Let’s go back 30 years.
The WNBA’s first season had no salary cap and players received as little as $15,000 to play. The best players topped out around $50,000, even as stars in 1997 became household names — Cynthia Cooper, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, Sheryl Swoopes.
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Excitement was there, but skepticism abounded. How long would the league exist? Would people watch? Was this a novelty? Would interest eventually wear off? How could it sustain itself financially?
Even a few years ago, naysayers were still asking these questions. Now, those doubts seem antiquated. Women’s basketball — and women’s sports as a whole — is an undeniable booming business.
Especially as the WNBA’s exponential growth in recent years spiked again with an unprecedented collective bargaining agreement this offseason. Players’ salaries are topping $1 million for the first time, and the average salary will be nearly $600,000. Let this sink in: Top individual player salaries this season are worth more than the entire salary cap for individual teams before 2023.
This windfall comes as the WNBA is broadcasting all its games this season, and NCAA women’s basketball continues to set viewership records.
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As women’s basketball fandom continues to expand, The Athletic is also staying ahead of the curve. We know fans have a deep appetite for the sport, and we are dedicated to delivering with our incomparable, comprehensive coverage.
Women’s basketball has never been dull, but now, the news cycle churns year-round. Front-office moves, free-agency chaos, eye-catching trades and league expansion in the pros; NIL deals, transfer moves and the coaching carousel in colleges. We’re on it.
There’s no offseason for players, and there’s no offseason for our women’s basketball team at The Athletic.
We’re also bringing big additions. Joining our national writers Chantel Jennings and Sabreena Merchant, Annie Costabile is the newest member of our reporting group. Based in New York, Costabile is known for breaking news and for her sharp analysis of the sport.
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That trio, along with hosts Zena Keita and Layshia Clarendon, will offer their takes on our podcast, No Offseason, which drops on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. You can also hang out with them on YouTube and social media.
Want more? We’ve got you. Starting this week, our free No Offseason newsletter will appear directly in your inbox every Tuesday, as Merchant and Costabile keep you up to speed.
We aren’t just bringing you news and results. We’re creating a No Offseason community — and we want you to be part of it. Who knows what the next 30 years will bring?
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
WNBA, Sports Business, Women’s College Basketball
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