FYI for those who don't know: NBA players have in their contract that the players (ie LABOR) gets 50% of all basketball related income. WNBA players get ~9%.
Replies
The WNBA will lose $40 million this year. It has NEVER turned a profit. If it weren't subsidized by the NBA it would have folded years ago.
jul 20, 2025, 6:50 pm • 2 0 • view
They are all the same; that's like saying Big Macs subsidize salads at McDonald's.
jul 20, 2025, 7:01 pm • 0 0 • view
i dont follow? the nba can exist without the wnba.
jul 20, 2025, 7:08 pm • 1 0 • view
Saying one company's product "subsidizes" another is silly at best.
jul 20, 2025, 7:13 pm • 0 0 • view
they are different companies. different ownership
jul 20, 2025, 8:06 pm • 0 0 • view
You really coulda just taken 5 seconds to google instead of being boldly wrong
jul 20, 2025, 9:50 pm • 1 0 • view
What a wonderful world it would be if all employees got 50 percent of what businesses made
jul 21, 2025, 1:53 am • 4 0 • view
Anyone with half a brain who does the smallest amount of research on this will know the WNBA is subsidized by the NBA because the WNBA has not turned a profit ever in 24 years
jul 20, 2025, 8:03 pm • 0 0 • view
Neither did Amazon
jul 21, 2025, 1:01 am • 0 0 • view
what does that have to do with this topic?
jul 21, 2025, 4:23 pm • 0 0 • view
????? They are demanding more money, same as the us women's soccer team. But the WNBA has never turned a profit therefore they don't deserve to be paid more. It's not as fast paced exciting or full as technical skill as men's sports that's why they don't turn as much profit.
jul 21, 2025, 9:46 pm • 0 0 • view
They are "entitled" to whatever they are able to negotiate and because ratings, attendance, TV, merch and much more have dramatically increased they will undoubtably negotiate a lot more money (which will then therefore be well deserved)
jul 21, 2025, 11:58 pm • 0 0 • view
It's an example of another company that didn't pursue operating income but rather profited from increasing valuation.
jul 21, 2025, 7:42 pm • 1 0 • view
I'm sorry but did you take econ? I don't want to sound confrontational I apologize if I am but the whole idea of the WNBA or any other league for that matter is to make money it's all always about making money. They received the income that they are valued at
jul 21, 2025, 9:42 pm • 0 0 • view
Yes I did in fact take econ 101 and accounting. So therefore I understand there is operating income (of which the WNBA allegedly has not had) and there is enterprise value. Do you think OpenAI is a losing investment because it hasn't turned an operating profit?
jul 21, 2025, 11:56 pm • 0 0 • view
can you put it another way that doesn't sound like someone at a corporate seminar
jul 21, 2025, 8:03 pm • 0 0 • view
WNBA (allegedly) not making an annual profit is a weak argument to not pay the players more because the underlying value of the WNBA and it's teams is going up by billions every year.
jul 21, 2025, 9:11 pm • 1 0 • view
Not sure where you're getting your information at but it's very easy to look and see that the WNBA has existed for 24 years and has never produced a profit. It's a league that is propped up by another League which is okay but they're getting paid what their valued at.
jul 21, 2025, 9:41 pm • 0 0 • view
The value of the teams alone have gone up 180% in a YEAR according to recent analysis.
jul 21, 2025, 11:53 pm • 0 0 • view
Example: you buy an apartment building for $1m, it costs 100k a yr to operate it, you collect 100k a yr in rent, so income =$0. But every year you have it appraised and the value of the building goes up like 250k a yr. No income but lots of unrealized profit. WNBA is the building. Simple enough?
jul 21, 2025, 9:17 pm • 0 0 • view
Your analogy is way off, WNBA is a business that has never produced a profit and is not valued more than the money it brings in. Your analogy would have been more accurate have you added a large rental company with hundreds of millions of assets was supplementing my rent income.
