Let’s play ball
Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks
Sure, any basketball fan has heard of, or possibly been involved in, the argument about WNBA salaries. Should WNBA players should be paid as much as NBA players? Or at least more than they get paid now?
But, it’s draft season, so I say we get the debate going again.
First things first
Just so you know what were talking about, here are the critical facts for comparison:
- Minimum salary for 3-year WNBA player: $51,000
- Salary cap for WNBA team: $803,000 per team
- Minimum salary for 3-year NBA player: $826,269
- Salary cap for NBA player: What salary cap?
OK, so really the salary cap for the NBA is $59 million per team, but it’s a “soft cap,” meaning “there are several significant exceptions that allow teams to exceed the salary cap to sign players,” according to Wikipedia.
Payment on principal?
So, let’s talk WNBA salaries. Getting paid $51,000 to play basketball for a season is nothing to sneeze at. I’d be sitting pretty if I made that much. It’s not like these women are going to need payday loans for groceries like us commonfolk.
The debate on the subject revolves around the principal of the thing. Equal pay for equal work has been an issue in this country since women joined the workforce.
Shake your moneymaker
Of course, we all know where this is going. The players, both NBA and WNBA, are paid according to how much money the franchise/sport/organization — whatever you want to call it — brings in.
Furthermore, the WNBA does not actually “bring in” any money, per se. One online commenter at “Simon on Sports” says: “the only reason that the WNBA even survives is because it seeps money off of the NBA.”
The NBA subsidizes the WNBA to the tune of about $12 million per year.
There’s your trouble
I have heard few people argue that WNBA players should make the same salaries as NBA players. There is a small sprinkling of people out there who believe the WNBA players should get equal pay because they are doing the same job. But those are few and far between.
Most people agree that the NBA is the moneymaker, and the players are paid accordingly. NBA players get paid tons of money because their games bring in tons of money. WNBA players get paid less because the WNBA, as a business, is not profitable. What seems to be at the root of the contention is that the gap in pay is so huge.
‘Fun with math’
Stephon Marbury
Yes, you read my little bullet list right: The salary cap in an entire team in the WNBA is lower than the minimum salary for a single player that’s been in the NBA three years. This seems to be what’s causing the trouble.
One sports blogger put it this way:
“Now Let’s Have Some Fun with Math. Stephon Marbury makes $22 million this season. The WNBA has 13 teams. 13 times $803,000 is $10.5 million. That’s half as much as Marbury is making for doing absolutely nothing.”
Read up on Stephon Marbury here.
Share your opinion
Some say WNBA players are underpaid. Some say NBA players are overpaid. Some say the disparity is just too big. What do you say?
No WNBA player can beat a low paid NBAer. The speed,strength,size, and agility does not transend genders. You need to bench that nonsense now. They couldn’t beat a D league player either. An average high school team would rip the WNBA allstars. Women can work as hard as they want they are still below average in skill compared to men. If I’m hurtin feelings so be it. Truth hurts. Not discriminating just stating fact.
I feel that wnba players should at least make six figure salaries.No i do not feel they should make as much as nba players until the wnba can support those salaries.I feel they need to do more to promote the wnba.There are people who still do not know there is a wnba.I hope the wnba will survive. KLR
So many of these posts blame bad marketing and promotion as the reason nobody cares for this league. Frankly you could tattoo the league logo to the inside of everyones eyelids so they would see it in their sleep and it still would not matter. More ads won’t sway anyone.
If mcdonalds came out with a McTurd sandwich and
Promoted it with a huge campaign it wouldn’t sell because it is a bad tasting product. The wnba is the basketball equivalent of the McTurd sandwich.
As a male athlete; participating @ watching boys games for 70 years, I prefer teamwork. I no longer watch NBA. As talented as they are, I’m tired of the “plot”! If I want to see a wrestling match or hockey game I’ go to one. I’ll take WNBA any time and other women sports games. Teamwork over showmanship.PS I don’t watch major league base ball..antics @ ego spoil a great game.
My niece is 17, 6′2″ 180lbs the girl can dunk!!! we call her the flying witch!
Then again, when you compare her with a boy her size and age it’s a diff game.I am not saying fair or unfair I am surprised to find out how low the girls make playing WNBA.I think they should make at least quarter mil $250,000 minimum.and I still dont believe the WNBA is not profitable someone needs to digg their accounting.
