NBA vs WNBA: Revenue, Salaries, Viewership, Attendance and Ratings

It wasn’t long ago that the WNBA and the NBA game were quite different. Rules of the game weren’t the same across the board, seemingly to increase the attractiveness of the product rather than providing a consistent one through each avenue.

Today, the WNBA and the NBA have never been closer in how the game is played.

But there are still some key differences:

• A WNBA basketball is an inch smaller and two ounces lighter than a regulation NBA basketball.

• There are four quarters in an NBA and WNBA game. Each quarter is 12 minutes in the NBA and 10 minutes in the WNBA.

• An NBA roster consists of a maximum of 15 players and a minimum of 12. A team may have two additional players under contract as “Two-Way Contracts” who split time with the parent club and G-League affiliate.

• A WNBA roster has a maximum roster size of 12 players.

• A player in the WNBA Draft must be 22 years old. International players turning 20 are also eligible. A draftee does not maintain any contract guarantee, despite being drafted.

• A player in the NBA Draft must be at least 19 years old and have at least one year of post-secondary experience.

There is a recurring debate over whether the product put out by the NBA and WNBA individually, justifies the revenue share between owners, league, and players.

We’ll also take a look at the growth of each league and see how they’re positioned for the future.

We’re going to answer some of the lasting questions of this debate as we compare the NBA and the WNBA – their revenue, salaries, attendance, ratings – and try to reveal the current and future path of each league.

If you’d like to see more of men’s and women’s basketball side by side, then have a look at how NCAA men’s basketball and women’s basketball compare.

We are going to start with each league’s revenue.

NBA vs WNBA

NBA vs WNBA: Revenue

Which League Makes More Money: the NBA, or the WNBA?

The NBA generates more money than the WNBA. In total, there are 1230 NBA Games during the regular season. There are, at maximum, 105 playoff games – if each series were to max out at seven games.

In a WNBA season, there are 204 matchups between teams. Each team plays 34 games —four against in-conference competition and three against out-of-conference competition. If each series is maxed out at five games, there is the possibility of 35 postseason games.

It is currently estimated that the WNBA generates approximately $200 million in revenue, of which about twenty percent is distributed to its players.

In 2023, the NBA’s 30 teams generated $10 billion in revenue. From a 1983 agreement to cap payrolls, NBA Players are guaranteed at least about 50% of league revenue.

How Does Each League Distribute Its Revenue?

Revenue share is key in determining a league's worth to its fans and its most important employees, the players.

In the NBA, revenue is distributed equally amongst franchises and is equal to the salary cap set for the year. A team must generate income equal to 70% of the league average to receive full revenue-sharing benefits.

Roughly 50% of the NBA's revenue is split between the league and the players.

The WNBA follows a similar system, as the CBA determines the revenue split between players and the league.

While the WNBA hasn't officially announced the cut between the league and players, it is estimated to be a 75-25 split in favor of the league. In 2020, the WNBA opted out of its CBA, citing the 20.5% player revenue share as unsatisfactory.

Which Is More Profitable, the NBA Postseason or WNBA Postseason?

The NBA Playoffs generate more profit than the WNBA Playoffs. Playoff formats excite fans and primarily boost revenue through focused, continuous tournaments. Unlike many global leagues, the NBA maintains a relatively clean image by avoiding blatant marketing on players.

In 2023, the NBA was third in TV advertising revenue generated during the postseason. Generating an incredible $842 million, it trailed only the NFL and the NCAA in TV advertisements spent on a league.

The WNBA makes a fraction of what the NBA does in playoff advertising revenue. While it only generates about $60 million from its current media rights deal, the WNBA’s incredible growth could see its next deal quadruple in value to about $240 million.

Measuring the postseason revenue is difficult, but forecasts are assisted by presented viewership numbers.

The 2023 NBA Finals had fewer viewers this year than last—11.64M to 12.0M. The WNBA had 728,000 viewers for the WNBA Finals last year, up 36.0% from 2022, making it the most-watched WNBA Finals in 20 years.

Which Teams Are Worth More, NBA or WNBA?

NBA teams are more valuable than WNBA teams.

