Illustration: Avalon Nuovo
Women’s Basketball Is Raking in More Cash Than Ever, But the Players Aren’t
WNBA base salaries as a share of revenue have shrunk, despite the league’s rapid growth.
Update: Read our latest reporting following the WNBA draft on April 15, 2024. “The Caitlin Clark effect is real.” Ticket sales are way up, new TV deals are coming—and the players might actually start getting paid like pros.
The Women’s National Basketball Association is at the top of its game. The 2022 season was the most watched since 2006. The league also secured a record number of corporate sponsorships and raised $75 million, the largest amount in women’s sports history, last year.