for WNBA players? Let us know in the comments below.
