The WNBA is a league on the rise. More and more fans are following the league as attendance and ratings have skyrocketed, and many of its players have become household names. It’s not just a cushy job of signing autographs and kissing babies, though. These athletes are working their behinds to take the league to new heights, and in many ways, they’re still not fairly compensated for it.
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The recently-concluded All-Star Weekend shone a light on that in a couple of ways. Most obvious was how the players warmed up in solidarity with their ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us’ shirts, a nod to the fact that WNBA salaries are still extremely low compared to other professional sports.
A max contract in the WNBA is under $250,000 per year, while Caitlin Clark, the league’s biggest star, makes just $78,000 to play for the Indiana Fever since she’s still on her rookie deal. The league signed a historic media rights deal last year, and the players are asking for their share of the profits.
This fight could result in a work stoppage if a new CBA isn’t reached by the end of the season.
The All-Star Weekend also showed that a lot is asked of players from a time and scheduling perspective, with little given for rest and recovery. Three-time MVP A’ja Wilson spoke about this on a recent appearance on the Boardroom podcast.
“It’s super busy, it is. I feel like I’m busier now than I am in season,” Wilson said of the All-Star break. “I’m grateful to be busy, because something’s wrong if I’m not, but no, this is tons of fun. I wish I could get my bonus and just kind of break it off, but that’s not the way the world works, you know? You gotta work for it.”
The WNBA All-Star break lasted from July 17-21, which is a day less than NBA players get. More is also asked of the women as they make the rounds doing interviews, television appearances and in-person events to help grow the game.
Despite the time crunch, Wilson does still enjoy being such a prominent part of the festivities. “I love All-Star Weekend, obviously, because it gives our fans an opportunity to see us all together,” she said.
“Obviously they see us competing against each other, but sometimes you have your two favorite players from different teams playing together, so it allows them to see us in a different space,” added Wilson.
Wilson is no stranger to All-Star Weekend, but she still appreciates what it represents. “Coming in as a seven-year All-Star, it’s truly special. I love it because I feel like it gives people their flowers while they can still smell them. Midway through the season, it kind of gives you that validation like, ‘OK, I did my job halfway through this. I’m a star, I belong in this league.'”
Wilson’s Aces are looking to get back to the mountaintop after going back-to-back in 2022 and 2023. It’s been a struggle this season, though, despite Wilson’s continued stellar play. She’s averaging over 22 points and 9 rebounds, but the Aces are just 12-12 after losing to the Fever last night. If the season ended today, they’d just sneak into the playoffs as the 7-seed.
