By Emilie St. John
INGLEWOOD – The Inglewood City Council adopted a resolution in support of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), which is in negotiations to receive increased pay and benefits in line with members of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The resolution was spearheaded by District 4 Councilwoman Dionne Faulk who is a strong advocate for women and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. which is rooted in sisterhood.
“I want to thank my colleagues for standing in support of the WNBA players for their contract negotiations and hopefully they will be able to strike a deal that works out for them,” said Faulk.
Mayor James T. Butts Jr. read from the resolution which stated in part, “The mayor and councilmembers of the city of Inglewood, California, expresses support to the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, whereas the WNBPA was established in 1998 and is the first professional sports union for women and continues to promote the interests, aspirations and long-term vision of WNBA players and as they are professional athletes representing 13 across 13 U.S. cities, including the Los Angeles Sparks, and the WNBPA is in its sixth contract negotiation this month and are advocating for fair wages, better benefits and professional working conditions.”
Mayor Butts went on to attribute the negotiations happening during a historic moment for the WNBA, “as the league experiences unprecedented growth in revenue, attendance and franchise valuation.”
It was revealed that the current valuation of the Los Angeles Sparks is valued at $235 million, ranking as the 8th most valuable WNBA franchise. The Las Vegas Aces are valued at $310 million, which represents a significant increase from the $2 million that owner Mark Davis paid for the team in 2021.1
According to published reports, the collective value of all 13 franchises are collectively $3.5 billion which is an 180% increase over last year.2
The resolution was to pledge support to the members of the WNPBA and “urge the WNBA to work in good faith towards a fair, equitable and timely settlement that ensures equitable compensation, benefits and safe working conditions for all of its players.”
Yvonne Wheeler, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions, accepted the resolution on behalf of the WNBA Players Association due to them being in contract negotiations and unable to participate in these types of events.
“As we know that for far too long, the WNBA players, some of the most talented athletes in the world, have given everything to this league while receiving far too little in return,” said Wheeler.
“Fair revenue sharing is not a luxury when players receive only 9% of the revenue they generate,” said Wheeler. “This isn’t just about pay. It’s about respect. It’s about recognition and the partnership they create in every single game and if the NBA can do it, the WNBA should be able to do it as well.”
Wheeler went on to state that the WNBA players should also be offered year round healthcare protections and charter flights as the men receive.
“Thank you for bringing the WNBA to our attention and besides revenue the reality is the men’s league brings in more money but the revenue should be better distributed,” said Mayor Butts.
Nick Hamilton, owner of NiteCast Media, has covered the WNBA for sixteen (16) seasons and created ‘The Hardwood 94’ a show centered around showcasing the league and he attributes the growth to the athletes developing their off-court presence which attracts more fans.
“I’ve had the pleasure of covering several WNBA Finals and All-Star games and with players like A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and the influx of a fanbase that followed Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese from college to the WNBA, it has increased its revenue through increased viewership and more marketing opportunities,” said Hamilton.
In 2024, the WNBA reported its highest total attendance in 22 years (2,353,735), up 48% from the 2023 season.3
The league averaged over 11,000 fans per game in the 2025 season.
“The upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is going to be huge for the future growth of the WNBA,” Hamilton said.
The current eight-year agreement, signed in 2020, is set to end on October 31, 2025.
- Aces’ valuation skyrockets since Mark Davis bought WNBA team
https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/aces/aces-valuation-skyrockets-since-mark-davis-bought-wnba-team-3383088/ ↩︎ - The WNBA’s Most Valuable Teams 2025 https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettknight/2025/06/06/the-wnbas-most-valuable-teams-2025/ ↩︎
- WNBA Delivers Record-Setting 2024 Season https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-delivers-record-setting-2024-season ↩︎
