Why are these idiots just comparing her salary to an NBA rookie's salary but not comparing the WNBA revenue to the NBA's revenue (you know where the salary money actually comes from??)
Is her salary just supposed to come out of thin air?
I have no idea what the numbers are, but if the WNBA can get the kind of viewership that the NBA has, or even a decent fraction, players will go to the highest bidder just like every other professional sport. The free market at work.
My guess is that having a significant level of control over the players, for now at least, will be important in creating that viewership. Maybe the teams can start to pool revenue and do advertising. Send player to grammar schools to talk. You gotta get 'em young. [in deep guttural tones] Hehehehe.
I would think of it this way - what to college athletes make? Squat right? The money goes to the school. Sure, after a few years in the collegiate spotlight, they can cash out while that's not true for the WNBA. Hell, it's not even true for AAA ball. But that's the price you pay for following your passion.
On the bright side, Clark is already a rich woman from merch deals. Ka-ching.
I won't watch any WNBA, but I expect Clark to have a very positive impact on the league. But that depends on if her game translates to the pros, against much better competition. If for some reason, she's the Jimmer Fredette of women's hoops, then never mind. I did watch 3 of Clark's games over 2 seasons, because her playing style is very entertaining. So I think her economic impact will outperform that rookie scale contract by a lot. It'll be a process and doesn't need to blow up in year 1.It remains to be seen how much impact Clark and Reece will have have on attendance and merchandise sales for the year. I would assume the beginning of the season should provide some really positive numbers for the WBNA, but how will the numbers looks at mid season?
On TV tonight they said WNBA revenue is $200,000,000 and NBA revenue is 10,000,000,000. AKA 200 million versus 10 billion.Why are these idiots just comparing her salary to an NBA rookie's salary but not comparing the WNBA revenue to the NBA's revenue (you know where the salary money actually comes from??)
Is her salary just supposed to come out of thin air?
Of course, Caitlin will not starve. Her endorsements should run will into the millions, I figure.
women's NCAA bball final had higher ratings than the men's this year. But the WNBA has a long way to go, but hoping for an upward trajectory
So it turns out that the WNBA does pay only about 10% of gross rev to players, which is a lot lower than in major men's leagues:And those are only revenue figures....The WNBA operates at about a $10M loss per year through last year. (Last year, revenue was $60M but it cost $70M to run it)... how much will this change this year? How can you pay large salaries when you are operating at a loss?
To make this even crazier, the WNBA commissioner said a few days ago that league will add 4 more teams....
I've noticed this many times in the past. Ratings data seems to be very closely held. You only get little chunks here and there - at least for current data.Definitely the Iowa/Caitlyn effect. I was trying to find the numbers to compare the ratings of the two final four games to see how the SC/NC State (non-Caityln game) did and I can't find anything on that number. I did see something that that average viewshipship was 10M for both and that the Iowa game was 14M - based on that, the other game would have been 6M for whatever that is worth.
there was definitely no shortage of articles about the ratings of the Finals and Iowa's Final Four game and how many viewers those games had though...outside of those 2 games, pretty much nada...I've noticed this many times in the past. Ratings data seems to be very closely held. You only get little chunks here and there - at least for current data.
For example, I just searched 'colbert ratings' and got an article from Variety that had info from December.
Iverson is lucky his agent got Reebok to put away $32 million he can only touch the day he turns 55.$3.4M net worth...she's not going to starve...unless she pulls an Allen Iverson.
This is a huge achievement, like insane, but it does have a caveat because the men were on TBS while the women were on CBS.women's NCAA bball final had higher ratings than the men's this year. But the WNBA has a long way to go, but hoping for an upward trajectory
This is elite 8 but interesting.Definitely the Iowa/Caitlyn effect. I was trying to find the numbers to compare the ratings of the two final four games to see how the SC/NC State (non-Caityln game) did and I can't find anything on that number. I did see something that that average viewshipship was 10M for both and that the Iowa game was 14M - based on that, the other game would have been 6M for whatever that is worth.
Caveat not really necessary, the women's champ game (on ABC) was the most watched basketball game period going back to the 2019 NBA Finals.*This is a huge achievement, like insane, but it does have a caveat because the men were on TBS while the women were on CBS.
I hadn't heard the championship game did that well.Caveat not really necessary, the women's champ game (on ABC) was the most watched basketball game period going back to the 2019 NBA Finals.*
Wasn't the men's Final 4 telecast on CBS on a Saturday? I believe Clark's national semifinal game beat those as well. Obviously Clark will do very well in endorsements, but the WNBA should print profits for a couple years until a new CBA (to be negotiated) kicks in. The players current 10% take rate of total revenue sounds like UFC-level exploitation.**
* what's really sad is if you looked at World Series viewership
** most UFC fighters make a pittance, while the company is wildly profitable
Obviously we recognize that the NBA Finals is best of 7, but it's still wild that the women's college champ game was the most watched hoops contest over the past 4 1/2 years.I hadn't heard the championship game did that well.
The men's goes back and forth between TBS and CBS every other year (why I was thinking the woman's was on CBS instead of ABC). This year it was on TBS. I wanted to watch the final, but was driving to Texas for the eclipse when it was on.
A difference with WNBA and UFC is that UFC is very profitable, while WNBA isn't.