How do you make an NBA fan turn the same shade of orange as a basketball? You suggest that WNBA players deserve the same pay as men.
At least, that’s been my experience. Each time I tell someone, namely men, that I believe male and female basketball players should be paid equally, I’m met with immediate disagreement.
Normally I’m told that because I’m a woman, I’m inherently biased towards the WNBA and can’t understand the practicality of salaries. The NBA generates more revenue, therefore male athletes should be paid more. It’s not an issue of sexism, rather economics.
That opinion, in and of itself, is sexist. At a time when the WNBA is negotiating new salaries with teams, it’s crucial to understand the reasons, both monetary and ethical, why female basketball players deserve higher pay.
The first step is acknowledging that professional basketball is a business; an organization that needs profits to continue growing. According to Sports Value, the NBA generated $11.3 billion in the 2023-2024 season. In comparison, the WNBA was projected to lose $40 million in 2024 according to a New York Post article.
Since the NBA and WNBA are integrated, the NBA must subsidize these losses with their own profits. This creates the argument that the women’s league shouldn’t be on the same level as the men’s unless they can generate the same revenue.
But there is a reason the two organizations have such different profits. While the NBA was founded in 1946, the WNBA wasn’t created for another 50 years. The men’s league had five decades to generate a fanbase and gain popularity before the WNBA was even established.
Even once the WNBA began, they didn’t receive the same resources, promotion or support as the athletes in the male division. This system allowed the NBA to take off while leaving the women behind. Imagine where the WNBA could be today if the media and other organizations backed them like male players and teams since their founding?
To say that female basketball players don’t deserve the same treatment as male athletes due to their differences in popularity isn’t justifiable. WNBA players have been trying to succeed within a system that was set up to disadvantage them.
There is a belief that the WNBA isn’t as interesting to watch as the NBA, explaining why the latter has a larger fanbase and earns more profit. But this point fails to recognize the nuances between both leagues.
According to Sports Planning Guide, the NBA thrives on agility-based plays, flashy dunks and a fast pace. With an emphasis on strength and power, the men’s teams lean on individual, stand-out athletes to win games. Essentially, these are the Michael Jordans, Lebron James’ or Stephen Currys that can outrun, out-jump and out-shoot their competitors.
In contrast, the WNBA focuses on teamwork, strategy and basketball fundamentals. The women work as a unit to score and rely heavily on defensive performance to win games.
The NBA isn’t technically superior to the WNBA; they just receive more viewership due to the set-up of the organization and a handful of star athletes that provide flashy entertainment for audiences. In fact, people who consider themselves basketball purists or true fans may find the tactical side of the WNBA more satisfying.
Each league showcases a different part of the game, not one better than the other. The WNBA shouldn’t be denied resources, airtime or funding just because their style is different.
Arguing that female basketball players should be denied adequate pay due to current practicalities involving money or viewership is unfair. So is classifying women such as myself who advocate for equal salaries as overly emotional.
The existing system of professional sports was designed to limit female athletes. As WNBA salary negotiations continue, it’s essential that more than ever we recognize the gender discrepancies between basketball players and work to dismantle them.
