Report: WNBA owners won’t make any return on investments for foreseeable future

Although the WNBA is gaining popularity and wrapping up a very exciting 2024 season, the league’s owners won’t be seeing any return on investment for the foreseeable future, according to a report.

“While the WNBA is getting sellout crowds for the finals between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx, the league’s owners will not be making a return on their investment for the foreseeable future, sources close to the situation said,” wrote Josh Kosman and Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

“The NBA owns nearly 60 percent of the league.

“When one combines the NBA owners’ personal stakes in WNBA teams and the WNBA itself, the amount rises to 75 percent, a source with direct knowledge of the numbers said.

“The NBA team owners have invested hundreds of millions in the WNBA since its 1996 formation, per sources.”

One NBA executive spoke on the situation.

“The WNBA owes the NBA so much we won’t see any windfall for years,” the executive told the New York Post.

The WNBA is reportedly expected to lose $40 million this season.

“This season the WNBA will lose $40 million, a bit better than the $50 million forecast and reported by several media outlets months ago but still a loss, sources said,” wrote Kosman and Lewis.

The WNBA has historically struggled with revenue. The hope is certainly that the league will be able to turn a corner in the future, and its rising popularity has to be a good sign, but it still sounds like league owners will be waiting a while.

Fortunately, there have been positive steps for the league. Starting in the 2026 season, the league will receive up to $2.2 billion over 11 years as part of its new media deal.

According to the New York Post, that deal should represent an increase of at least $100 million annually from the roughly $60 million the league currently makes through its national media deals. The league could also generate more revenue once its decision to add more games to the regular season and playoffs takes effect.

WNBA owners aren’t the only ones who are finding that there isn’t a lot of money to go around in the league, with the league’s players earning salaries that don’t even come close to those of NBA players.

Players will have an opportunity to negotiate a better salary outlook once the current collective bargaining agreement is up, something that would be a major win for them but would also cut into the league’s finances.

“Some NBA owners want more transparency from NBA commissioner Adam Silver about when they will get to see some return from the suddenly popular WNBA,” wrote Kosman and Lewis.

“New York Knicks owner James Dolan has been pushing Silver behind the scenes, sources said.

“‘There’s a bunch of owners who see Dolan as their hero for pressing Silver on these questions but Silver is not giving us any answers,’ the NBA team executive said.”

NBA spokesman Mike Bass offered a comment.

“WNBA financials, including detailed reports on revenue and expenses, are shared with both the NBA’s and WNBA’s Board of Governors,” Bass told the New York Post.

The aforementioned NBA executive reacted.

“That is somewhat BS and they are consolidating it with NBA financials,” the executive said. “By consolidating numbers, you don’t have to break out any of them.”

The final game of the WNBA season will take place on Sunday, with the Lynx and Liberty set to battle in a winner-take-all Game 5 in New York.

The two teams have given fans an exciting championship series so far, and it will hopefully come to a thrilling finish in Game 5.