The WNBA All-Stars needed to ship a transparent message to the league on the sport’s brightest stage.
All the gamers on Crew Clark and Crew Collier warmed up for Saturday evening’s WNBA All-Star Sport in shirts that learn “Pay us what you owe us.”
“We get a really tiny proportion of all the cash that’s made by means of the WNBA, which clearly is made by means of the leisure we offer,” mentioned Napheesa Collier on the choice to put on the shirts. “So we would like a good and affordable proportion of that.”
“We ought to be paid extra. Hopefully that’s the case shifting ahead, because the league continues to develop. I believe it’s one thing that’s in all probability a very powerful factor that we’re within the room advocating about,” mentioned Caitlin Clark.
The concept was hatched Saturday morning at a gamers assembly.
The demonstration comes after the gamers and the league failed to succeed in a brand new collective bargaining settlement at an in-person assembly Thursday. The league’s gamers opted out of their final CBA in October, and are in search of a greater revenue-sharing mannequin, elevated salaries, improved advantages and a softer wage cap.
After the failed negotiations, many gamers mentioned there was a big discrepancy between what they needed and what the league was providing. If a brand new CBA just isn’t reached by October some gamers, together with All-Stars Napheesa Collier and Angel Reese, have talked about the potential of a walkout.
On the finish of the sport, chants of “Pay them!” broke out within the enviornment. Some followers held indicators that learn “Pay the gamers,” throughout the sport.
Washington Mystics’ Brittney Sykes holds an indication following a WNBA All-Star basketball sport towards Crew Collier.
| Picture Credit score:
Michael Conroy/AP
Washington Mystics’ Brittney Sykes holds an indication following a WNBA All-Star basketball sport towards Crew Collier.
| Picture Credit score:
Michael Conroy/AP
“We had no concept that they have been in solidarity with our demonstration,” mentioned Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBPA. “I’ve been listening to all of it weekend on the fan occasions, supporting us and wanting us to get our justifiable share of the worth.”
This was probably the final time that so many gamers can be collectively in a single place earlier than the season ends — a reality not misplaced on the union management.
“This can be a excellent alternative to boost consciousness for what we’re doing and do it collectively,” Collier mentioned.
The gamers aren’t determined whether or not they’ll put on the shirts on their very own groups over the course of the second half of the season which begins Tuesday. They hope that followers will put on them because the union introduced on social media throughout the sport that the shirts have been on sale.
Ogwumike was unaware that the shirts have been already on sale.
“You place it on the market, and also you stand on enterprise,” mentioned Courtney Williams in regards to the shirts. “And we’re standing on enterprise.”