David J. Berri
H-index:
28
The Detroit Tigers this past month seem to hit very well when it doesn't matter at all. When they needed a hit (game is close, runner in scoring position), they have been awful.
Pressure has just killed this team.
Pressure has just killed this team.
The AI sports ads are teaching people how to find spurious correlations.
Not so much artificial intelligence as artificial silliness!
Not so much artificial intelligence as artificial silliness!
The capital raise -- along with the recent media deal -- shows a lack of faith in the WNBA product.
The NBA (the de facto majority owners of the WNBA) show us by their actions they don’t think very much of the WNBA.
And that is why they don’t want to pay the WNBA players what they owe them!
The NBA (the de facto majority owners of the WNBA) show us by their actions they don’t think very much of the WNBA.
And that is why they don’t want to pay the WNBA players what they owe them!
The WNBA and NBA sold off 16% of the league for just $75 million in 2022.
When the WNBA is worth billions in the future, that 2022 capital raise will look worse than the decision to give the Silna brother a piece of the NBA’s TV rights in 1976.
When the WNBA is worth billions in the future, that 2022 capital raise will look worse than the decision to give the Silna brother a piece of the NBA’s TV rights in 1976.
The NBA also had a crisis of confidence in the 1970s.
Someone decided to give the Silna brothers a share of future NBA TV money in 1976. This deal meant the NBA paid $800 million to fold the Spirts of St. Louis of the ABA.
The WNBA had its Spirts of St. Louis moment in 2022.
Someone decided to give the Silna brothers a share of future NBA TV money in 1976. This deal meant the NBA paid $800 million to fold the Spirts of St. Louis of the ABA.
The WNBA had its Spirts of St. Louis moment in 2022.
Sophie Cunningham said the WNBA “might be really great business people”. I don’t think the evidence supports that story at all.
The WNBA is now sprinting ahead of the NBA historic revenue and attendance growth path. But the WNBA is still worried about “sustainability”.
The WNBA is now sprinting ahead of the NBA historic revenue and attendance growth path. But the WNBA is still worried about “sustainability”.
This is a rather lengthy story (really it is two columns) on how the fundamental issue in the WNBA is that NBA doesn’t truly believe the WNBA is just as good as the NBA.
wagesofwins.substack.com/p/the-wnbanb...
Here is a thread on this…
wagesofwins.substack.com/p/the-wnbanb...
Here is a thread on this…
The WNBA/NBA Doesn’t Believe IN Phee
And Are the People of the WNBA/NBA Really Great Business People?
wagesofwins.substack.com
Nice to see ESPN quote our New York Times story today.
But the big story here is this sentence:
"According to a report from Deloitte earlier this year, revenues are projected to top $1 billion this year."
If true, WNBA players are getting 2% of revenue!!!
www.espn.com/wnba/story/_...
But the big story here is this sentence:
"According to a report from Deloitte earlier this year, revenues are projected to top $1 billion this year."
If true, WNBA players are getting 2% of revenue!!!
www.espn.com/wnba/story/_...
'Beyond repair': Napheesa Collier, Cathy Engelbert and a WNBA teetering on the brink
Amid the WNBA Finals, two of the most powerful people in the game are locked in a contentious battle -- for public opinion, power and money.
www.espn.com
Reposted by: David J. Berri
A must-read for every #WNBA fan. ⛹️🏾♀️⛹️♀️🏀👏🏾👏🏾
SOURCE: @wagesofwins.bsky.social
@nytimes.com
GRAPHICS: Sara Chodosh
#GiftArticle: 🎁
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
SOURCE: @wagesofwins.bsky.social
@nytimes.com
GRAPHICS: Sara Chodosh
#GiftArticle: 🎁
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Opinion | The W.N.B.A. Is Making More Money Than Ever. Why Aren’t the Players? (Gift Article)
Other professional sports leagues give their players roughly 50 percent of the revenue, but the W.N.B.A. players get less than 10 percent.
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by: David J. Berri
Reposted by: David J. Berri
Tonight I am reminded of this clip from Veridian Dynamics (from the sit-com Better off Ted):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1di...
People lie.
Companies protect their interests.
It's different.
😂😂
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1di...
People lie.
Companies protect their interests.
It's different.
😂😂
Veridian Dynamics People lie
YouTube video by clasis
www.youtube.com
I have a very hard time believing that Napheesa Collier just made up those comments.
The NBA/WNBA very much lacks credibility. It is not believable that losses have exploded while revenues have more than tripled (with no change in player salaries!).
www.espn.com/wnba/story/_...
The NBA/WNBA very much lacks credibility. It is not believable that losses have exploded while revenues have more than tripled (with no change in player salaries!).
www.espn.com/wnba/story/_...
