WNBA players, including Angel Reese, may go on strike if the league fails to satisfy their demands

The Chicago Sky Forward entered the league with a four-year rookie contract valued at $324,383 in total.

Angel Reese is indicating that a league-wide strike in the WNBA may be imminent if player demands are not addressed. The All-Star, known for her candidness, expressed her views clearly on a recent episode of her Unapologetically Angel podcast.

“I must attend the meetings because I’m hearing that if [the league] doesn’t provide what we desire, we’re sitting out,” the 22-year-old stated. She was accompanied on the show by fellow WNBA player Dijonai Carrington, who has also acted as the union representative for the Connecticut Sun.

“That’s definitely a possibility,” the Dallas Wings player concurred.

The financial challenges that Reese and her colleagues encounter have been a topic of conversation both within and beyond the league for quite some time. Reese has previously discussed her low WNBA salary and is scheduled to earn $74,909 in the upcoming season. Upon entering the league, Reese signed a four-year rookie contract valued at $324,383 to compete in the WNBA, which secured a $2.2 billion media rights deal in July 2024, enabling live game broadcasts on Disney, NBC, and Amazon for the next 11 years.

Terri Carmichael Jackson, the Executive Director of the WNBA Player’s Association, spoke about the players’ mission in a statement released in October. “The players chose to withdraw from the last CBA to restructure the business and rescue the league from its own constraints,” she stated. “Today, with a more robust foundation and fresh investments coming in, they’re choosing to opt out once more — this time to fully professionalize the league, ensure fair wages, enhance working conditions, and establish significant benefits.”

The differences between the WNBA and its male counterpart, the NBA, are pronounced.

According to Bloomberg, the WNBA brought in $200,000,000 in revenue last season, with just 9.3 percent designated for player salaries. Conversely, NBA players are entitled to a complete 50 percent of the league’s revenue — a portion that reached an impressive $5.3 billion in 2023 alone.

For numerous WNBA athletes, achieving financial stability necessitates competing overseas during the offseason — a possibility that Unrivaled, a new alternative league co-founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, aims to address in order to close the financial gap.

Unrivaled presents a nine-week season with an average salary of $250,000 for its 36 participating players, aiming to provide a profitable alternative to international play.

Reese, having dedicated herself to the new league, has been candid regarding her WNBA earnings. “I just want to make it clear that the WNBA doesn’t cover my expenses at all.” I doubt it even covers one of my bills. “Literally,” she declared with candor during an Instagram Live session last year.

Although Reese has utilized her celebrity status to obtain endorsement deals and establish a strong personal brand, numerous individuals in her field lack the same financial support. Perhaps the star players competing in another league will motivate the WNBA to accelerate their efforts for change.