jul 21, 2025, 9:40 pm • 0 0 • view
Again it hasn't produced an OPERATING profit. The value of the league and its franchises have increased dramatically and therefore there is a "profit" in terms of capital appreciation.
jul 21, 2025, 11:52 pm • 1 0 • view
the value went up almost 200% last year because of Clark...to assume it will continue is silly imho
jul 21, 2025, 11:50 pm • 0 0 • view
The ratings for the 2024 WNBA finals (that didn't include Clark) were up 110% from prior year.
jul 22, 2025, 12:04 am • 0 0 • view
I'm not assuming it will continue, I'm assuming it already happened. Attendance, ratings and minds hare have dramatically increased across the league (attendance is up 15pct this yr) so all players have more leverage and will undoubtably get more money.
jul 22, 2025, 12:01 am • 0 0 • view
the value of the WNBA goes up billions every year? Do you have a source for that?
jul 21, 2025, 11:47 pm • 0 0 • view
In the last few yes. They are now selling new franchises for 250m Study says WNBA franchises increased in value by an average of 180% since last year, setting a record www.cnn.com/2025/06/24/s...
jul 21, 2025, 11:50 pm • 1 0 • view
Well until someone or some entity actually pays said amounts, speculative value is just that...it doesn't put money in the bank to pay players more
jul 22, 2025, 3:50 am • 0 0 • view
It's embarrassing that you are out here posting an analysis of billion dollar sports leagues using the sophistication of running a lemonade stand.
jul 22, 2025, 1:33 pm • 0 0 • view
Men are not going to watch WNBA the same way that they are willing to watch WTA or USWNT. I am saying this to disparage men, and also because there is no getting around it.
jul 20, 2025, 6:13 pm • 0 0 • view
NINE!?
jul 21, 2025, 5:42 am • 0 0 • view
They are right. Period. End of conversation.
jul 20, 2025, 5:45 pm • 5 1 • view
9% is truly wild. I cannot believe it's that bad.
jul 20, 2025, 7:18 pm • 3 0 • view
the league loses millions of dollars a year
jul 21, 2025, 4:16 pm • 0 0 • view
A lot of people in the US should get one of those t-shirts.....
jul 20, 2025, 6:44 pm • 0 0 • view
The WNBA loses 40-50 million a year. Pay the players more and that loss grows, and the league eventually fails. What's 50% of zero? They're lucky to make what they do. Sadly, it's an unprofitable, unwatchable product.
jul 20, 2025, 6:50 pm • 2 0 • view
"loses"...
jul 20, 2025, 7:00 pm • 1 0 • view
If the TV contract is going to be around 200 million dollars and total player salaries for the league is around $20 million, how will they be operating at a loss?
jul 20, 2025, 9:47 pm • 0 0 • view
Facebook, Amazon, Uber, DoorDash, Twitter etc lost money for years, yet white tech bros still received six-figure salaries.
jul 21, 2025, 1:01 am • 1 0 • view
Same issue as USWNT, their lawyers failed them.
jul 20, 2025, 8:51 pm • 1 0 • view
If it weren't for the players, no one would be making any money. I don't think people would pay to watch folks in suits in the acts of owning, managing, or marketing.
jul 20, 2025, 6:51 pm • 9 1 • view
no one is making any money. the NBA subsidizes the WNBA because it loses money.
jul 21, 2025, 4:17 pm • 0 0 • view
Tbh they'd have more money at the end of the year if they just got rid of it
jul 21, 2025, 4:45 pm • 0 0 • view
Their business bleeds money, I'm surprised the league doesn't charge them to play
jul 21, 2025, 4:44 pm • 0 0 • view
I believe they should receive at least 75% of the WNBA's profits, agree or disagree?
