The stars of the WNBA have been turning up the heat.
Leading up to the 2025 All-Star Game, players were seen wearing shirts that read “Pay Us What You Owe Us” and holding signs that demanded more than token raises. What started as a league on the rise has become a moment of reckoning for the players. They are asking: If they are the ones growing the business, why aren’t they getting paid for doing the work?
At the heart of this dispute is the fact that the WNBA’s revenue is increasing massively. It secured an 11-year, $2.2 billion media rights deal, franchise valuations are soaring, and the league is set to expand to 18 teams by 2030. During all this, player compensation remains restricted. The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) sets base salaries for 2025 from $66,079 to $249,244.
Compare this to the NBA, where players receive roughly 50% of basketball-related income (BRI). WNBA players estimate that only 9% to 10% of league BRI goes to player compensation.
For many WNBA athletes, this isn’t about matching NBA salaries; it’s about a fair share of the cake. For players, the current model just doesn’t match the growth of the franchise.
On top of this, many WNBA players rely heavily on endorsements, sponsorships and brand deals just to make an income they can live off — something their NBA counterparts rarely need to think about.
The surge in WNBA attention is tied to the arrival of a new generation of star players like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Cameron Brink, Angel Reese and many others who have transformed the league into a mainstream force.
These top stars have been lucky enough to secure major sponsorships, but the majority of the league’s players struggle to land deals that meaningfully supplement their income.
For years, this financial gap has forced players overseas in the offseason — sometimes in dangerous or exhausting conditions — simply to make ends meet.
The college careers of these players produced record-breaking viewership that immediately carried into the WNBA, with Clark and Reese specifically driving ticket sales, merchandise revenue and national media coverage.
Clark alone has led to sold-out arenas across the country, higher TV ratings and unprecedented social media engagement.
Reese has been influential in her own right, becoming one of the league’s biggest personalities and helping pull new fans into the WNBA — especially younger women and girls.
The Valkyries players put it straightforwardly, saying, “We’re fighting for a fair share of the business that we built.”
“They are going to get a big increase in this cycle … and they deserve it,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said when asked about WNBA players deserving “big” raises.
Why is this progress so slow? The league is pushing a model where the raises will happen, but under a fixed salary cap system with a revenue-sharing component triggered only if certain thresholds are met. The players want a model where their pay scales directly with the league’s revenue growth — just like the NBA model.
In the words of the players’ union, the WNBPA, the league’s response has been “to run out the clock, put lipstick on a pig and retread a system that isn’t tied to any part of the business and intentionally undervalues the players.”
The All-Star protest made it clear just how united the players are. More than 20 All-Stars wore the shirts and displayed signs, sending a message to the league, ownership and fans that their demands will not be ignored.
Many of those same players have been very vocal about the negotiations. Clark has repeatedly emphasized the importance of investing in the players who are driving the growth. Reese has been publicly outspoken about respect, value and the future of women’s sports. Veterans have stressed that newcomers shouldn’t enter a league that forces them to play overseas to make ends meet.
Their platform is larger than ever — and they are using it.
Stakes are high for the rookies; a new CBA could be the difference between splitting their year overseas or being able to focus solely on the WNBA. For veterans, it could mean improved pensions, safer travel conditions, larger rosters and financial security after years of lower pay.
The current CBA was opted out of in late 2024, and while negotiations have been extended, both sides know the clock is ticking. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said the league wants a fair deal that “must be economically sustainable.” Players argue that sustainability won’t happen unless those responsible for the league’s explosion in popularity are compensated fairly.
This explosion is undeniable. The WNBA is no longer niche. Attendance is up, ratings are rocketing, corporate investment is flowing — and with stars like Clark, Reese and Bueckers, the future has never looked brighter.
What players are asking for isn’t just higher salaries; it’s recognition for the league they are building. They want the league to acknowledge the value they hold, the fans they attract and the culture they’ve built.
The “Pay Us What You Owe Us” shirts at the All-Star Game weren’t just demanding dollars — they were demanding respect.