Angel Reese has spoken out on behalf of all WNBA players, and her comments have created a lot of buzz. The Chicago player spoke openly and demanded better conditions for those who are part of the league, especially better salary contracts.
The WNBA had a historic regular season in 2024, reaching its highest television ratings in 24 years, its highest attendance in 22 years, and breaking records for digital interactions and product sales.
This is an important milestone for the league, which is finally achieving the visibility it has sought for so long. But the real battle is now at the bargaining tables and on digital platforms, where players are already raising their voices and could bring further change.
They want better salaries after a perfect 2024 for the WNBA
The athletes want fairer compensation, better working conditions and a contract that reflects their true importance in the sport. These demands should be the norm in every professional league.
Nneka Ogwumike, a player for the Seattle Storm, echoed her teammate Reese‘s comments, saying:
“We’re not just asking for a collective bargaining agreement that reflects our value; we’re asking for it because we deserve it,” she said.
Rising star Angel Reese claims the WNBA barely pays her. She will make $74,909 next year, for a total of $324,383 over four seasons. While the league is increasing its revenue, it continues to claim that there is a lack of money.
The players are not wrong; they have every right to demand it
Not only was 2024 good for the WNBA, but in 2022 they secured a historic $75 million investment that increased their value to $475 million and gave investors a 16% stake. In addition, in the summer of 2024, the league’s audiovisual rights deal took a remarkable leap, growing from $60 million to $200 million annually for 11 years, an increase of more than 300%.
The WNBA has stated that it does not have enough money to pay the players, but many sponsors have arrived and the players no longer believe these words and are demanding better conditions.
The fight is about more than money; it is about dignity. They want to prevent the players from traveling on commercial flights while the men use private jets. They do not want future generations to be dependent on extra jobs abroad. Although the WNBA is growing thanks to them, they feel it is unfair that they only receive up to20% of the basketball revenue, compared to 50% in the NBA.
We will see if they manage to reach an agreement, as it seems that more players will join Angel Reese’sstatements that they are going through their best financial moment and rewarding the players would be the fairest thing to do.
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