jul 21, 2025, 8:43 pm • 0 0 • view
They’re right that this is absurd and criminal at this point. But costs still for the WNBA are going to take a larger % of revenue. Just basic math. So those thinking they should get 50% it is probably not realistic yet…
jul 20, 2025, 6:48 pm • 1 0 • view
Also, NBA needs to be renamed MNBA, though I'm sure WNBA would prefer their money
jul 21, 2025, 9:34 am • 0 0 • view
All our athletes need to strike, including college athletes. Why play for states that are taking away our rights. 💪🏽☮️🤟🏽
jul 20, 2025, 6:34 pm • 2 0 • view
What the fuck
jul 20, 2025, 5:47 pm • 1 0 • view
The WNBA basically only exists because an independent women's basketball league called the ABL was started just before the WNBA and like fuck was the NBA gonna allow that.
jul 20, 2025, 5:52 pm • 2 0 • view
The WNBA is not currently profitable. If they raised their labor cost to 50% of revenue (“income”) to match the NBA, they would go out of business.
jul 20, 2025, 5:53 pm • 6 0 • view
Unless....the value of the franchises and the league significantly out pace the loses so you are making $ on a equity basis... Then everyone profits....
jul 21, 2025, 1:00 am • 0 0 • view
That's like saying McDonald's salads aren't profitable so if McD's only sold those they would go out of business.
jul 20, 2025, 7:02 pm • 0 0 • view
I don’t follow.
jul 20, 2025, 7:08 pm • 0 0 • view
Currently is a matter of contention, but it absolutely becomes profitable next year when the new 11-year TV deal kicks in.
jul 20, 2025, 6:13 pm • 0 0 • view
Which would be great! And would free up room for players to get a raise. But the OP heavily implies something that’s not true - that WNBA players are underpaid due to their gender instead of the fundamentals of the business. When the league makes more money, they’ll make more money.
jul 20, 2025, 6:15 pm • 1 0 • view
That’s not true though, that % has trended downwards as revenues have climbed. The notion that it’s not profitable is only based on teams saying that, hence why opening the books has been a huge sticking point.
jul 20, 2025, 7:25 pm • 1 0 • view
So, there’s a conspiracy where teams are claiming to operate at a loss in order to avoid paying their players more? Seems like quite a stretch.
jul 20, 2025, 7:27 pm • 0 0 • view
you’ve honestly never heard of hollywood accounting?
jul 20, 2025, 10:55 pm • 1 0 • view
Yes, for example the NBA/WNBA tv rights were negotiated as one deal as they’re collectively owned by the same ppl. The % of that which the W got allocated was almost certainly less than if the league had negotiated a standalone deal.
jul 20, 2025, 8:19 pm • 0 0 • view
So, there’s a conspiracy by people who own WNBA teams to not make money?
jul 20, 2025, 8:40 pm • 0 0 • view
To “claim” not to make money.
jul 20, 2025, 9:43 pm • 0 0 • view
The opposite really, there’s a whole series of special tax breaks on top of the normal code that would incentivize this. Not to mention the NBA’s about to push hard for expansion. www.axios.com/2025/06/17/t... Trump tries to smash sports team owners' tax break
jul 20, 2025, 9:05 pm • 2 0 • view
Not to mention the NBA managed to secure essentially a hard salary cap in the most recent CBA, which almost certainly was only possible because of the size of this tv deal.
jul 20, 2025, 9:19 pm • 0 0 • view
9% still seems, um, quite low. And usually when there are cries about unprofitability, the people at the top are paying themselves too much.
jul 20, 2025, 5:55 pm • 14 0 • view
I can’t say whether it’s low or not without seeing the balance sheet (and you can’t either). What I’m saying is that a comparison based on profitability instead of total revenue would have given a better picture.
jul 20, 2025, 5:58 pm • 2 0 • view
Are you sure that isn’t 50% of net income? Because gross income makes no sense and seems doubtful.
jul 20, 2025, 6:01 pm • 1 0 • view
Would love to see the balance sheet! But 9% of net when the league runs at a loss is mathematically impossible.
