Mark Cuban’s $3 Billion Profit is Blueprint for WNBA Owners, Says Ex-ESPN Boss

WNBA team owners are enjoying massive increases in franchise valuations, but are yet to see the revenue help them earn a profit.

Mark Cuban’s $3 Billion Profit is Blueprint for WNBA Owners, Says Ex-ESPN Boss

WNBA owners could learn from Mark Cuban's Mavs sale (Image via FirstSportz)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

The WNBA is heading into a confusing situation. Their players want the league to share the revenue with them, similar to how the NBA does with the men. Those requests have been met with ridicule, especially from those who are not aware of the revenue that the league will earn starting next season.

The league will be receiving a windfall of at least $200 million. The exact figure is not known, as there is no concrete information about the deal they struck with Ion. Similarly, there is no concrete evidence on how much teams are earning through ticket sales and merchandise.

Some fans believe that even if the league earned more, the teams should first be allowed to break even and turn a profit. Only once they find it sustainable should they agree to split a larger share.

On the flip side, some argue that franchise valuations have multiplied, which should already give owners enough to agree to a higher share. Former ESPN boss, John Skipper, brought up a reference while on Pablo Torre Finds Out, on how the owners would not be impacted.

People are paying lots of money for valuations. That’s how the WNBA owners are eventually going to make money. They are already getting $4-500 million valuations, so they can lose $11 million a year, the way Mark Cuban did, for a long time, and still be in a revenue-producing business.

John Skipper said

He was referring to when the former Dallas Mavericks majority owner purchased the franchise for $285 million. In the initial days, Mark Cuban wasn’t making money, but he eventually sold the franchise for $3.2 billion profit. WNBA owners could follow this blueprint as franchise valuations are on the rise.

WNBA and owners unwilling to share revenue now

WNBA owners might like John Skipper’s idea. But they know the history of the league has been mired in losses and a lack of interest. The league is still losing $10-40 million on average.

The influx of a new generation of superstar prospects, such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, and Paige Bueckers, has helped interest in the league skyrocket. But as investors, they want to see if it is sustainable.

That is why they do not want to agree to a larger share yet. The owners want to see if this growth sustains over the next few years. In 3 years, the WNBA will be able to renegotiate its media-rights deal.

Maybe then, once the owners are convinced of the revenue, they will be willing to share more of what they receive. However, players want that to happen now, and therefore, are on the verge of forcing a lockout.

WNBA could be on the verge of a lockout

Since players are holding out for higher revenue sharing, it is possible that they may not come to terms with what the WNBA and its franchise owners are preparing to share.

Caitlin Clark wearing the 'Pay Us What You Owe Us' t-shirt
Caitlin Clark wearing the ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us’ t-shirt (Image via Open Source/X)

If that were to happen, players might not sign on the dotted line come October 31st. They will still have time until the start of next season’s training camp, which is pegged to be around April 2026.

If they do not agree by then, likely, the 2026 season will not start. There is growing fear that a lockout is imminent. Some believe a work stoppage will be detrimental to the growth the league is enjoying.

However, players also know that they cannot bow down to something that does not give them a meaningful raise. Such a decision will then become a standard that will be difficult to change down the line.

Also Read: