They’re doing the same thing that other league player’s associations (or any workers’ union) have done and play the PR game. Criticizing them for doing so seems weird to me.
This is not remotely the case. Is Clark a big part of equation? Sure. But she’s not the only reason. Especially when the league was already gaining steam and more fans in seasons before we even knew who Clark was.
Ok. Feel about it how you like, I guess. I’m sharing an opinion like others, so criticizing that seems kind of weird, too, doesn’t it?
Part of “playing the PR game” is dealing with the criticism, anyway. It’s not like I’m up here insulting their families or whatever. Relax. 
Wow, you shared your opinion about my opinion about your opinion. Almost like it’s a discussion. Amazing.
No one said you were. Why so pressed?
It’s hard to pinpoint what the players are worth when the revenue and expenses are tied up with the NBA.
For instance I read the TV rights for both leagues were negotiated together. While they had different figures for each league the actual value of each becomes blurred when done together.
They play in NBA arenas, are the rental fees fair? Are they getting discount rates? Are they being overcharged? Hard to tell when someone is renting from themselves
I’ve heard the players side talk about viewership that sounded reasonable. Do the networks value the WNBA audience per viewer as much as the NBA audience? IDK
Here’s a piece supporting the players side
This is your weird thing, huh? Try to come up with some cute way to disagree with people by projecting?
Ok, then.
You are correct. The wnba is a quality product with quality entertainment. I am on my way now to buy comets tickets. Anyone know the phone number for the comets so I can buy some tickets.
I think they share the same phone number as the Aeros.
You tell me to “relax” but I’m projecting by asking if you’re pressed? Sure….
Just make sure you press 2. I was confused when they tried to sell me on the Gordie Howe season ticket package.
I got the number. Wonder if Hilton is offering g any deals.
Yes, as you seem to not be a fan of the league, and you stated your wife (who is not a sports fan) also thinks the league sucks… why do you care at all about how much the WNBA players get paid?
Did you read the stat when Clark was injured the WNBA viewership went down by 50%?
…is the question about sport or beauty?
I think it speaks for itself…
The original question/thread itself has no merit. Professional leagues be for men or women pay players for what the owners think is fair.
WNBA players do not like their contract? Go play in another league that pays more.
…but wait a minute there is not another league that pays more I believe.
Again this thread represents some that think they are “owed” this much or this much. If there was such market/individuals willing to pay it they would.
At the same time the WNBA has a star on its hands. This is the reason why this thread even exists. The nytimes so called reporter is the biggest hypocrite.
That same star is being mobbed, attacked, flagrant fouls galore and the league is not doing a damn thing about it.
What is the WNBA waiting for? Are they waiting for Clark to have a career ending injury before doing anything? Is that what they are waiting for?
Instead of asking for more money the WNBA should clean up their “parquet” floor.
Furthermore we all know what the real reason is behind this article.
The WNBA wants to make it as a “major” sport league? Clean up your act first and stop with the hand out non sense.
Bull. Anyone in any job can be potentially underpaid.
Their current collective bargaining ends in 2027 but either side can opt out by November 1, 2025. They are going through that process now, not just randomly asking for a raise. Here’s the thing, there might not be an alternative in the US to the WNBA, but there’s no WNBA without the players either. They each need the other, and the league has already signed media contracts for the next 10 years or so, the league has to put out a product but can’t without the players.
This is no different from the NFL, NBA, NHL, or MLB, there are no other leagues at the same level to compete for players.
There is a reason they have a collective bargaining agreement. They want a revenue share more equivalent to that of the NBA, a larger slice of a much smaller pie. That’s it.
Not sure what that has to do with the collective bargaining agreement unless they are also trying to get the league to enforce some rules as part of the next agreement. I will say, Chris, I had no idea you were that much of a fan that this issue was affecting your appreciation of the game.
Again, no idea what that has to do with the collective bargaining and pay issue. Though certainly that is a potential issue that might keep some fans away or put star players at greater risk of injury, so it is important for the league health.
That is irrelevant, in the near term, to the collective bargaining agreement. This is about a revenue share and the league has already locked in a major media rights deal. It could make a difference to the next deal but still irrelevant. The players want a larger slice of the revenue pool, of course if revenue goes down on a future rights contract, that will equal less dollars at that point. However, it’s a long way to go before then and additional stars can be built by the league or emerge from college/Olympics and join the league.
That was clearly labeled as an opinion article from a guest author, not a news article written by a reporter. I do think the NYT could have better labeled her though as she is an unpaid consultant to the WNBA Players association.
Claudia Goldin, a professor at Harvard University, won the 2023 Nobel in economic science.
Love when people who obviously hate the WNBA try to create their own narrative ignoring facts.
No falling in the “bull” trap or the personal angle. Got it? Customer decides. always decides. If there were so much demands the WNBA would have already gotten a better Media deal. Compare it to the NBA? Are you realistically comparing the WNBA to the NBA? When their Nilsen ratings come up then there is a valid discussion. WNBA ratings are not near close to the NBA.
Article was an opinion? Then label your thread that way. I could care less if Claudia teaches at Home Depot University. She clearly has an axe to grind and wants the readers to believe the WNBA players should be paid equally to the NBA players. That is what she wants. There are plenty of nobel economic science winners that have been proven to be complete fraud. That is another topic that belongs to the forbidden zone.
Clark got injured and the ratings came down. That is a fact.
Caitlin Clark has been a target by other teams. Some of these fouls against her deserved major suspensions. These same players committing these fouls did not get the punishments they deserved. That in itself is repulsive. You either have a league or you do not.
The WNBA players want a raise? Prove it by getting more ratings, much more ratings. I loved watching the Comets with Swoops. She was outstanding.
Here is a closer look at WNBA ratings and why. Before I this I tried to do a search the “regular” way through google wanting to see each season since 2020. Not once could i get an answer. Then I used ChatGPT. Here it is clearly explained.
Here’s a clearer look at WNBA TV viewership trends since 2000, based on available data:
| Period | Approx. Regular Season Viewership |
|---|---|
| Early 2000s–2010s | 200,000–280,000 |
| Mid-2010s (2015–2017) | Dropped to ~171,000 |
| 2018–2019 | Rebounded to ~231,000–246,000 |
| Early 2020s (Finals) | 400,000–550,000 |
| 2023 | ~600,000–700,000 |
| 2024 | 1.19 million (ESPN) — record high |
To put it simply the WNBA is clearly dependent on Caitlyn Clark playing. This is not me writing it but the Nielsen ratings prove it. The WNBA needs more than just Caitlyn Clarke.
© 1999-2025 CoogFans.com
