Breanna Stewart is taking the long view when it comes to WNBA compensation.
The WNBA pay scale has been in the news of late because star No. 1 draft pick Caitlin Clark is entering the league making just $76,000 a year, a total that has offended people on one side while others argue that this is reasonable when the 27-year-old league still does not turn a profit.
Stewart, the two-time WNBA MVP entering her eighth season in the league and second on the Liberty, spoke to People about how she thinks this debate will ultimately take care of itself.
“You can talk about opportunities for pensions and charters and all these things, but it’s not something that’s going to change overnight, and it’s the mix between us continuing to be great on the court and taking advantage of the things happening off the court,” Stewart said.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert spoke with the outlet last year about seeking to grow the league to a point where it could support higher salaries and private air travel.
“People ask why we aren’t in the same place as the men’s league…What will help is expanding the number of teams. I haven’t been shy about talking about expansion,” Engelbert told the outlet.
“You’ve got to build an economic model to fund everything they want; higher pay, travel benefits, etc. It’s important our players understand where we get our revenue, where all the expenses are going and their questions around that.”
“We’re trying to change the narrative — that we are a sports, media and entertainment property, growth property, that will deploy this capital and marketing stars, building rivalries and globalizing the game.”
With stars like Clark, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso entering the WNBA, it is likely that there will be more eyeballs in the form of attendance and TV ratings, which should ultimately lead to a bigger pie for all of the players.