The main problem, I think the NBA work harder to find high performing players all over the world.If the WNBA does the same they will come up with a better intertaining game.
Because when it come to basketball you cant just go to college campus like the girls gone wild promoters do.I am a promoter myself.I dont see the hype and the exceptional or unique talent from any of their draft unlike the NBA Lebron’s draft ,Kobe’s draft.
This is my personal opinion,their is enough player in the world to fill 13 teams and come up with shows at least better than NCAA final
this is so ridiculous! if the women in the wnba want to get paid more they need to put more more people in the seats! it has nothing to do with gender only skill. no wnba player could play in the nba. because they dont have as much skill they dont get paid as much. i work hard as i can to be a chef which is my career but i understand why i dont get paid as much as wolf gang puck, its because i dont have the same skill level. it doesnt matter how hard you work at something, if youre not good enough youre not good enough. its reality
I’ve been to many, many NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS, college football, college men’s basketball, college women’s basketball games and other events over the years while working in sports media. Lemme just say that, any untrained eye shouldn’t find it hard to see why the NBA, MLB, NFL, NCAA football and men’s basketball, and women’s figure skating have become cult-level popular, and why the MLS and WNBA has become less-than-marginalized in the sports world. It has nothing to do with gender, everything to do with entertainment value of the product.
Jim obviously is senile. 70 years…Whatever. Archley just because your neice can dunk doesn’t mean she can play. This league loses money when the avg salary is 50K and you want to pay them 250K. That’s a phenominal business decision. Why don’t you pony up the cash. You obviously have an MBA from Harvard.Ps. The talent pool is so shallow you can’t fill out rosters today.Women basketball talent sucking is not just limited to the US. If fact our girls suck less than the global average. That’s kind of a backhanded compliment to the WNBA.
Jackson and Chris are spot on.
I want to do a reality show that people will watch. I challange the WNBA All Stars(oxymoron/no pun intended)to a best of seven reality show. People would watch. Ratings would be great because all of the dumb asses that think they are “good” players would want to see them humble guys like me and all of the people that want to see me,(average joe) embarrass the league would tune in. Unfortunitely it would be a sweep in favor of me and my rec league buds. Ps I’m over 40 and I will get my best friends that are also over 40 and that will make it even more viewable. This is kinda like BJ King vs Bobby Riggs/Old Guy but we aren’t collecting social security. I want to hear from David Stern. We can play winner take all for 1 million dollars. Sponsors will line up. Why won’t the girls take me up on this. I keep hearing all the whining about how they don’t get respect or paid well. This is your opportunity girls. Your pay blows accept the challenge.
Well I believe in about 10 years, the WNBA will be making probably twice as more as they make now. I believe watching the WNBA is more exciting, because in the NBA, besides playoff times, it’s relaxed and like “whatever” In the WNBA all 13 teams play with all they have every game. I believe it isn’t right what the girls are doing, and only making so little. I mean I would still play in the WNBA for $100,000 a year, because hey, i’m getting paid to play basketball. But watch, i’m only 14 and my dream is to play in the WNBA, it’s going to change. Trust me.
If a mc donalds makes a
2 million a year and another only makes 1 and 1/2 million a year does that mean that one manager is so much better than the other.should one manager make 200 times the pay.If one basketball player is male and the other is female should there be such a difference in pay.I agree the wnba should not make million dollar salaries.but they deserve to be paid respectfully at least hundreds of thousands of dollars.When the wnba can start supporting itself then salaries can grow.lets not be sexest.
The WNBA is a symbol of hope for all the girls who work their ass off at this sport and dont rely on jumping over people to dunk a ball. The women of the WNBA are at a disadvantage because people in this country dont understand the game of basketball at its purist form and would rather see some douche bag thug jump real high and run real fast. The skill level of the women in the WNBA is good enough to play with anybody. The people who bash the WNBA and female ball players in general dont understand the game and are fools to not recognize great basketball.
Is women’s basketball as exciting as men’s basketball?
No.
Do women deserve to have a league of their own?
Yes.
Are we showing the WNBA enough respect?
Not at all.
The WNBA expands how far the game of basketball can go, and when people compare two completely different genders to one another for the same sport, that’s just closed minded. On top of that, what type of man wants to brag about beating women at basketball. People are challenging WNBA players to play other guys, and they’re making faulty comparisons. Women are women; they’re not going to play like we do except for the select few. Once again, an unfair comparison.