The average NBA team value is $4.0 billion. Each team received $163.5 million from shared-revenue outlets, including national media, sponsorship, and licensing streams.

Take the New York Knicks, for example. They are the second-most valuable franchise in the NBA, worth approximately $6.6 billion. Until 2019, the Knicks' James Dolan owned the WNBA’s New York Liberty.

Dolan said to the Washington Post:

“[The Liberty] hasn’t made money,” James Dolan, chairman of franchise owner Madison Square Garden company, told HBO’s “Real Sports” program in 2015, adding that he was considering handing his franchise back to WNBA leadership to cut his losses. “Its prospects of making money, at that time and even today, are still slim.”

The average WNBA team value is estimated at around $96 million. When WNBA teams are sold, the purchase price is rarely publicly announced. Many WNBA teams’ ownership is under an LLC (Atlanta Dream), a corporation (Connecticut Sun, Las Vegas Aces), or a parent NBA team (Indiana Fever, Washington Mystics). Teams in the WNBA shift ownership and location frequently compared to their NBA counterparts.

Which League Is More Internationally Driven, the NBA or the WNBA?

As of the 2024 NBA season, the WNBA has 23 international players representing 14 countries. That includes top talents like Marine Johannes (France), Jonqel Jones (Bahamas), and Satou Sabally (Germany).

As of the 2023-24 NBA season, the NBA has 125 international players representing 42 different countries. Some of the top global players in the NBA are Nikola Jokic (Serbia), Joel Embiid (Cameroon), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada), and Luka Doncic (Slovenia).

NBA vs WNBA: Salaries

What Is the Average NBA Salary? What Is the Average WNBA Salary?

Source Alamy: Stephen Curry is the NBA’s highest-paid player

The average NBA player makes more than ever due to a sky-rocketing salary cap, aided by record cable television agreements.

The average salary of an NBA player is $10.8 million.

The highest-paid player in the NBA is Stephen Curry. He makes approximately $55.7 million guaranteed.

A minimum salary in the NBA is dependent on your years of experience in the NBA. From no experience to 10+ years of experience, a minimum contract can cost $1.1 million to $3.1 million.

Source Alamy: Kahleah Copper is among the WNBA’s highest-paid athletes

The wages in the WNBA are nowhere near their NBA counterparts. An average WNBA player made $147,745 for the 2024 season.

The maximum salary for a WNBA player is $241,984 as of 2024. The minimum wage for a WNBA player is $64,154.

The highest-paid WNBA Players are Kahleah Copper (PHX), Jewell Lloyd (SEA), and Arike Ogunbowale (DAL).

The WNBA’s wage differences are in part due to the revenue split between the league and the WNBA, which gives the players around 20% of WNBA revenue. Many of the WNBA’s top players play their trade overseas in the offseason, usually to more profitable results.

For example, during the WNBA offseason, Brittney Griner played in China with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls.

Why Do WNBA Players Make Less Money Than Their NBA Counterparts?

Many factors are involved in why WNBA players earn less money than their NBA counterparts.

As a factor of league revenue, WNBA players’ salary is affected by what the league earns throughout the season. Between broadcast deals, ticket sales, and sponsorship agreements, the salary cap scales to what the league earns. For the 2021-22 NBA season, the NBA generated about $10 billion, while the WNBA’s revenue was estimated to be between $180-$200 million.

As agreed upon by each league’s respective CBA, revenue split also significantly influences how salaries are determined. In the NBA, players receive approximately 50% of the league’s basketball-related income. For the WNBA, the revenue split only occurs if the league exceeds its annual revenue targets.

NBA vs WNBA: Viewership

Which Is More Viewed in the US, the NBA, or the WNBA?

The NBA viewership is one of the significant sports populations in the world. Almost 27% of Americans tune in to the NBA regularly, with that amount peaking during the playoffs and the NBA Finals.

An average of 11.3 million people watched the 2024 NBA Finals, not including the Canadian television audience.

