"Pay us what you owe us" - WNBA players protest salary payment

The WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis was overshadowed by player protests over their salaries, which are significantly lower than those in the NBA.

The players have called for an increase in their wages and hope to match that of the NBA players.

Negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the WNBA and the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) took centre stage, as reported by Sportal.

"This is where the money is, and both sides are going to fight hard," said Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx, adding, "They need to understand we're not backing down." Players wore shirts with the message, "Pay Us What You Owe Us."

Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark, who was sidelined due to injury, commented on the discrepancy between endorsement deals and salaries: "We're fortunate to have the income from off-court deals.

But we're fighting for better salaries. That's the most important point of this negotiation." Under the current CBA, players receive 25% of the revenue only if the league meets its annual revenue target.

"The remaining 75% is paid through marketing contracts. In contrast, the NBA has a 50-50 split. The maximum WNBA contract reaches $250,000 for one designated player per team.

The standard maximum salary is $216,000, while the starting salary for rookies is $72,000.