{"id":495780,"date":"2026-02-28T14:47:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T14:47:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/495780\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T14:47:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T14:47:17","slug":"a-revamped-wnba-ownership-structure-could-benefit-players-but-dont-expect-it-to-happen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/495780\/","title":{"rendered":"A revamped WNBA ownership structure could benefit players, but don’t expect it to happen"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Women\u2019s National Basketball Players Association will meet with the WNBA during All-Star weekend in Indianapolis, with player pay at the heart of the negotiations. Both sides want to avoid a lockout, and the vibes seem good going in.<\/p>\n

Union president Nneka Ogwumike expressed optimism about meeting in person, and vice president Napheesa Collier said she thinks they\u2019ll be able to make strides.<\/p>\n

\u201cSending contracts back and forth \u2014 a lot can get lost in translation,\u201d Collier said Monday at Wintrust Arena.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s true \u2014 it\u2019ll be nice to avoid the Zoom lags, maybe even share a pastry or two. But whether the league and union meet in person, by telegram or tweet, two little words still stand in the way:<\/p>\n

Ownership structure.<\/p>\n

Riveting stuff, huh? Bear with me.<\/p>\n

Imagine running a business where, every time money came in, 58% of it went somewhere else. Doesn\u2019t matter how well you perform, how much you grow or how many new fans you pull in, you\u2019re not keeping most of it.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the setup in the WNBA, where 58% of the league is owned by two outside groups: the NBA and a separate investment group that joined in 2022 (we\u2019ll call it Group B).<\/p>\n

For WNBA insiders, it\u2019s just the air we breathe: Only 42% of revenue flows back to the league itself.<\/p>\n

But to newcomers \u2014 or even longtime fans who haven\u2019t done the math \u2014 it\u2019s absurd.<\/p>\n

In every other major U.S. sports league, teams split 100% of league revenue. But the WNBA\u2019s \u201cparent company\u201d structure changes the math. Dramatically.<\/p>\n

Take the WNBA\u2019s new media deal, worth around $200 million annually. At first glance, it looks like a win.<\/p>\n

On a per-player basis, the WNBA\u2019s deal is within striking distance of the NHL\u2019s and MLB\u2019s:<\/p>\n

MLB: about $2.3 million per player annually.<\/p>\n

NHL: about $1.8 million.<\/p>\n

WNBA: about $1.1 million (on paper).<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the kind of money players are aiming for. As union secretary Elizabeth Williams put it in June: \u201cNothing short of transformational change<\/a> will do for the future we see.\u201d<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s where those two little words come back.<\/p>\n

Because the WNBA only owns 42% of itself, it doesn\u2019t receive $200 million annually in the deal. It receives $84 million. The rest goes to the NBA and Group B.<\/p>\n

With that kind of funky ownership structure, how are players supposed to get a fair share?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be really hard,\u201d Collier told the Sun-Times. \u201cWhen an outside source owns the majority of your league, it\u2019s either not going to get there, or it\u2019s going to take a very long time for [us to be] making the kind of money we want to make.\u201d<\/p>\n

Players are pushing for a revenue-share agreement where their pay would grow in proportion to the league\u2019s.<\/p>\n

But even if they win that fight \u2014 securing, say, half of the WNBA\u2019s revenue \u2014 that\u2019s still just 50% of 42% of the total pie.<\/p>\n

So how about an outside-the-box solution?<\/p>\n

What if some of the nearly $1 billion in upcoming expansion fees<\/a> were used to buy out the NBA and Group B \u2014 so the WNBA could finally majority-own itself?<\/p>\n

When the Sun-Times floated that idea to Williams, she laughed out loud.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s probably right that it\u2019s a long shot. According to Ogwumike, the league isn\u2019t even considering using expansion revenue for the players, let alone to restructure ownership.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s just the league side. The NBA isn\u2019t likely looking to give up control, either. Sure, it has spent 28 years complaining that the WNBA is a money loser, but now that its own viewership is stagnating and the W\u2019s popularity is exploding, what a lovely little side investment it is.<\/p>\n

And Group B? It bought in low, and now team valuations are climbing by the day. Why would it give that up?<\/p>\n

So back to that meeting during All-Star weekend. Maybe some progress gets made. Maybe the vibes are good.<\/p>\n

But those two little words still loom. Because when you\u2019re talking about \u201cownership structure,\u201d what you\u2019re really talking about is control.<\/p>\n

And a negotiation between two sides that aren\u2019t fully in charge?<\/p>\n

Well, hopefully the pastries are good.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Seattle<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Sky\u2019s 2026 season remains one giant question mark. Here\u2019s what we know so far.<\/p>\n

[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]
\n \u00a0\n <\/p>\n

read<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Laces<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

In her second game back, Reese helped Rose BC clinch a playoff spot. She said the league has been calling her the whole season to return.<\/p>\n

[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]
\n \u00a0\n <\/p>\n

read<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"STERN<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

As franchise valuations surge, early investors, longtime fans and players from the inaugural season reflect on what the Sky mean, and what they could become.<\/p>\n

[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]
\n \u00a0\n <\/p>\n

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