Dave Portnoy, the founder and owner of Barstool Sports, has expressed his frustration with those who believe that WNBA players do not deserve higher salaries. His comments came in response to a powerful statement made by players at Saturday's All-Star Game, where they donned warm-up shirts with the message “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” In a detailed post and subsequent video shared on X, Portnoy made his position clear.
In the video, Portnoy questioned how anyone could rationally argue that women do not deserve increased pay, asserting, “I don’t know how anybody in the world with a brain, and maybe my brain is just bigger than most, can rationally say women don’t deserve more money at this point.” He highlighted the shocking discrepancy in salaries by pointing out that Caitlin Clark’s rookie salary of $76,000 is less than what some Barstool personalities, such as Nicky Smokes and Ben Mintz, earn annually. Portnoy described this disparity as “insane.”
As of the upcoming 2024 season, the average WNBA salary stands at $147,745, according to DirecTV. Portnoy acknowledged that critics often cite reports indicating the league is losing tens of millions of dollars each year. However, he argued that the financial situation of the league is “a mess, tied in with the NBA and purposely murky.” In a report from October 2024, it was disclosed that the WNBA is projected to lose $40 million in the 2025 season. Despite this, Portnoy emphasized that the league is thriving and “exploding.”
Portnoy pointed out the burgeoning franchise values, soaring ticket sales, merchandise sales, and television rights, noting that these aspects of the league are all “exploding.” He stated, “The players have an opt-out in their CBA. Of course they took it. It’s all about leverage in re-negotiations and for the first time in history of the league, players have power.” This shift in power dynamics is particularly significant in light of the 11-year, $2.2 billion TV rights deal that the league struck with major networks such as Disney, Amazon Prime Video, and NBCUniversal last summer.
According to NPR, television ratings have surged by 23%, ticket sales have increased by 26%, and attendance is up by 13% halfway through the current season. Portnoy remarked, “The players make virtually nothing while the entire league explodes. Of course they deserve more money.” He also defended the league against claims that its recent success is solely dependent on Caitlin Clark's stardom, asserting, “Caitlin Clark was 100% the match that lit the fuse…but, Caitlin’s not going anywhere. She’s in year two of a 15-year career.”
Portnoy highlighted other emerging stars such as Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, and the soon-to-be professional JuJu Watkins, indicating a promising future for the league. He concluded his argument by expressing his desire to invest in the league, stating that if he could purchase a Boston-based WNBA franchise for $250 million, he “would do it without blinking.” He added, “That’s all you got to know about the WNBA finances.”
