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As WNBA All-Star party wraps up, athlete pay in focus

As WNBA All-Star party wraps up, athlete pay in focus

Kuwait Times21-07-2025
Players voice frustration over 'poor progress' in labor negotiations
INDIANAPOLIS: WNBA players wrested the spotlight of the All-Star weekend to get the fans on their side amid intensifying labor talks with the league, as the annual showcase of the sport's top talent celebrated an influx of new fans.
Players took the court in Indianapolis wearing shirts that read 'Pay Us What You Owe Us,' after a meeting to discuss a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on Thursday that union members said was a missed opportunity.
Fans got the message, chanting 'Pay them!' as Commissioner Cathy Engelbert appeared on the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after the final buzzer. 'To have the fans backing us - I think it means everything,' said Napheesa Collier, the All-Star Game MVP. It set the tone for the coming months, with the current CBA set to expire on October 31, after a two-day celebration of a league on the rise.
Advertisements featuring the WNBA's top players blanketed the city center and jersey-wearing fans poured into town, signaling a new era for the league with national viewership up 23 percent year-over-year for the first half of the season.
The only dent to the enthusiasm appeared to be the absence of Indiana Fever sharpshooter Caitlin Clark, who was expected to be the biggest attraction at the annual showcase in her home market but had to sit out the game injured.
But behind the scenes, players voiced frustration over what they felt was poor progress in their labor negotiations with the league, after opting out of their current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) early.
The Women's National Basketball Players Association issued a stern statement after the two sides met in Indianapolis on Thursday. A day later, players fumed over the meeting that union President Nneka Ogwumike called a 'missed opportunity,' and she said the league had taken five months to respond to the WNBPA's last proposal.
'I feel as though, if there was a response to our proposal that reflected any type of change that incorporated what we had proposed, then perhaps five months would have made a little bit more sense,' she told reporters.
Engelbert struck a more positive tone, saying she felt the meeting with players had been productive.'(I'm) really optimistic that we'll get something done, that it'll be transformational,' said Engelbert, who has overseen a remarkable period of growth for the league since taking the reins in 2019.
Key issues targeted by players include an increase in revenue sharing, with male counterparts in the NBA now taking home about half of basketball-related revenue, a far greater share.
Fixed costs almost certainly take a larger share of the WNBA's revenue, said Andrew Zimbalist, a professor emeritus of economics at Smith College, who said that 50 percent was nonetheless still 'a perfectly feasible target for the women.' 'The players have every reason to be aggressive here,' said Zimbalist, who has consulted in the sports industry for players, teams and leagues. 'I wouldn't expect them to reach a 50 percent target immediately, but to reach it over two or three years seems entirely plausible.' Any disruption to the 2026 season stands to dent the tremendous momentum the league now enjoys, with two new clubs set to debut next year in Portland and Toronto. — Reuters
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MLS suspends Messi and Alba for skipping All-Star Game
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MLS suspends Messi and Alba for skipping All-Star Game

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As WNBA All-Star party wraps up, athlete pay in focus
As WNBA All-Star party wraps up, athlete pay in focus

Kuwait Times

time21-07-2025

  • Kuwait Times

As WNBA All-Star party wraps up, athlete pay in focus

Players voice frustration over 'poor progress' in labor negotiations INDIANAPOLIS: WNBA players wrested the spotlight of the All-Star weekend to get the fans on their side amid intensifying labor talks with the league, as the annual showcase of the sport's top talent celebrated an influx of new fans. Players took the court in Indianapolis wearing shirts that read 'Pay Us What You Owe Us,' after a meeting to discuss a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on Thursday that union members said was a missed opportunity. Fans got the message, chanting 'Pay them!' as Commissioner Cathy Engelbert appeared on the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after the final buzzer. 'To have the fans backing us - I think it means everything,' said Napheesa Collier, the All-Star Game MVP. It set the tone for the coming months, with the current CBA set to expire on October 31, after a two-day celebration of a league on the rise. Advertisements featuring the WNBA's top players blanketed the city center and jersey-wearing fans poured into town, signaling a new era for the league with national viewership up 23 percent year-over-year for the first half of the season. The only dent to the enthusiasm appeared to be the absence of Indiana Fever sharpshooter Caitlin Clark, who was expected to be the biggest attraction at the annual showcase in her home market but had to sit out the game injured. But behind the scenes, players voiced frustration over what they felt was poor progress in their labor negotiations with the league, after opting out of their current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) early. The Women's National Basketball Players Association issued a stern statement after the two sides met in Indianapolis on Thursday. A day later, players fumed over the meeting that union President Nneka Ogwumike called a 'missed opportunity,' and she said the league had taken five months to respond to the WNBPA's last proposal. 'I feel as though, if there was a response to our proposal that reflected any type of change that incorporated what we had proposed, then perhaps five months would have made a little bit more sense,' she told reporters. Engelbert struck a more positive tone, saying she felt the meeting with players had been productive.'(I'm) really optimistic that we'll get something done, that it'll be transformational,' said Engelbert, who has overseen a remarkable period of growth for the league since taking the reins in 2019. Key issues targeted by players include an increase in revenue sharing, with male counterparts in the NBA now taking home about half of basketball-related revenue, a far greater share. Fixed costs almost certainly take a larger share of the WNBA's revenue, said Andrew Zimbalist, a professor emeritus of economics at Smith College, who said that 50 percent was nonetheless still 'a perfectly feasible target for the women.' 'The players have every reason to be aggressive here,' said Zimbalist, who has consulted in the sports industry for players, teams and leagues. 'I wouldn't expect them to reach a 50 percent target immediately, but to reach it over two or three years seems entirely plausible.' Any disruption to the 2026 season stands to dent the tremendous momentum the league now enjoys, with two new clubs set to debut next year in Portland and Toronto. — Reuters

Collier breaks WNBA All-Star scoring record in win over Team Clark
Collier breaks WNBA All-Star scoring record in win over Team Clark

Kuwait Times

time21-07-2025

  • Kuwait Times

Collier breaks WNBA All-Star scoring record in win over Team Clark

INDIANAPOLIS: Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx (center) receives the MVP trophy from WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert (left). – AFP INDIANAPOLIS: Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier eclipsed the WNBA All-Star scoring record with 36 points to lead her team past Team Clark 151-131 on Saturday, capping a two-day showcase of the league's top talent at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Collier bested the previous scoring record of 34 points set by Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale last year and added nine rebounds, marking another high point in a fantastic 2025 campaign for the league's leading scorer in Indianapolis. Veteran guard Skylar Diggins brought more luster to the night for Team Collier, becoming the first player to record a triple-double in a WNBA All-Star Game with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists. The team's 151 points also marked an All-Star all-time high. 'We set a lot of records,' said Collier, who was named the All-Star Game MVP. 'It's just so fun.' Team Clark, which played without its injured namesake captain Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever, never found its rhythm on offense despite the urgings of the sell-out crowd. The All-Star Game a year ago pitted the 2024 US Olympic team against All-Stars, a marketing masterstroke that put pride on the line for players who were snubbed from the Team USA roster. The mood was far lighter this time around, as players joked playfully on the court and took advantage of the novelty '4-point shot' at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the hometown hero Clark sat sidelined with an injury. The Dallas Wings' first overall draft pick Paige Bueckers opened up the scoring as she drained a shot from the 4-point range for Team Collier and the side was up 22 points at the half to create an unassailable lead. — Reuters

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