How Underpaid Are W.N.B.A. Players? It’s Embarrassing.

In 2025, basketball’s popularity soars, yet a glaring inequity persists: the massive pay disparity between men’s and women’s professional players. While NBA stars pocket millions, WNBA athletes often earn a fraction, highlighting a deeper issue of value, investment, and perception in sports. It’s time to confront this gap and push for change—here’s why and how.

The Stark Numbers

The contrast is jarring. An NBA rookie might earn $1 million a year, with top players banking $40 million or more per season. In the WNBA, the average salary hovers around $120,000, and even top earners rarely crack $250,000, per 2024 league data. Bonuses, endorsements, and benefits widen the chasm—men’s deals dwarf women’s, despite growing viewership for both. The 2024 WNBA Finals drew 8 million viewers, a 60% jump from 2020, yet revenue and pay lag far behind the NBA’s billions.

Roots of the Divide

Why the gap? History plays a part. The NBA, founded in 1946, had decades to build its brand, fan base, and media deals. The WNBA, launched in 1997, fights for scraps in a male-dominated sports market. Revenue drives salaries—NBA teams generate $10 billion annually, while the WNBA’s haul is closer to $200 million. Sponsorships and TV contracts favor men’s games, reflecting outdated views of women’s sports as “less exciting.” Yet, women’s basketball delivers: dazzling skills, fierce competition, and rising stars like never before.

The Cost of Inequality

Low pay forces WNBA players to hustle overseas in the offseason, risking injury and burnout for extra income—something NBA players rarely face. This gap isn’t just financial; it signals a cultural bias, telling young girls their talent is worth less. Fans lose too—underfunding stunts the WNBA’s growth, limiting games on prime TV and keeping stadiums half-empty. Equity isn’t charity; it’s a smart bet on a proven product.

Paths to Progress

Change is possible. First, boost investment—networks and sponsors should pour dollars into women’s games, capitalizing on rising ratings. A 2025 study showed 70% of sports fans want more WNBA coverage; give it to them. Second, share the wealth—NBA profits could subsidize the WNBA, as they did in its early years, to lift salaries and facilities. Third, shift the narrative—media and leagues must champion women’s skills, not just men’s dunks. Finally, fans can act: buy tickets, stream games, and demand parity.

The Bigger Picture

This isn’t just about basketball—it’s about fairness. Women’s sports, from soccer to tennis, face similar hurdles, rooted in a system that undervalues half the talent pool. Closing the pay gap in the WNBA won’t solve it all, but it’s a start. In June 2025, as both leagues shine, let’s value the game, men’s and women’s, equally. Talent knows no gender; neither should pay.