WNBA players participating in the league’s All-Star game on Saturday night rocked controversial t-shirts that read, “Pay Us What You Owe Us.”
Athletes in women’s professional sports, most notably in sports like basketball and soccer, have been on an “equal pay” crusade for years, arguing that they are paid far too little, especially relative to their male counterparts.
According to WNBA players, Saturday’s shirts were inspired, more specifically, over recent collective bargaining negotiations.
However, as social media users pointed out online, the WNBA is not able to sustain its operations from its own profits alone, and is effectively subsidized by the NBA, which reportedly owns 60% of the WNBA.
“There is no league as tone deaf as the WNBA,” Daily Wire podcast co-host Jake Crain said. “‘Pay us what you owe us’ shirts when you have to be subsidized is wild.”
There is no league as tone deaf as the WNBA.
“Pay us what you owe us” shirts when you have to be subsidized is wild.
pic.twitter.com/WuA6x6nr93— Jake “JBOY” Crain (@JakeCrain_) July 20, 2025
Red State writer Bonchie mocked: “WNBA: ‘No one watches our league, it’s losing $50 million a year, and we just got trolled at the ESPYs. What should we do?’ WNBA Players: ‘Let’s become even more insufferable.'”
WNBA: “No one watches our league, it’s losing $50 million a year, and we just got trolled at the ESPYs. What should we do?”
WNBA Players: “Let’s become even more insufferable.” https://t.co/ytcQlwTvty
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) July 20, 2025
“Imagine being an employee at a company that has NEVER turned a profit and showing up to work in these shirts,” Jason Howerton said. “Amazing opportunity for the WNBA commissioner to be like: ‘OK, deal. You lost us $40 million last year, each of you owe us $231K.'”
Amazing opportunity for the WNBA commissioner to be like:
“OK, deal. You lost us $40 million last year, each of you owe us $231K”
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) July 20, 2025
Another X user criticized the WNBA for demanding more money while operating at a loss, and as the “players beat the s*** out of the only player that fans pay to watch – Caitlin Clark.”
WNBA All-Stars wearing shirts that say “Pay us what you owe us.”
LOL. The league operates at a loss and is subsidized by the NBA.
And its players beat the shit out of the only player that fans pay to watch – Caitlin Clark.pic.twitter.com/A1B7A8uUsm
— John LeFevre (@JohnLeFevre) July 20, 2025
Clark, who plays for the Indiana Fever, also wore the “Pay Us What You Owe Us” warm-up.
Steph Chambers/Getty Images
However, another WNBA player said during a post-game interview that Clark was not present for the last-minute decision to go with the controversial slogan.
“It was a very powerful moment. As players, we didn’t know that that was going to happen. It was a genuine surprise,” Kelsey Plum said. “The t-shirt was determined this morning. Not to tattletale: zero members of ‘team Clark’ were very present for that.”
KP: “It was a very powerful moment. As players, we didn’t know that that was going to happen. It was a genuine surprise. The t shirt was determined this morning. Not to tattletale: 0 members of Team Clark were very present for that” https://t.co/2fXgaAuqMR pic.twitter.com/awIfnqLjxv
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) July 20, 2025
Clark has created tremendous buzz for the women’s league, and is credited with a boost in attendance and merch sales. In fact, Barstool founder Dave Portnoy gave a different take than most online, arguing that these women actually should make more money, highlighting the league’s recent boost — thanks in large part to Clark.
WNBA rant for people with smaller brains than me. pic.twitter.com/biDNBX7JWA
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 20, 2025
Related: Shane Gillis Shocks ESPY Crowd With Unfiltered Jokes About Epstein, WNBA, And Caitlin Clark