Seattle Storm and Players Lead the Charge for Equity in the WNBA
The most watched and most attended WNBA season in over two decades wrapped up on Sunday with the New York Liberty taking home the victory.
Building on the momentum of a historic season and skyrocketing viewership, WNBA players are calling for their compensation and treatment to reflect their accomplishments. Following the announcement that the 2025 Finals will move to a seven-game series, matching the NBA format, players took a stand against gender pay discrimination.
Storm players stand up for higher pay
ESPN reports the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) opted out of their current collective bargaining agreement. Led by Seattle Storm forward and WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike, the union argues that the current deal no longer reflects the league's growing popularity and revenue.
"Opting out isn't just about bigger paychecks -- it's about claiming our rightful share of the business we've built, improving working conditions, and securing a future where the success we create benefits today's players and the generations to come. We're not just asking for a CBA that reflects our value; we're demanding it, because we've earned it."
As the league prepares for a transformed season with 13 teams and chartered travel, they also face the potential of a work stoppage if both sides cannot come to an agreement before October of next year.
The players’ push for fair pay is part of a larger movement toward gender pay equity. According to the Center for American Progress, “women covered by a union earn nearly 5 percent more than their nonunion counterparts.” By leveraging their collective power, the WNBPA is continuing the fight for pay and treatment closer to that of NBA players—an effort that echoes through many industries.
Seattle Storm leadership improves players' working conditions
It isn’t just Seattle Storm players who are working to create change. This summer, Washington State Women’s Commission (WSWC) got a behind the scenes look at the Storm’s brand-new practice facility. Opened just before the 2024 season, the Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance is the first dedicated WNBA practice facility.
Storm co-owners Ginny Gilder and Lisa Brummel leveraged the $64 million build as an opportunity to compensate individuals from historically excluded groups. Eighty five percent of the facility’s designers and engineers were women and people of color. By building the center, the Storm signaled that their players are valued and deserve the expert-level resources men professional sports receive.
The gender wage gap persists across industries. In professional sports, the disparities in pay and treatment are especially stark and public. Every step toward closing that gap—whether through WNBA players fighting for fair pay or investments like the Storm’s new facility—contributes to a broader movement. Each time a woman’s wage increases in our stae, the possibility of bridging Washington’s gender wage gap becomes more of a reality.
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON STATE WOMEN’S COMMISSION
The Washington State Women’s Commission (WSWC) is an executive branch cabinet agency in the Office of Governor Inslee serving as the primary voice in government for Washington women and girls. Signed into law in 2018, WSWC develops policies and initiatives to address critical issues that disproportionately affect women, including childcare access and affordability, domestic and gender-based violence, equal pay, health care access, and intersectional inequities. Through strategic listening and collaboration, we represent the 3.8 million women and girls across the state.