jul 20, 2025, 6:03 pm • 2 0 • view
In other words you have no idea wtf you’re talking about. Cool.
jul 20, 2025, 6:04 pm • 8 0 • view
Weird as shit that that’s your takeaway. The league is gonna lose $50m this year. Thats their net income. What’s 9% of -$50m? This is high school level accounting.
jul 20, 2025, 6:07 pm • 1 0 • view
You didn't understand my original question. Also, I thought you hadn't seen the balance sheet. Also, I don't care and I don't argue with bootlickers.
jul 20, 2025, 6:10 pm • 0 0 • view
Google is free? I mean… I get it. This is typical Bsky ragebait, and you fell for it. Do some breathing exercises or something.
jul 20, 2025, 6:14 pm • 0 0 • view
The important part is that we "erm actually" people who want to be treated more fairly.
jul 20, 2025, 6:06 pm • 3 0 • view
You got a lot of Angela Reese jerseys in your closet, or does your support for women’s sports end at talking shit on the Internet?
jul 20, 2025, 6:08 pm • 2 0 • view
Look, man, all I'm saying is that the actual players would know better than anyone whether or not they could stand to be paid more, and I'm going to be a decent human being and take their word for it and support them. You're muted now, come back when you've become a WNBA player.
jul 20, 2025, 6:13 pm • 7 0 • view
So would the player's union.
jul 20, 2025, 7:02 pm • 0 0 • view
I could understand it being a bit lower since, y'know, there's less revenue and they still have to pay other staff but fucking hell only 9%?
jul 20, 2025, 6:26 pm • 1 0 • view
it's tough - I think players see the arenas being fuller and expansion coming but the ticket prices are substantially less and yea a lot of these teams are subsidized by their NBA partner and operate at a loss. 9% of gross NBA related income sounds low - but the bet after expenses might be -
jul 20, 2025, 6:38 pm • 4 0 • view
"...subsidized by their NBA partner..." is like saying Mario Kart subsidizes Resident Evil IV
jul 20, 2025, 7:04 pm • 0 0 • view
the most recent info www.essentiallysports.com/nba-active-b...
jul 20, 2025, 7:16 pm • 0 0 • view
bsky.app/profile/drkl...
jul 20, 2025, 7:27 pm • 0 0 • view
but the new incoming tv deal obvs helps immensely
jul 20, 2025, 6:39 pm • 3 0 • view
This tweet “blew up” as they say. If you want to do sick workplace actions like the WNBPA pick up a copy of Secrets of a Successful Organizer and get started. I got a new haircut so here’s me and the book and my dog Jazz
jul 21, 2025, 3:17 am • 9 1 • view
labornotes.org/secrets
jul 21, 2025, 3:17 am • 0 0 • view
to my socialist and union buddies who aren't hardcore sports people, i tell them that NBA players have the best clause in all of union bargaining, which is that 50% of basketball related income. can't think of anyone else in labor who straight up gets half of what they create.
jul 20, 2025, 5:48 pm • 57 4 • view
NHL is also ~50%. Baseball is the only outlier among the big 4 pro leagues.
jul 20, 2025, 6:51 pm • 5 0 • view
NBA players get that, NFL players get 'Your union head will literally suppress evidence of collusion'
jul 20, 2025, 5:49 pm • 2 1 • view
For all the hell the NFLPA deservedly gets, not far behind at 48%
jul 20, 2025, 5:53 pm • 12 0 • view
The players will have to strike.
jul 20, 2025, 5:49 pm • 4 0 • view
The league would save a lot of money if they did. All the teams lose money.
jul 20, 2025, 6:54 pm • 2 0 • view
Pay them !!!! They are all so good and really fun to watch play !
jul 20, 2025, 5:54 pm • 0 0 • view
I mean half seems like a reasonable split.
jul 20, 2025, 6:16 pm • 0 0 • view