The 2023 NBA Finals, presented on YouTube TV and ESPN platforms, averaged 728,000 viewers. It was the most watched NBA Finals in 20 seasons, a 36% increase from the 2022 NBA Finals. In the WNBA postseason alone, they averaged 470,000 viewers.

Where Else Is the NBA Broadcast (Outside USA)?

The NBA is a global league, to say the least. In part, because they broadcast across the globe.

The NBA is broadcast in 214 countries and territories across seven continents. Its reach is truly global, from Canada to the Philippines, Andorra to South Africa, the NBA is truly a global game.

Is there an International Market for the WNBA?

The broadcast market for the WNBA is significantly smaller than that of the NBA but relevant.

The WNBA is broadcast in 24 countries outside the United States on top of four pan-regional channels. Like the NBA, it extends its reach via WNBA League Pass.

NBA vs WNBA: Attendance

Who Had More Fans Last Season? The NBA or the WNBA?

Attendance at NBA games is much greater than attendance at WNBA games. On average, approximately 18,000 attend live NBA matches every night.

The Chicago Bulls have the highest attendance in the league at 20,624, while the lowest attendance is owned by the Indiana Pacers, who average 16,466 in attendance.

The WNBA has seen fantastic growth through recent seasons. In 2023, the average attendance for a WNBA regular-season game was 9,195—an increase of 24% from the historical average of 7,400 per game.

The WNBA's growth stems from many sources, including improved availability, marketing of the league, and the development of WNBA talent.

Which Has the Highest Average Ticket Price: NBA or WNBA?

The NBA. An average NBA ticket during the 2023-24 season costs approximately $94.

In 2023, the average reported ticket price in the WNBA is $52.

NBA vs WNBA: Ratings

Which League Has Better Ratings?

The 2023 WNBA regular season experienced notable growth in viewership. On ESPN and CBS networks, the WNBA averaged 505,000 viewers, a 21% increase from the previous season. For matches broadcasted on ABC, the WNBA averaged 627,000 viewers, generating the most watched regular season in 11 years on the network.

The 2022-23 NBA season averaged 1.59 million viewers per game on national television, while the NBA Finals averaged 11.6 million viewers. The NBA remains one of the world’s most popular sports, as it is accessed on both traditional and digital platforms.

The NBA is a juggernaut in the ratings department. They set an all-time ratings high in 1998 when the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz reached 29.04 million unique viewers.

Does That Mean the NBA Has More Viewers?

The NBA has a broader reach in broadcasting compared to the WNBA.

While the WNBA has increased its broadcast to sixteen different telecasts, the NBA still dwarfs them. However, the WNBA has seen incredible growth as a league and in recognition of its players like ROTY candidate Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink.

The NBA is shown on national broadcast channels such as ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. It also broadcasts over different regional networks for its thirty clubs, along with digital access provided by NBA League Pass and its partners.

The WNBA is becoming more available through traditional and digital means. While it is far from matching its NBA counterparts, the WNBA’s growth has been considerable.

Conclusion: It Is Still Complicated

The NBA and WNBA comparison is unlike many other professional sports. The game shares many similarities, but the structure and compensation differ significantly.

Considering that the NBA owns the WNBA and many WNBA teams are owned by their NBA counterparts, it will be long before the two products meet the same ground.

Basketball players are some of the most recognizable in the world – due to their media personalities and on-court presence, as well as the fact that they are devoid of significant advertisement and equipment masking their image.

In particular, amateur players in the United States and the NCAA have been able to capitalize on their image. Players like Bronny James, Jared McCain, Flau'jae Johnson, and Paige Bueckers have capitalized on their social media popularity. They rank among the top-paid NIL athletes, and the NBA and WNBA hope that they will bring more eyes to their leagues when transitioning to their professional careers.

Growth is natural for both the NBA and the WNBA going forward. Basketball is amongst the sports with the highest youth enrollment due to its safety, organization, and ability to play regardless of weather and with limited equipment.

How the WNBPA moves forward with its CBA will play a massive role in how the WNBA grows.

The NBA reigns supreme now, but the women are coming for their due. Should they regularly meet their revenue goals, don't be surprised to see the WNBPA reach a new CBA that could begin a new era in basketball.

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