Sources: Collier cancels meeting with Engelbert
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier has cancelled her meeting with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert next week, sources told ESPN.
www.espn.com
The New York Times asked me before my piece was published if I could respond to a few comments after it appeared.
So, this morning they sent me a few chosen comments and I decided to also post my responses on my substack.
wagesofwins.substack.com/p/writing-fo...
So, this morning they sent me a few chosen comments and I decided to also post my responses on my substack.
wagesofwins.substack.com/p/writing-fo...
Writing for the New York Times!
And responding to comments!
wagesofwins.substack.com
The commissioner is most definitely saying Caitlin Clark is getting endorsements from being in the WNBA. It is not hard to believe that she told Collier that Clark should be "grateful" to be part of the WNBA.
Reposted by: David J. Berri
Not word for word but certainly similar sentiment, video from 2024…
No reliable data before 2019. Before that all we got is stuff I wrote at Forbes (where I guessed a number!).
Reposted by: David J. Berri
great article from @wagesofwins.bsky.social on the financial state of the WNBA, including an estimation that players are only receiving 7 percent of league revenue: www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
I understand the WNBA commissioner is addressing the media today! Maybe someone can ask about what I wrote for the New York Times today.
The WNBA’s revenue has tripled in the last six years. Time to pay the players!!
urldefense.com/v3/__https:/...
The WNBA’s revenue has tripled in the last six years. Time to pay the players!!
urldefense.com/v3/__https:/...
Opinion | The W.N.B.A. Is Making More Money Than Ever. Why Aren’t the Players? (Gift Article)
Other professional sports leagues give their players roughly 50 percent of the revenue, but the W.N.B.A. players get less than 10 percent.
urldefense.com
Reposted by: David J. Berri
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
“By many measures, it’s been the most successful season in league history” for the WNBA, David Berri, a sports economist, writes. “But the players aren’t fully sharing in that success.”
“By many measures, it’s been the most successful season in league history” for the WNBA, David Berri, a sports economist, writes. “But the players aren’t fully sharing in that success.”
Opinion | The W.N.B.A. Is Making More Money Than Ever. Why Aren’t the Players?
Other professional sports leagues give their players roughly 50 percent of the revenue, but the W.N.B.A. players get less than 10 percent.
nyti.ms
Reposted by: David J. Berri, Rodney Fort
Engelbert deserves the criticism she is getting. But Adam Silver and the NBA are the biggest obstacle in WNBA labor fights. My latest for @cbssports.bsky.social:
www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/ge...
www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/ge...
WNBA's Engelbert under fire — but the NBA's power looms larger
Engelbert faces blazing criticism from WNBA players, but the NBA's ownership and influence remain the central challenge to the league's future.
www.cbssports.com
Wrote this for the New York Times today (hope this link works!)
W.N.B.A. is doing immensely well! Time to pay the players!!
Thanks to Sara Chodosh for asking me to write this (helping with the writing) and making the cool graphics!!
urldefense.com/v3/__https:/...
W.N.B.A. is doing immensely well! Time to pay the players!!
Thanks to Sara Chodosh for asking me to write this (helping with the writing) and making the cool graphics!!
urldefense.com/v3/__https:/...
Opinion | The W.N.B.A. Is Making More Money Than Ever. Why Aren’t the Players? (Gift Article)
Other professional sports leagues give their players roughly 50 percent of the revenue, but the W.N.B.A. players get less than 10 percent.
urldefense.com
So the Tigers had the biggest collapse in baseball history. Saw their division title taken away by the Guardians (who knew they would come back!!).
And then the Tigers eliminate the Guardians and effectively end up back where they were planning on being.
Baseball is so immensely random!
And then the Tigers eliminate the Guardians and effectively end up back where they were planning on being.
Baseball is so immensely random!
Reposted by: David J. Berri
I fully expect Cathy Engelbert to be ousted as commissioner, sooner rather than later than later. Not because of her awful comments to Napheesa Collier, but because her alienation of the players threatens the owners’ pocketbooks.
WNBA's Cathy Engelbert forgets first rule of being a commissioner | Opinion
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert's comments to Napheesa Collier were her latest means of disrespecting players ahead of a new CBA.
www.usatoday.com
The Tigers collapsed at the end of the regular season and let the Guardians take the division.
They are now collapsing in the Wild Card round to let the Guardians take the series.
Feels like the young players in Detroit are not handling pressure very well.
They are now collapsing in the Wild Card round to let the Guardians take the series.
Feels like the young players in Detroit are not handling pressure very well.
Okay... think the Tigers got robbed there. Doesn't replay review have to be definitive?