Part 5/10:
Silver’s language was carefully chosen. While he avoided outright rejection of player demands, he subtly indicated that revenue sharing—an approach that has fueled NBA salaries rising to hundreds of millions for top stars—was not feasible for the WNBA. Instead, the league would incrementally increase player salaries, urging players to be grateful for the league’s continued existence, which would not have been possible without NBA financial backing.
The NBA’s Financial Backbone and the WNBA’s Struggling Model
The financial underpinning of the NBA is robust: a lucrative broadcast rights deal worth approximately $76 billion over the next decade, with NBA players sharing 50% of league revenue. This revenue sharing underpins soaring player salaries and league growth.