“It is a lowball”. WNBA Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller had this to say about the NBA’s latest offer for the WNBA. She joined the WNBA Executive Director Terri Jackson to show disappointment with the NBA’s treatment of the “subsidiary” league. One of the biggest news that has come out of the WNBA after the Olympic break is their latest deal. The league has signed a $2.2 Billion/ 11-year media rights contract out of the NBA’s $76 Billion deal. Certainly, no one would now disagree that a major role for the W’s success this season is the rookie duo. These are Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. But should the WNBA get a better amount?

Previously, in the pregame presser during the All-Star games, Cheryl Miller, head coach for Team WNBA expressed her views on the $2.2/ 11-year contract. She said, “I’m not great with numbers, low-ball (offer). That’s a low-ball. You’re saying how much? Not enough. Not even close. Now, I’m not trying to inflate it a whole lot. Two ($2 billion) is nice, eight ($8 billion) would be better.”

Jackson also had a similar take when she first heard about how much the NBA would be making. Then, she mentioned, “The players continue to demonstrate their commitment to building the brand, and the fans keep showing up. There is no excuse to undervalue the WNBA again.” She also stated how the NBA has always been in control of its own destiny and also of the WNBA’s fate.

Hence, showing his disapproval despite the exponential increment, the media veteran Rob Parker of ‘The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard & Rob Parker’ thrashed out at Miller. He said, “For 29 years… this league lost money. And all of a sudden, a 300% increase ain’t good enough. Cheryl Miller, stop it!”

Parker further added how the rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and their collective effect have truly impacted the finances of the league.

Rob Parker’s point in numbers and how Caitlin Clark comes into play

The new deal will bring about $200 million a year to the WNBA. Comparatively, the NBA currently provides $60 million per year. By calculation, this deal is a whopping 333% of the current one. Moreover, the Washington Post had an interesting update about the league’s finances earlier this year. Despite the golden rookie bringing profits to the league, the WNBA is bound to lose $50 million by the end of this year. A major part of this will be the Charter flight deal of $50 million for the next two years.

Hence, the sports anchor pointed out to Cheryl Miller, “I’ve got news for you! Caitlin Clark is the Harlem Globetrotters. When she goes and plays, they show up and the numbers are there. They still get 5 and 6000 at these other games where Caitlin Clark is nowhere to be seen. They still aren’t watching those games.” 

If we talk about the most recent sales numbers, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are the table-toppers for most jersey sales during the All-Star weekend. In fact, many also believe that the high 3.44 viewership of the game and the sold-out arena were heavily impacted by these rookies. Specifically, as they became teammates for the very first time.

Caitlin Clark has been the sole WNBA player to join hands with Wilson and has affected the ticket and jersey sales for the Indiana Fever as well. Still, while the league is definitely on the rise, the NBA, which is a profitable counterpart, is making decisions. While we cannot say if it is correct or not, Rob Parker seems adamant that maybe the WNBA needs more profit before asking for additional incentives.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.