The WNBA has continued its gradual growth within the US sporting landscape as the league enters its 27th year in existence. With over 12 teams competing for the WNBA crown the competition has expanded over the years and looks to become a household staple in the coming years. While the growth in popularity is undeniable the WNBA is yet to turn profitable with NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently revealing that the league had not once returned profits. Despite losing over $10 million annually it is important to note that the WNBA continues to be backed by the NBA and is still 50 years behind its male counterparts in terms of their existence. This particular gap between the two leagues has left many fans and players in the WNBA desiring for more with a dozen investors feeling the same about the situation raising $75 million earlier this year to help sustain the division. This particular instance is an example of the WNBA’s rise in popularity and growth with it also reflecting the reason behind the league’s $1 Billion valuation.

While the league maybe losing plenty of money in the present it won’t be long before the WNBA becomes profitable as there has been a 200% increase in the viewership after the 2017 season. This figure alone speaks of the growing traction of the league and while pale in comparison to the other leagues it still speaks of its acceptance amongst newer audiences. Although the WNBA has been heavily criticized for underpaying its athletes and not generating enough revenue the latest injection of cash by investors and the introduction of expansion teams in 2025 looks to have changed the demographic a little with the league looking to generate its first profit in 27 years in the coming year or two. With all that said the present still sees the league suffer with finances leading many to wonder what does the winner of the WNBA receive other than the trophy?

What is the winning prize after the WNBA championship?

With the WNBA failing to generate profit during the 27 years it has existed it is hard to imagine the players getting paid a significant amount. The NBA which is valued at $70 Billion today is reported to have offered 2023 NBA winners with a cash prize of $25 million meaning the $1 Billion valued WNBA would be offering significantly less funds to its players and teams. Comparing the two once more, the money offered to the ones participating during the All-Star week is highly contrasting between the two leagues with the disparity in numbers being quite shocking. NBA players participating in the All-Star weekend were given $50,000 until 2018 with the sum being doubled since then to $100,000 per player. Dunk contest winners are also offered a $100,000 with the second and third place finishers been given $50,000 and $25,000 respectively. On the other hand, WNBA stars are paid a measly $2,575 and a first-class ticket which is almost 4 times lesser than what the NBA players earn during a similar week. This disparity has been a common theme within the sporting world where women continue to be vocal about them being underpaid compared to male athletes.

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While a case can be made from the viewership numbers that they both bring, the Commissioners Cup which is an in-season tournament played only in the WNBA offers nothing close to what an NBA team might offer as the tournament holds a cash prize of $500,000. Although a huge sum for an average person the figure is divided within the winning team meaning a player could get a maximum of $30,000 which is a figure that Buddy Hield earned by finishing second in the 2023 3-point shooting contest. Keeping in mind that the WNBA still operates in losses annually it is no surprise that the cash prizes offered isn’t humungous as its male counterpart. While the money provided may not seem like much when compared with the NBA the WNBA still provides significant pay to its athletes compared to many other sports and with the league seeing a 27% increase in viewership this season the sum may keep growing in the coming years.

According to figures provided for the 2023 season each WNBA team in the payoffs was given $1,616 per player while the teams in the second round were given $3,123 per player. This number was then doubled for the runners up who will be given a sum of $7,746 leaving a sum of $20,000 per player for the winners. This tally means the total figure provided for the winners of the WNBA is $500,000 which is similar to winning the Commissioners Cup.? On top of the $20,00 provided the Finals MVP is also left with a sum of $15,450 which is not included in the $500,000 cash prize. With another season looking likely for A’ja Wilson will there be another $500,000 cash prize waiting for the Aces this season or could the NY Liberty add to their Commissioner’s Cup winnings? Let us know in the comments below.

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