WNBA Average Salary, CBA Changes

There has been a long over-due dispute between the Women’s basketball team and the Men’s basketball team over the prevalent inequalities, especially salaries. The WNBA has long pushed for higher salaries and better travel accommodation, as well as more attention.

Earlier this year, some WNBA players opted out of their collective Bargaining Agreement. Following their exit, the WNBA released an official statement announcing that both the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) reached an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Based on their agreement, the new CBA will commence from the 2020 season all through 2027, which would also avail the opportunity to chart a new course for professional women’s basketball.

“Foremost among the deal terms is a 53 percent increase in total cash compensation, consisting of base salary, additional performance bonuses, prize pools for newly created in-season competitions, and league and team marketing deals,” the statement said. “Under the new CBA, the cash compensation in excess of $500,000, representing a more than tripling of the maximum compensation under the prior deal. Other top players will have an opportunity to earn between $200,000 and $300,000.”

This would make it the first time in WNBA history when the average cash compensation for players actually exceeds six figures, nearly averaging $130,000.

Last year, the average salary for a WNBA was around $116,000, according to the league. The new agreement raises the average salary in addition to other bonuses to 53 percent. Top players now have the opportunity of earning up to $500,000 a year which is three times the previous maximum cash compensation.

“Additional highlights include enhanced player experience with respect to travel and childcare benefits, and expanded offseason career development opportunities.”

WNBA’s first-ever commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, in a statement provided to CNBC said the negotiations were approached with a player-first agenda, and the agreement guarantees “substantial increases in compensation and progressive benefits for the women of the WNBA.”

The WNBA strongly agrees with Engelbert’s opinion considering her status as a “former student-athlete, her experience as a business professional and her passion for the game,” according to the WNBA president, Nneka Ogwumike.

“We found common ground in areas that confirmed the league’s and the players’ intentions to not only make meaningful improvements in working conditions and overall professional experience but also to improve the business with strategic planning and intentional marketing that will keep the WNBA front and center year-round.”

While this increment is good news for the WNBA, it is nothing compared to the average pay for the male players in the National Basketball Association. NBA players earn an average of $7.5 million for the current season, according to data compiled by the Basketball Reference. The major reason for this can be attributed to the fact that the NBA has a larger viewership and fan-base compared to the WNBA.

According to the WNBA, the following are the key elements in the new 2020 WNBA-WNBPA Collective Bargaining Agreement:

• Additional cash compensation elements: this includes a minimum of $1,6 million in off-season league and team marketing agreements, with recognition of top performance and diversity of the league. It would also include an additional $300,000 annual cash compensation for select players. There will also be a minimum of $750,000 in prize money for special competitions commencing from the 2021 season. A 50-50 revenue sharing will also commence with the 2021 season. Finally, there will be increases in cash bonuses for performance awards such as WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year.

• Quality of travel elements: this includes a premium economy class status for all players during all regular-season air travel, individual hotel room accommodation for all players, and a joint effort to address travel and accommodation concerns through the Player Advisory Panel.

• Motherhood and family planning elements: this includes full payment of salaries for all players during maternity leave, annual childcare stipend of $5,000, a two-bedroom apartment for players with children, workplace accommodations that provide a safe, private and comfortable space for nursing mothers. It also includes new progressive family planning benefits of up to $60,000 reimbursement for veteran players for costs directly related to any fertility/ infertility treatment, surrogacy, or adoption.

• Free agency elements: this includes unrestricted free agency available to all players one year earlier prior to the initial agreement. This free agency period will commence from the 2021 season. It also includes the reduction in the number of times a player may receive the “Core” designation from 4 to 3, starting with the 2020 season. It will later drop to 2, starting from the 2022 season.

• Career development and other quality of life elements: this includes the collaborative efforts of the WNBA to work with its affiliated leagues, teams, and sponsors to provide more off-season job opportunities for the players. It will also help in preparing players for their post-playing careers. Other benefits under this section include:

• Enhanced mental health benefits and other necessary resources

• Enhanced nutrition plan for players developed by the Nutrition Council

• Easy access to women’s health experts.

• A holistic domestic/intimate partner violence program that provides education and counseling to players.

Finally, the WNBA also announced the creation of its first-of-its-kind WNBA Changemakers which is targeted to bring values-driven businesses together—businesses that lead the way in advancement of women through sports. Through this initiative, the WNBA expects to see a positive transformation across marketing, branding, and player and fan experience. It also expects to open a window of fresh opportunities for sports sponsorship, as well as drive positive change for the WNBA, women’s sports, and women in society.