Helena Frye
Women's basketball has become one of the country's most popular spectator sports, yet it continues to be underfunded and underpaid relative to men's basketball. Women's college basketball teams rarely turn a profit, and the same financial standards applied to men's teams cannot be fairly applied to women's teams. Despite the popularity of teams like the Indiana Fever, players in the W.N.B.A. make far less money than their male counterparts in less popular sports leagues. The average N.B.A. player's salary is around $10 million, while the average W.N.B.A. player earned about $127,000 in the 2024 season. This pay disparity is due in part to the W.N.B.A.'s limited sponsorships and inconsistent TV coverage, as well as the league's structure, which gives NBA players nearly 50% of the league's revenue, while WNBA players receive just over 9%.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Women's college basketball teams are "non-revenue" sports | Like gymnastics or swimming, it is not expected to increase the school's profits |
| Women's college basketball teams losing money | It's okay, and losing money is fine |
| WNBA players' salaries | WNBA players get just over 9% of the league's revenue, while NBA players enjoy nearly 50% |
| Average NBA player's salary | $10 million in the current season |
| Average WNBA player's salary | $127,000 in the 2024 season |
| Women's basketball popularity | One of the country's most popular spectator sports |
| Women's college basketball financial losses | Due to coaching salaries |
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What You'll Learn
Women's basketball is a non-revenue sport
Women's basketball is a "non-revenue" sport, which means that it is not expected to increase a school's profits. Almost every women's college basketball team lost money last year, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Non-revenue sports, like gymnastics or swimming, are not expected to generate profits or offer real value to their universities.
Women's basketball teams rarely break even, let alone turn a profit. For example, the Connecticut women's team had a 90-game winning streak from 2008 to 2011, yet they operated at a loss for all three seasons. This is due in part to the fact that women's basketball does not generate as much revenue from media rights, sponsorships, and merchandise sales as other sports. The South Carolina women's basketball team, for instance, loses money largely due to coaching salaries.
The WNBA, the professional women's basketball league in the US, also faces financial challenges. WNBA players are severely underpaid compared to their NBA counterparts, with the average NBA player's salary being 80 times that of the average WNBA player. This is despite the growing popularity of the WNBA, with several games last year attracting more than two million viewers. The league also faces limited sponsorships and inconsistent TV coverage, which hinders its ability to generate revenue.
However, there is potential for women's basketball to become a profitable sport. The 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship game drew 16 million viewers, surpassing the NBA playoffs in viewership at certain points. With increased media coverage and revamped contracts, the WNBA could see its salaries and revenue increase. Additionally, fans can play a role by watching games, buying merchandise, and advocating for better coverage, which will signal to corporations and media networks that investing in women's basketball is both ethical and profitable.
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W.N.B.A players are underpaid
Women's basketball is a non-revenue sport, which means that it is not expected to increase the school's profits. While it is normal for women's basketball teams to operate at a loss, the same financial standards cannot be fairly applied to women's basketball teams because boosting profits is hardly the goal or the reality.
Women's basketball has rapidly become one of the country's most popular spectator sports. The Indiana Fever, with its star Caitlin Clark, regularly sells out arenas. Several W.N.B.A. games last year attracted more than two million viewers. The 2024 N.C.A.A. women's championship game drew a larger television audience than the men's championship. Despite this, players in the W.N.B.A. make far less money than many male athletes in less popular sports leagues and only a fraction of what the average N.B.A. player does. The average N.B.A. player's salary is around $10 million in the current season, while the average W.N.B.A. player earned about $127,000 in the 2024 season. This pay gap is reflected in the unequal way that N.B.A. owners divide the leagues' revenue, with N.B.A. players earning nearly 50% of the league's revenue, compared to just over 9% for W.N.B.A. players.
The W.N.B.A. is not receiving the full value it contributes to the combined N.B.A. and W.N.B.A. enterprise revenue. While N.B.A. owners claim that they lose money on the W.N.B.A., the willingness of investors to pay high sums for W.N.B.A. expansion teams suggests otherwise. The recent success of women's college basketball teams and the increasing popularity of women's basketball indicate that there is significant interest in women's sports when they are accessible and effectively promoted. With a revamped contract and increased media coverage, the W.N.B.A. could see its salaries increase. Fans play a crucial role in this by watching games, buying merchandise, and advocating for better coverage, demonstrating to corporations and media networks that investing in women's basketball is both ethical and profitable.