If we’re going to make disparaging comments about women’s hoops, how about we point out the legitimate factors as opposed to the ones that don’t apply? I think WNBA basketball isn’t watched well because of how different it is compared to women’s basketball, but for God’s sake, that’s not their fault, and yet all of you bash them as if they play half heartedly.
Do we remember Ron Artest? Do we remember the egos that go around the league? The speculation that the NBA may be rigged? How often do you see a fight, ego, or anything in the WNBA? Not that often. In the WNBA’s offseason, women play overseas, giving up time for much needed rest in order to play basketball. Do the NBA players do that? None that I know of, and even so, not a whole lot. At least WNBA players love the game enough to play it year round, while other players skip the last three years of college ball to make millions. Do they not deserve some respect at the very least?
This isn’t about how much they’re paid. The comments on this page have conveyed that they don’t deserve any respect, but a lot of factors show that they’re the real damn basketball players. And apparently, the comments prove there are no real basketball fans, because they would show some damn respect to people who love playing the game.
First off I am a guy and I watch the NBA and every now and again I watch the WNBA. My first thoughts after learning the average salary for WNBA players were that they were being way underpaid even if they are playing less entertaining basketball and for a shorter period of time. But after seeing that the league actually doesn’t make any money and is only surviving because the NBA wills it my mind was changed. I like the WNBA i can watch it in small bursts but until it actually starts making some money then i think the players are getting paid about right. I mean if you think about it the players are getting paid for losing money. Although if that changes then WNBA players definitely will deserve to make at least over $100,000.
and regarding some comments from “Gabe Mambo”
The WNBA regular season is less than half the length of the NBA regular season(82games-34games). The WNBA season runs for about 5 months while the NBA season runs for about 9 months (both including the playoffs and training camp). The WNBA offseason is seven months long, that is more than enough time for the players to go and compete overseas and get enough rest for the next WNBA season. The NBA offseason is only three months long and only leaves time for the players to rest and prepare for the next campaign. Also WNBA players compete overseas to earn more money not necessarily because they love the game enough to play it year round. NBA players make enough money so they don’t need to go overseas unless it is to play for their home country in international play.
“At least WNBA players love the game enough to play it year round, while other players skip the last three years of college ball to make millions.”
How does a player skipping three years of college ball to make millions relate to WNBA players loving the game enough to play it year round. That doesn’t make any sense the nba season is longer than the college basketball season so going to the nba early if anything allows you to play the game even more often than in college and has nothing to do with how much a person loves the game. It might have to do with their love of money but not the game.
because the wnba doesn’t make money yet the players don’t deserve a decent wage.that’s like saying auto workers should be paid minimum wage until the auto companies start making a profit.if you
are doing a job you deserve a decent wage.
100 poo is not that much compared to millions tens of millions NBA players get.
The G Child, I can understand what you’re saying. Of course, can you blame the WNBA for having a longer offseason than the NBA? The NBA takes three-fourths of the year, every year. The WNBA season has to be three months long and the offseason has to be seven months long. It’s the only way they can make solid ratings without much interference from the NBA. And realize what the women are doing during the offseason…they’re playing basketball.
Does that not tell you something? I understand that professional athletes from any sport of any gender make a good amount of money, but if you look at it, they don’t have to play basketball. They can have other jobs, and due to them being women, will likely retire at a young enough age to get a regular job and start a family. That’s respect for the game. They respect it enough to make it their lives. Everyone works hoping to make money for something, but the happiest people are those who enjoy what they do. These women play extra basketball to make it their lives. I’m not saying that NBA players should do that too-and yes, they’re understandably the best in the game and making lots of cash, but the women are just as into it-if not more-than the guys.
And yes, players going to the NBA after their freshmen year does relate to love for the game. Am I saying that ALL college freshmen who skip have no love for the game? No. I’m merely saying that these guys are up and going, leaving for the NBA Draft without a single thought of otherwise. It happens every year, at the expense of the NCAA. And some players even become disgruntled, grumbling about playing in college hoops with no pay, although they’re being given a thousand privileges on top of a free education.
If NCAA women’s players were given the opportunity to skip and play WNBA ball, yes, some of the best would skip. But then again, maybe they’ll value their education and stay for at least three years and study in a community college of whatever team’s city they’re drafted to.
They may have no choice but to stay in college anyway; they’re just going to be playing a league with no significant pay anyway.
