WNBA - 2008 Season Salary Guidelines And Wage Scale
Beginning with the 2008 season there will be a two-tier salary cap system.
There will be a guaranteed 3% annual increase in the “hard” cap, with owners able to spend an average of an additional 4% under the “flex” cap.
In 2008 the hard cap will be $750,000 with owners having the option of spending up to $772,000.
The maximum player salary in 2008 goes from $93,000 to $95,000.
Any player designated a “core” player, which prevents them from testing the free agent market, receives an additional $2,500 in salary.
Players become restricted free agents after four years in the league, unrestricted after six.
Beginning in 2009, teams can core only one player per year — and a player can only be designated a core player five times in her career.
Rookie salaries also increased under the new deal, with the minimum in 2008 at $34,500; it was $32,400 last year.
Though rookie contracts will continue to be three years with a team option for a fourth, the raises in years three and four amount to 25% under the new deal. Rookies previously received an 8% raise the last two years.
Rookie contracts
Rookies still sign three-year deals with a team option for a fourth.
Projected wage scales for 2008:
Picks—–1st year—–2nd year—–3rd year—–4th year
1-4——-$44,064——$44,945——$49,440—–$56,182
5-8——-$40,759——$41,574——$45,732—–$51,968
9-14——$36,353——$37,080——$40,788—–$46,350
2nd Rd—$35,000——$35,700——$39,270—–$44,625
3rd Rd—$34,500——$35,190——-$36,950—–$42,229
Comment by jd0914 on 4 July 2008:
THE WOMEN SHOULD BE PAID AT LEAST TWICE WHAT THEY ARE PRESENTLY MAKING.
IF THATS IMPOSSIBLE,INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF GAMES THEY PLAY.
Comment by would BBaller on 11 July 2008:
OMG! this is crazy to me. This is one of the reasons I did not continue to pursue BBall as a career. These ladies are working for a simple paying job. They are suppose to be professional atletes pay THEM AS SUCH. lets ask even the worst NBA player when is the last time they played for such low wages. Even the veteran players are being ripped. C’mon, a talent like CP3, making 40,000. That is chump change. I make more than that in my profession and I dont have to physically OR mentally prepare as these ladies do. WE HAVE GOT TO DO BETTER FOR ARE LADY BALLERS!!!!!!
Comment by Raymond on 23 July 2008:
This is the best a league that loses money can do. The WNBA is a business and the employees (players) can only make as much as the league can afford to pay them. The only way WNBA players can increasing their wages to top dollar is by increasing their audience and revenue so teams are making more money. Took the NBA 30 years to get a player making 1 million a year, going to take the WNBA a long time if ever. The top players can still make some money off endorsements because with their base salaries they need 2nd jobs kind of like early baseball players. Lucky for them though the NBA will continue to keep them afloat as on their own this league would have folded years ago since they don’t make any money and can’t support themselves financially. Just like any business though salaries won’t increase until teams start making more money.
Comment by Jim Knudson on 6 October 2008:
Salaries will increase as the sport grows.
I’m sure the Houston Championship teams feel they deserve much more than they got when the league started and rightfully so.
A longer season will not matter if no one watches or attends!!
Most of our Olympians get nothing and have no professional league to join. When was the last time ANYONE attended a professional track or swimming meet in the U.S.A.?