The Seattle Storm starters are considered the best starting five in the entire league. They have led their team to two championships in the last three seasons, blowing out five of their playoff opponents by double digits. The biggest challenge they will face this year is the WNBA salary cap ($1.34 million), which is forcing them to trade some of their top talents demanding for higher salaries. The article explains how the league salary cap was already raised 31% from 2019 to 2020, but this still isn’t enough for the top teams in the WNBA to keep all their top talents. Max salaries were also raised in the last year growing by more than 80% for “super-max” contracts. Because some of Seattle’s stars were still signed under the “old-style contract” they were able to keep them and win a championship this prior season. This off-season, two of their major stars will become unrestricted free agents, and Seattle will have to make some tough decisions.
The WNBA have faced major controversy in the past few years regarding the low salaries the women are receiving. For instance, the NBA salary cap for 2020 was $115 million, while the WNBA was $1.3 million. This emphasizes the gender gap, and the struggle these women face when trying to make end meet while training, playing, and travelling almost as much as the men of the NBA. A paper by Elle Baker of the Kennesaw State University Undergraduate Research Fellowship outlines the comparison of NBA and WNBA player salaries. It also points out the sociology of the gender gap displayed in all sports, not just the WNBA. Meanwhile the WNBA has also released a commercial in 2020 called “Make Way” that emphasizes the statement “It’s time to not just know the WNBA, but the women behind it”. An article posted by HYPEBAE, an online women’s contemporary fashion company, explains the importance of this message. This is an attempt to make people aware of this gender gap between the two leagues and to create a movement for change.
D.R.
Sport, Not Games ⚽ 