• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 10, 2024
The Best Employers in Sports survey is now open! Take the survey

The WNBA Can’t Ignore Salary Issues

  • Becky Hammon’s salary ($1M) approaches the total cap for any one team ($1.4M).
  • But it highlights the older, more contentious issue of players’ wages.
Jeff Bottari-NBAE via Las Vegas Aces/Design: John Regula

The WNBA has taken several big steps forward in the last year, but its most recent achievement is highlighting the older, more contentious issue of players’ wages — and making it more urgent than ever.

Former Spurs assistant Becky Hammon will earn $1 million per season as the Las Vegas Aces’ new head coach — making her the highest-paid HC in league history.

But on Tuesday, free agent Liz Cambage, who played for Las Vegas in 2019 and 2021 — pointed out that Hammon’s salary is four times the supermax for players. 

  • Hammon’s salary approaches the total cap for any one team ($1.4 M). 
  • By contrast, Seattle Storm superstar Breanna Stewart signed a one-year, $228,000 supermax deal on Tuesday.
  • WNBA coaches’ salaries are not subject to the salary cap; the cap is determined by league revenue, the bulk of which comes from TV deals.
  • ESPN’s $25 million-per-year WNBA contract runs through the 2022 season. By contrast, the NBA makes $2.6 billion per season through its media deals.

This is nothing new. The issue of low wages has plagued the WNBA for years — to the point where many players, including legends like Diana Taurasi, have had to supplement their incomes by playing overseas.

Courtney Vandersloot, who just starred in the Sky’s championship run, reportedly received a “disrespectful offer” from Chicago — and her European team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, may pay her to sit out the next WNBA campaign.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jun 25, 2024; Belmont Park, New York, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) shoots over New York Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot (22) in the first quarter of the Commissioner’s Cup Championship game at UBS Arena.

WNBA Finals Feature a Tale of Two Differing Success Stories

Joe and Clara Wu Tsai purchased the Liberty in 2019.
Duante' Abercrombie News Ch.4 interview

Tennessee State’s Ambitious Plan to Launch an HBCU Hockey Program

TSU has big plans, but the university is facing an existential dilemma.
Breanna Stewart

Why WNBA Finals Are Threading the Needle During Peak Sports TV

The league’s new media deal could solve the problem.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) smiles while answering a question Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, after an Indiana Fever practice at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Next Up for Caitlin Clark Mania: Women’s Golf

The hoops sensation is scheduled to play in a pro-am on the LPGA Tour.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Patriots Hit Rock Bottom; WNBA Finals Begin

0:00

Featured Today

Ryan Smith Sees Salt Lake City As Next Vegas-Like Sports Town

Utah Hockey Club’s owner says all the pieces are falling into place.
October 8, 2024

How the WWE’s Farm Circuit Became a Primetime Draw

NXT produces generational talent—and it occupies a new prime-time network slot.
A DraftKings sign
October 7, 2024

A DraftKings Exec Left for Fanatics. Then the Bitter Legal Battle Began

Mike Hermalyn has been sidelined at Fanatics for nine months now.
opinion
October 6, 2024

Where Is the Dang Game? Fragmentation Has Hit Fever Pitch

A correction is coming in the increasingly confusing landscape of live sports.

Premier League Transfer Spending Has Already Topped $2 Billion As Deadline Looms

Saudi Pro League teams haven’t yet matched their English counterparts.
August 9, 2024

One Agent Swept the Podium in the Race of the Olympics

One former runner reps all three medalists in the men’s 1,500.
August 26, 2024

Cowboys Pay Lamb, but NFL Teams Grapple With High-Stakes Talks

There are just 10 days remaining until the start of the regular season.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
August 6, 2024

Pole Vaulter Armand Duplantis Cashing In On World Records

Duplantis won gold and has set a pole-vault world record nine times.
August 5, 2024

Harrison Butker Negotiates Record Kicker Deal After Rocky Offseason

Butker negotiated the contract for himself instead of hiring an agent.
Jul 13, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Julio Rodriguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners smiles after a single in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
August 3, 2024

Julio Rodriguez: Contract Details & Salary Breakdown

His potential earnings could more than double his salary of $209.3 million.
Jul 5, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Thorns FC forward Sophia Smith (9) dribbles during the first half against the San Diego Wave FC at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
August 2, 2024

The Highest-Paid NWSL Players Right Now

Sophia Smith leads the way as the highest-paid NWSL player, earning a reported salary of over $500K annually.