First of all, why are most men putting down the men. I bet the wnba women can beat the mens. (Not the nba) Second, ill admit the women are a little slow at taking shots and sometimes are not aggersive as the men but a least there are puting sometime out. The women should be paid a lot more. Adverting tv-wise is so much better. Recently I saw a poster a famous womens basketball player Candace Parker of the Los Angelos Sparks. It was great that they are sopporting the wnba. The problem is that I couldnt tell that she was who she was because it wasn’t labeled her team or wnba or anything. Just her name. If I hadn’t looked around I wouldn’t have seen her at all. So don’t blame the wnba blame the bad advertizing. P.S. the tv channels should have women everywhere. Peace ,love & basket ball
WNBA. Worst sport ever. Unwatchable. As I write this I am changing to the NFL game. Greg, great comments. But to all the girls who’s dream it is to play, keep trying
wnba blows worst sport ever watching it is like having bamboo under my finger nails couldnt be worse i cant wait till its just done with what kind of good sport loses players to a maternity league thats bull and if if you dont appreciate this it s an opinion yea they have good fundamentals but this not gonna be bringing in the money you can see their all star game for like !0 bucks you can even stand outside the nba all star game for that
I just heard today on PTI that somebody( I don’t remember who) bought 7200 tickets and gave them away at the Phoneix Mercury game last night. Attendance for the game was just over 7000. How funny is that. They can’t give tickets away
I can’t believe anyone actually thinks there are women who could play in the NBA . Where are they ? This is not an equal rights issue . They just can’t play as well as men and are boring to watch . Some things are not equal . How many white guys play in the NBA ? China has 1.3 billion people and 3 guys in the NBA . Why? because in general they are smaller people, period . There is nobody keeping Chinese from playing basketball . It isn’t racism they are just too small . Women are slower and less explosive than men , so nobody wants to see a slow sloppy basketball game . It is like watching Arena Football , only even more boring .
Girls are not boys,the wnba is not the nba.It’ like comparing apples to oranges. Both are good fruit and have some nutriants. you can’t expect girls to play like boys.It doesn’t mean girls can’t play good entertaining ball.The wnba probably won’t ever be as popular as the nba .but the sport will grow to support itself.Stop dissin’ women sports they are just as important as mens.If you don’t like it don’t watch it.I don’t expect everybody to like ever sport.I don’t care for golf or baseball but you don’t hear me dissin’ the sports or players.They deserve their credit so does the wnba.
The wnba isn’t the nba,you can’t expect girls to play like boys.That doesn’t mean theese girls can’t play ball.It would be like going to a nfl game and seeing male cheerleaders in tight shorts and half t-shirts,most wouldn’t want see that no matter how good they were.I don’t expect you (you know who you are)to like every sport.I am not abig golf fan or baseball,but you don’t here me dissin’ theese sports or players.Thwy deserve credit for what they do.I couldn’t hit a home run or play golf as good as tiger woods.Girls deserve more than cheerleading and tennis.
T
I’ve never been a WNBA fan. The truth is that before this Fever/Mercury Finals I may have seen like 90 seconds of WNBA basketball in my entire life. Having said that, this series between the Fever/Mercury has been sensational. The quality of play (I’m a guy) has impressed the hell out of me.
Of course the women are not going to be able to compete with the men on a court, but is that really the point? There should be room for both. I’ve found this series to be incredibly entertaining. These girls can play the game. In a lot of ways it’s better fundamental basketball than you see in the NBA. They are two different games in terms of athleticism, but that doesn’t mean the women can’t play.
I say some on here should open up their eyes and try to view this thru a different prism. Plus, I’d be willing to bet that most of the guys on here are trash talking without merit. I’d bet most are not half the player someone like Tamika Catchings is, most couldn’t beat Penny Taylor in a game of horse…The league may not last and maybe they never do generate enough interest to ultimately keep from folding, but that sure as hell doesn’t mean quite a few of these women can’t play. For ANY guy on here to say something like that screams out inferiority complex. Even if any guy on here really IS a better hoops player, so what? Compared to YOUR male peers, what does that really mean? Get over yourselves…
kc
Everybody knows the NBA is better than the WNBA that’s just a true fact, but WNBA players sweat,go hard and do what the men do.Look at Candace Parker,Diana Taurasi,Cappie Pondexter and Tamika Catchings 4 of the WNBA’s best players they do what men do Candace dunks,Diana dominates from the 3,Tamika defensive player of the year(2009),And Cappie is just and all around player.They Win championship titles just like the men do,so why can they atleast make more money than they do now,some NBA players suck ass and still make millions of dollars for example Sheldon Williams sucks and he 3mil and Candace PArker is a beast and she makes 44k….Im not saying WNBA players desrve 15mil but damn whats wrong with 5 or 6mil atleast for the best..ya feel me???
