WNBA Players Not Reaping League’s Revenue Gains

The WNBA’s revenues have nearly doubled over the last four years, although the players’ share of that money has fallen during that span. 

The WNBA will pull in between $180 million to $200 million this year, according to Bloomberg, bolstered by a huge uptick in sponsorship dollars. The report also notes that league and team revenues were about $102 million in 2019. 

Last season the player’s share of revenue was 9.3% in fiscal 2022, a nearly 2% dip from 2019. This season, the minimum salary in the WNBA is $62,285 with the maximum set at $234,936.

Under the collective bargaining agreement ratified on Wednesday, NBA players are slated to receive about 51% of league revenues. The NBA’s new CBA kicks in this July and runs through the 2029-30 season.

WNBA players have to deal with prioritization rules built into their CBA even as several of the league’s players play overseas in leagues that pay more. That was highlighted when Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner spent 10 months in Russian custody after she arrived in February 2022 to play there. 

Change could be on the horizon. 

WNBA players could choose to opt out of the CBA — which runs through 2027 — after the 2025 season, potentially setting up a fight for a revenue split similar to what their NBA counterparts have had for decades. 

And ESPN’s deal — which tops out at a paltry $35 million per season — ends after the 2025 campaign. As ratings have surged, it’s expected the next TV deal will receive a significant bump.