The popularity of women’s basketball has never been bigger. It didn’t happen overnight. We have so many players, coaches, fans, journalists, and leaders to thank for their decades-long work to bring women’s basketball into this new era.
Enter Caitlin Clark. As a once-in-a-generation player and beacon of this new wave in women’s basketball, her record-breaking performance at Iowa has helped drive the boom. She’s bringing new fans to the WNBA, and with them, a more widespread understanding of how much salary WNBA players make. Or rather, how much they don’t.
Clark’s relatively modest $76,535 base rookie salary has stirred up pay equity conversations. New WNBA fans are unhappy about the pay disparity between WNBA and NBA players, while longtime fans have been aware of the salary struggles for years. The truth is, the league has grown and players are making more now than before.
The great news in all of this: we are ALL empowered to help make pay equity a reality. The WNBA’s growth is dependent on fans. So, if we want the league to continue to progress and players to earn more, I can help, and you can help.
This feels good because, in many other industries, we have little to no ability to help drive pay equity. Fortunately, when it comes to the business of professional sports, we have the opportunity to proactively influence.
And it’s at this moment, in this ideal ecosystem for women’s basketball to thrive, that we can make the biggest impact and lay the foundation for what the new era of the league will be.
As Kavitha A. Davidson explains in a recent MSNBC opinion piece, “WNBA players are in the strongest negotiating position they’ve ever been in.” Fans like you and I can directly support their negotiating power and influence financial outcomes by taking action.
Here are 10 actionable steps to support WNBA players right now.
1. Buy tickets to a WNBA game, if you live in a market with a team
Even better, buy season tickets. WNBA game tickets are incredibly affordable. To give you an idea, I bought tickets to the Las Vegas Aces’ season opener against the Phoenix Mercury for $15 each. While Indiana Fever tickets are higher this coming season thanks to the lure of Caitlin Clark, you can find tickets to most games around $10-$20.
There are 12 WNBA teams across the United States (soon to be 14). Check out our WNBA teams map to see where they’re located.
2. Don’t live close to a team? Buy tickets to a WNBA game for someone else
With only 12 teams, there’s the likelihood you would need to travel to a game. I fly to Las Vegas several times each summer to catch games.
But, if that’s not possible for you, consider buying WNBA game tickets for someone else who lives in the area. You can always blast on your social channels that you’d like to buy a WNBA game ticket for someone who can’t afford it or has never been.
3. Subscribe to WNBA League Pass for the season
WNBA League Pass is the league’s streaming service for games. They’ve made some serious improvements with it over recent years and it’s now a decent App, especially at just $34.99 for the year. You get both live and on-demand games, plus hundreds from previous seasons.
We’ve made a list of 7 things to know before signing up for WNBA League Pass to get you started.
4. Buy a game on the WNBA League Pass
If time or financial limitations prevent you from subscribing to an entire season of WNBA League Pass, consider buying games a la carte. Doing so costs $2.99 per game.
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5. Buy WNBA gear
Buying and wearing WNBA merch puts money directly into players’ pockets and helps promote the league to people around you.
Some teams are better than others at regularly releasing new apparel and accessories. An always-winning choice is the classic orange WNBA pullover hoodie.
Pro tip: An authentic jersey for every player is available for purchase online in every Team, Fanatics, or WNBA Store. If you don’t see your favorite player’s jersey on the team storefront, select ‘Custom Jersey’ and then you can select your player from the drop-down menu.
Full transparency: If you buy something from a Fanatics link, I may earn a commission.
Learn more: Who is the WNBA Logo?
6. Watch WNBA games on broadcast, streaming, and cable TV
The WNBA’s deals with ESPN/ABC, Prime Video, and ION are set to expire in 2025. The more people who tune in to the historic-high 205 live games that will run on broadcast, streaming, and cable TV this season, the more negotiating power the league has when it comes time for renegotiation. The national broadcast schedule for the 2024 season is already available.
7. Go to a sports bar and watch a WNBA game there
This helps with overall viewership and brings awareness to those in the bar with you. You can hit up one of the newer sports bars centering women’s sports, like The Sports Bra in Portland and A Bar of Their Own in Minneapolis.
But, gathering at any sports bar to watch the game is helpful. If you show up and the game is not on, ask the bar to turn the channel for you.
8. Follow WNBA players on social media
This directly impacts their brand value. When players have a large, loyal, and engaged follower base, they’re more likely to cash in big from endorsements, sponsorships, and other business deals. So follow their social accounts, and like, share, and interact with their posts to boost their reach and engagement.
Here are a few WNBA player Instagram accounts to get you started:
- A’ja Wilson
- Breanna Stewart
- Alyssa Thomas
- Aliyah Boston
- Jewell Loyd
- Kahleah Copper
- Angel Reese
- Caitlin Clark
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9. Follow a WNBA team or the WNBA itself on social media
We can also help build the WNBA’s online presence by following and engaging with the league’s 12 teams and the league itself. Follow the WNBA on Instagram, and then make sure to also follow each of the league’s teams:
| Atlanta Dream | Chicago Sky | Connecticut Sun | Dallas Wings |
| Indiana Fever | Las Vegas Aces | Los Angeles Sparks | Minnesota Lynx |
| New York Liberty | Phoenix Mercury | Seattle Storm | Washington Mystics |
For bonus points, also follow the new Golden State WNBA team. They’re an expansion team that will play at Chase Center in San Francisco starting the 2025 season.
10. Subscribe to women’s basketball newsletters
While it’s a more indirect way to support WNBA players, subscribing to women’s basketball-focused email newsletters contributes to the league’s ecosystem.
My personal favorite is The Next ($9/mo or $72/year), which has an impressive lineup of writers, editors, and photographers to bring the best in-depth coverage of the league and women’s basketball. Right with them is Her Hoops Stats (free, but you can show your appreciation with a monthly pledge), which covers women’s basketball with a focus on providing and explaining statistics.
For WNBA news, The Athletic ($7.99/mo) has a dedicated team covering women’s basketball and all other sports and leagues.
Our Role in the Next Chapter of Women’s Basketball
Let’s get it! Together, we can build on the foundation built by players, coaches, journalists, and fans and make sure the league’s growth eclipses all expectations. By supporting the WNBA in these tangible ways, we get off the sidelines and become an active participant fighting for pay equity.
If you’re new to the WNBA and are interested in getting more acquainted, take a look at our library of articles on the WNBA and our WNBA Fan Guide.
I look forward to another incredible WNBA season!
