"Players should be paid what they're owed" - Hillary Clinton publicly speaks out in favor of WNBA players' "Pay Us What You Owe Us" campaign

Syndication: Westchester County Journal News - Source: Imagn
"Players should be paid what they're owed" - Hillary Clinton publicly speaks out in favor of WNBA players' "Pay Us What You Owe Us" campaign. [photo: Imagn]

WNBA players stirred social media on Saturday with the message printed in front of their t-shirts ahead of the All-Star Game. After reaching a stalemate in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations with the league, the players made a stand. They entered the Gainbridge Fieldhouse with the words “Pay Us What You Owe Us” to stand for their cause.

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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reacted to the viral moment on Instagram. The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate wrote Monday on IG:

“Everyone watches women's sports—and the players should be paid what they're owed. I stand with @theWNBPA and everyone else fighting for equal pay.”
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The WNBPA opted out of the previous CBA in October. Since then, the union and the league have had little back-and-forth, according to Breanna Stewart, a vice president of the union. The New York Liberty superstar called Thursday’s talks a “wasted opportunity.”

All-Star team captain Napheesa Collier, also a union vice president, told reporters in an interview that the WNBPA would not blink first in the negotiations. Nancy Armour of USA Today suggested the WNBA players could follow the footsteps of the USWNT, which sued the U.S. Soccer Federation in 2019 to get equal pay.

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True to their vow of refusing to back down, the All-Stars warmed up for the Saturday showcase with “Pay Us What You Owe Us” shirts. Caitlin Clark, the league’s biggest and hottest draw, led the players who sent the message to Cathy Engelbert.

The message was well received as fans chanted “Pay Them” during the awarding ceremony. Hilary Clinton added weight to the players’ cause by giving her support.

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WNBA players want a share of the $250 million expansion fees

Revenue sharing is reportedly an area where the WNBA players and the league are miles apart. Union president Nneka Ogwumike bemoaned the “fixed” percentage the league has offered when the players could get more as the business grows.

One key component of the revenue sharing issue is the expansion fee paid by franchises coming from Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia. According to multiple reports, each team paid $250 million to join the biggest women’s basketball league in the world.

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Ogwumike, who represented the WNBA players, said this before the negotiations started:

"It's interesting that there's a $250 million expansion fee, and there's no openness to have that be reflected in revenue share that goes to the players, especially as we're experiencing growth. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but we're hoping we can get some clarity on that in Indiana."
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After the initial talk in Indiana, the union and the WNBA are in a stalemate regarding revenue sharing.

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Edited by Michael Macasero
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