Angel Reese Sends Clear Message to WNBA About Salary Negotiations

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese hasn’t been shy about her feelings toward the ongoing negotiations between the WNBA and its players regarding player salaries.

As outspoken as any player in the league, Reese threatened a lockout months ago when advocating for higher player salaries on social media, and nearly two weeks ago she made it clear the players are willing to keep fighting for a bigger piece of the revenue pie.

“We are all here to fight for the same thing, and what we deserve,” Reese said, via Robin Lundberg. “We’re not going to stop until we get exactly what we want. And yesterday’s meeting really woke me up to the eyes of, we aren’t getting what we deserve. And knowing that for a long time… the numbers they were giving us, I’m like, ‘Wow, I didn’t know all this stuff.'”

Collective bargaining agreement negotiations have intensified in the last week, with as many as 40 players meeting in person with WNBA officials to try and find some common ground.

The players even made a resounding statement during the All-Star game last weekend, wearing shirts with the message “Pay Us What You Owe Us” printed on the front, which prompted the fans in attendance to shout “pay them” during warmups and when Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier was presented with the MVP award after the game.

More Basketball: Warriors’ Steph Curry Reveals Surprising Bronny James Revelation

Reese took her advocacy a step further during a recent appearance on “NBA on ESPN,” in which reporter Elle Duncan asked her what the non-negotiable is for her in the next CBA, to which Reese sent a strong message to league officials.

“The team revenue, the revenue shares — that’s really important for us,” Reese said. “We deserve it. I know we’re not letting up. I know we’re going to do whatever it takes to get what we deserve. I’m just going to continue to educate myself on what’s going on and staying involved.

“I know my voice, I know my platform, and I know when I speak, people are listening. Not that I need the money, but it’s for everybody else. It’s for people that are coming behind me. It’s the people that already played before me, so that’s why I’m going to continue to speak.”

More Basketball: A’ja Wilson Makes WNBA History vs Indiana Fever

The WNBA lost a reported $40 million last year, which is what many believe league officials are using as their leverage for not increasing player salaries.

The league’s $147,745 average player salary is the lowest of the six biggest professional leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, WNBA), just behind the $594,000 the average MLS player makes.

According to Hearst Television Data, professional sports leagues including the NFL, NBA, and NHL give their players a guaranteed fixed percentage anywhere from 47-51% of the revenue generated by the league as part of their CBA.

The WNBA, however, gives its players a percentage of “excess revenue,” which is only paid out if the league hits its revenue target. Both the WNBA and MLS give pay out 25% of the revenue excess.