The WNBA is in its infant stages and also is a womens league. Come on people think…if anything has a tough time gaining support in this country it is something thats new (WNBA) and it is 100% female. Naturally the WNBA will have to overcome more of a boundary than the NBA ever had. It also doesnt help that the NBA is so visible now. There was a time not to long ago when Jordan retired and KOBE, DWAYNE, and LEBRON hadnt arrived yet. The NBA was so boring, this was one of the reasons for the rule changes to help team provide more offense and be more appealing in a time when there wasnt any star power. Again the WNBA is a womans league and it is in its infant stages. Right now the WNBA might not appeal to the average fan but to those who know and love BBALL it doesnt matter whos playing BBALL is BBALL. Another thing that I like about the WNBA vs NBA is it doesnt take the players as long to contribute to the league. If you look at the NBA 3/4 the players drafted dont make an impact untill 3 to 4 yrs down the line. Your avergae WNBA player goes to school 4 years and is able to step in on the pro level immediatley. Just another reason I like the WNBA.
No One wants to see women play sports. Its not entertaining. It will never make a profit. I tried to watch a wnba game once; I fell asleep. No offense to women but there just not big enough, strong enough, or fast enough to entertain most sports fans. They cant even dunk for God’s sake. WNBA=Fail
Hey Loso, bitter against women much? LMAO I have season tickets to both PHX Suns and PHX Mercury….and as a HUGE fan of the sport of basketball, and one who truly appreciates the beauty and art of the game I can say you are DEAD WRONG as far as entertainment factor! Trust me, 6′4″ women CAN dunk. WNBA games at times are even MORE exciting, brutal, and cut throat than NBA games….(ever seen a guy keep playing sporting a fresh shiner or bloody lip?)perhaps you just prefer MEN….heheh Sadly, I agree no doubt the women will never come close the the men’s salaries….but not because they don’t deserve it probably because the industry is dictated by folks such as yourself, Bubba….doh!
wildthinginaz, to me it looks like you are saying that WNBA players are tougher than NBA players, and that is one of the most outrageous things ive ever heard. WNBA players wouldnt last ten seconds in an NBA game.
Ok we women are well aware that we may never be able to jump over 2 players and dunk the ball at the same time. I love sports but the most boring sport to watch on television besides baseball and is the NBA. Its not even a team sport anymore. They just want to see what single player gets the ball the most and scores the most. You watch a WNBA game and its a team sport. The only thing I will ever remember about the NBA is Jordan, Bird, and Johnson. That’s it.
Laura yu have no clue wat yur tlkin about watch the celtics next time there on … their offense s selfless rondo would rather get an assist than a bucket and KG sets more screens than takes shots the wnba is terrible everyone knows it i dont even think the players like to watch their own highlights so learn somethin about basketball before yu say the wnba is better than the nba yu douche
yoo laura correct me if I’m wrong but did michael jordan not get the ball an awful lot and score a bunch of points, ye something like 30 000+ in his career.
that is weird isn’t it, how you claim to not like the nba now when its all about individual players yet you are going to remember one of the biggest ball hogs of all time in Michael Jordan.
ANYWAYS the point of this is to discuss whether or not they should be paid more and i think The G Child nailed it. i also think that if the wnba wants to make more money they need to become more like the nba. face it people love to be dazzled by individual performances much more than watching fundamental basketball. you can find examples of this even in the nba in a person like Tim Duncan a.k.a the big fundamental can’t pull in a crowd and sell tickets like a lebron james or kobe bryant. so in order for the wnba to succeed they are going to need some players who can bring in a crowd. i also think they should lower the nets to allow for more dunks because the slam dunk is a big part of basketball, that’s what people think of when they think of a basketball game. they think of people running up and down the court and dunking the ball, and as “great” as a layup or jump shot may be its not gonna amaze anyone and the reason people come to watch a basketball game is to be amazed. so if they change up somethings in the game and make more like the nba they will make more money and pay their athletes better.