Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images <\/p>\n
The post Unrivaled investor debates if WNBA can financially survive player demands<\/a> appeared first on ClutchPoints<\/a>.<\/p>\n The WNBA is careening toward a work stoppage with its current collective bargaining agreement set to expire<\/a> on October 31.<\/p>\n As is typically the case, the players association and owners are at odds over player salaries<\/a>. Unfortunately this time, the two sides do not appear to be close. The WNBA has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity over the last half decade, and though salaries have risen substantially, the players argue they deserve far more than the league is willing to offer.<\/p>\n Mainly, the players want a cut of league revenue in line with what NBA players make, which is nearly 50%. By contrast, WNBA players make only about 9%.<\/p>\n Former ESPN president and Unrivaled investor John Skipper appeared on \u201cPablo Torre Finds Out,\u201d where he suggested<\/a> the two sides begin moving toward a model that gives players increasing shares of league revenue.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile they\u2019re not going to get [the same percentage as NBA players] immediately,\u201d he said, \u201cif I were sitting at the bargaining table, I would suggest that we\u2019re going to move over time to a model where you do get paid a percentage of the revenues.\u201d<\/p>\n In the WNBA, the salary cap is not tied to revenue, whereas in the NBA, revenue dictates the cap increases. A similar model would increase player salaries significantly in the W with a $2.2 billion media rights deal set to kick in next year.<\/p>\n Skipper said that owners\u2019 concerns could be allayed by knowing WNBA team valuations are soaring and they will make a huge profit when they finally sell.<\/p>\n \u201cI have suggested that the owners would be wise to understand that they\u2019re going to make the vast majority of money they make on flipping the team,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Former Miami Marlins president Dave Samson took the opposite side. He said such a deal would not be profitable for the league and would be unsustainable.<\/p>\n \u201cMy interest in management is to make sure we\u2019ve got a healthy business that can be sustained over a long period of time and that can be profitable,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd what the women want in the WNBA is for the WNBA to do a deal that would guarantee no profitability. They\u2019re not going to do it. And I would call the bluff of all these negotiators.\u201d<\/p>\n Related: New WNBA CBA deal faces more uncertainty after unfortunate update in talks<\/a><\/p>\n