You probably didn't realize it, but the WNBA All-Star Game took place on Saturday evening, concluding with "Team Collier" defeating "Team Clark" by a score of 151-131. Playing defense was apparently not part of the plan, but the players becoming even more insufferable was.
During warm-ups, both teams came out onto the court wearing shirts that read "Pay Us What You Owe Us," a message meant to pressure WNBA management to up their salaries.
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That's an interesting way to frame the situation. So let's talk about exactly what they are "owed." I'm going to start with Caitlin Clark's first season because there's no point in even discussing anything prior. For context, the WNBA has never turned a profit in its 28 years of existence.
In 2024, the WNBA lost $40 million despite experiencing its highest popularity ever due to Clark. In 2025, the league is projected to lose a whopping $50 million. What exactly are they owed in that scenario? Would each player wearing a "Pay Us What You Owe Us" shirt like to receive a bill for their portion of their league's losses? Will they be paying the NBA and other investors what they are owed for propping up the WNBA for decades?
Look, I understand players want the best deal they can get with the upcoming collective bargaining agreement. The tone is as much a problem as the intent here. When you play for a fledgling women's basketball league that has never made money and is currently being held together by the popularity of a single player, that's not the time to flaunt your arrogance. Grumbling "Pay Us What You Owe Us" like a mob boss isn't exactly an endearing message for prospective fans.
With that said, a new 10-year, $2.2 billion television rights deal should finally make the WNBA a profitable enterprise in 2026. I say should because there's always the possibility the league figures out new and exciting ways to lose money. But what happens when the novelty of Clark wears off? We've already seen ratings and in-person attendance crash by 55 percent since she's been out with injury. Maybe other WNBA players targeting Clark out of their petty hate for her popularity wasn't such a smart move?
Regardless, rushing to give the WNBA that huge television deal seems like a pretty big risk, given the league appears to be built on a house of cards. There's another issue regarding player salaries, though. You can't just take that $200 million a year in new revenue over the next decade and divide it among the players. Why? The answer goes back to the NBA and investor group that has kept the WNBA from going under all these years.
In the end, the WNBA only gets 42 percent of the cut, with the rest going toward paying off its debts. When you consider the league itself has to keep investing and paying operating expenses, that leaves far less for increased player salaries than the players are demanding. Again, that whole reality thing hits hard.
What this all comes down to, though, is just how bad the optics are. The more WNBA players fail at the PR game, the less likely they are to garner the new fans they desperately need. In the meantime, they should wrap Caitlin Clark in bubble wrap instead of trying to take her head off.
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