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Women's college basketball loses money due to coaching salaries
Women's college basketball is not a popular sport, which means that women's teams generate a fraction of the revenue that men's teams bring in over a season. This makes it a ""non-revenue" sport, where profit is rarely a possibility. While this means that women's basketball teams are not expected to increase their school's profits, they are also not expected to turn a profit themselves.
In the 2011-2012 season, 21 women's teams out-earned their male counterparts in basketball revenue, but only three of those teams turned a profit. The Connecticut women's team went on a 90-game winning streak from 2008 to 2011, the longest of any team in the history of college basketball, and won two championships. Yet, despite that success, the Huskies operated at a loss for all three seasons.
Coaching salaries are a significant expense for women's college basketball teams. In the last fiscal year, more than half ($6.53 million) of the South Carolina women's basketball team's total expenses ($11,511,993) were tied up in paying its coaches. Head coach Dawn Staley earned an extension that made her the highest-paid coach in women's college basketball, with an annual salary of over $800,000. Her four top assistants each earned two months' salary as a bonus for making the NCAA Tournament and advancing to the Final Four, amounting to about $180,000.
While head coaches of men's basketball programs often earn more than head coaches of women's programs, they earn a smaller portion of the revenue generated by their team. Female head coaches in women's basketball appear to be paid more competitively than their male peers, as a percentage of revenue generated. However, the potential for revenue growth in women's basketball exists, and increasing media coverage could lead to higher salaries for players.
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The W.N.B.A. has limited sponsorships and inconsistent TV coverage
Women's basketball is a "non-revenue" sport, which means that it is not expected to increase a school's profits. Profit is rarely a possibility for such sports, and even the most successful women's basketball teams will rarely break even. This is true for women's college basketball teams, and it is also true for the W.N.B.A.
The W.N.B.A. has rapidly become one of the country's most popular spectator sports. Several W.N.B.A. games last year attracted more than two million viewers. The 2024 N.C.A.A. women's championship game drew a larger television audience than the men's championship. The popularity of women's basketball is further demonstrated by the success of women's college basketball games. The 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship game drew 16 million viewers, surpassing the NBA playoffs viewership at certain points.
The W.N.B.A. has the potential to increase its revenue and better reflect its influence. A revamped contract and increased media coverage could lead to higher salaries for W.N.B.A. players. Fans can play a role in this by watching games, buying merchandise, and advocating for better coverage. This will signal to corporations and media networks that investing in women's basketball is both ethical and profitable.
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Women's basketball teams rarely break even
Women's basketball, whether at the college or professional level, is often classified as a "non-revenue" sport, indicating that it is not expected to generate substantial profits for educational institutions. This perception influences the financial investments and expectations associated with women's basketball teams.
At the college level, women's basketball teams rarely generate profits or provide significant financial value to their universities. For example, the Connecticut women's team had a notable winning streak from 2008 to 2011, yet they operated at a loss during those seasons. This illustrates the challenge of breaking even, even for highly successful teams.
The situation is similar for professional women's basketball leagues like the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). WNBA players are significantly underpaid compared to their NBA counterparts. The average NBA player's salary is approximately $10 million, while the average WNBA player earns about $127,000, a stark disparity. This gap is further exacerbated by the revenue split, with NBA players receiving nearly 50% of the league's revenue, compared to just over 9% for WNBA players.
The financial challenges in women's basketball are also impacted by media deals and sponsorships. WNBA struggles with limited sponsorships and inconsistent TV coverage, affecting their ability to generate revenue. In contrast, the NBA benefits from lucrative media deals, with billions of dollars pouring in from major networks.
However, there are signs of progress and untapped market potential. The 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship game drew 16 million viewers, surpassing the NBA playoffs at certain points. This indicates that with improved media coverage and sponsorship, the WNBA could see a significant boost in revenue and popularity.
While women's basketball teams rarely break even financially, it is important to evaluate their value beyond pure profit. The success and influence of women's basketball extend beyond financial spreadsheets, impacting brand awareness, inspiring future generations of athletes, and fostering community engagement.
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Frequently asked questions
No, women's basketball teams rarely make a profit. Women's basketball is a "non-revenue" sport, which means that it is not expected to increase a school's profits.
Women's basketball teams lose money due to a variety of factors, including limited sponsorships, inconsistent TV coverage, and lower revenue from media rights and NCAA Tournament distributions.
The average NBA player's salary is around $10 million, while the average WNBA player earned about $127,000 in the 2024 season.
Fans can support women's basketball teams by watching games, buying merchandise, and advocating for better coverage and sponsorship deals.
