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Opals legend Lauren Jackson hopes the WNBA can avoid strike action but more importantly, she wants to see the players get a better deal so they can start earning what they deserve.
The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement expired on Friday and the feuding parties have agreed to a 30-day extension of negotiations as strike action looms on the horizon.
WNBA players collectively receive a paltry 9% of the competition’s revenue compared to their men’s counterparts, who pocket roughly 50% of the NBA’s rivers of gold.
Jackson, who spoke to The Roar as an ambassador for Prime’s NBA coverage this season, said the time was right for the WNBA to bump up the salaries for players following an explosion in popularity in recent seasons.
“The popularity of the sport has never been greater and the excitement around the women’s game has never been greater,” Jackson said.
“And you’re seeing some unbelievable performances in the WNBA. I think people are starting to see just the value of the women’s game and what the athletes are able to do. And it’s really special.”
Jackson said the players just want what’s fair in light of their percentage of the profits being much smaller than most other sporting leagues.
“It’ll be interesting to see where they land. There is tension because there is this negotiation period going on and the athletes want what they deserve,” she added.
“It’s really important that it’s publicly talked about. There’s narrative around it.
“It means it’s going to put a bit more pressure on the powers that be to pay the athletes what they should be paid. And I think it’s going to be probably the biggest jump that we’ve seen in the WNBA ever. So it’s an exciting time.
“As a former athlete, I’m really proud of the WNBA and what it’s been able to achieve. And I think the next natural step is paying the athletes. (what they deserve)”
There were nine Aussies in the WNBA last season with Alanna Smith winning Defensive Player of the Year and Jackson is positive about the Opals’ chances of embarking on a new era of success on the back of their bronze medal at last year’s Olympics.
Opals forward Marianna Tolo and US star Brittney Griner at the Paris Olympics. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
“I think our Opals are doing really well. There’s a bit of a transition period now, particularly with Tess Madgen leaving the group and the next group of Opals coming through. And I think it’s a really exciting time,” Jackson said.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing the development of players like Ezi Magbegor, Alanna Smith and Jade Melbourne stepping into leadership roles and really making that team their own.
“The athleticism that these girls have and their drive is amazing. The one thing that I did notice over the last few years is the level of professionalism that these girls have – in the work that they do off the court and on the court.
“It’s very different to my first career, but I think knowing and sort of living it for a period of time, I’m really excited to see where they take that and what that looks like for the Opals, especially next year at the World Cup.
“On any given day, anyone’s beatable. Australia’s been right up there for so long. We’re still ranked second in the world at the moment.
“Anything can happen. And just because it hasn’t happened yet, doesn’t mean it won’t happen. I truly believe that we’ve got the talent.”
Closer to home, Jackson is positive about the future of the WNBL following NBL owner Larry Kestelman assuming control of the competition earlier this year, hoping that he can do a similar job with the women’s competition after he rescued the men’s league from the brink of bankruptcy a decade ago.
“A lot of people have talked about the WNBL needing more resources put into it and now with the new ownership group, it’s a very exciting time for the women’s game,” she said.
“In terms of the athletes that we’re producing that are heading overseas, it’s remarkable. I think it’s a testament to the pathways in Australia that are able to produce these athletes and send them over there.
“The athleticism of the kids these days as well that are heading over there, they’re able to mix it with these American athletes that are just more athletic and stronger than anything we’ve ever seen and it’s pretty impressive that we can handle it and play with that sort of physicality as well.”
The rise of women’s sport in Australia has been a double-edged sword for the WNBL, the longest-running national female sports league.
Lauren Jackson celebrates Seattle Storm winning the WNBA championship in 2004. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
Competition for athletes between the sports has never been greater with cricket, the rugby codes, AFL and soccer boosting their investment in female sport to challenge the traditional mainstays of netball and basketball for playing talent.
“It’s definitely shone a light on the fact that we need to become more professional and we needed to lift our game from a front office perspective,” Jackson said.
“It’s really exciting. I think for all the past players from the 1970s and ‘80s and the people that drove women’s basketball when there wasn’t great remuneration or conditions for athletes, now finally things are starting to turn and it’s a really exciting time.
“I just can’t wait to see where it goes.”
_Jackson spoke to The Roar as an ambassador for Prime Video, which is exclusively broadcasting key 67 NBA and 30 WNBA fixtures in Australia as part of an 11-year global deal._