A’Ja Wilson and each Aces player received a $100,000 sponsorship from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority that complies with wage cap regulations.
The $100,000 sponsorship that the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority extended to each of the 12 Las Vegas Aces players earlier this week is being investigated further by the WNBA.
The WNBA intends to look into the contract, according to an ESPN story on Saturday. According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, the contract requires players to “reach mutually agreeable opportunities for appearances on Las Vegas’ behalf” and wear apparel with a Las Vegas theme.
finding out ya team is under investigation right after a game is OD 😩 like huhhhhhh 😂😂 what happened to growing the game ?¿?¿
— A’ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) May 18, 2024
Because the LVCVA dealt directly with each player and agency rather than the club, the sponsorship does not violate the WNBA’s salary cap.However, the league will decide wheth er or not the sponsorship goes against the spirit of the wage cap regulations.
Pro player for the Aces A’ja Wilson learned of the probe soon after Las Vegas defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 89–82 on Saturday.
Following the match, Wilson stated,
“When we’re talking about growing the game, when we’re talking about taking that next step, it can’t always be, ‘investigate, investigate, investigate,'” “We’re trying to move the needle. We’re trying to make things better for franchises, for players, for teams.”
HC Becky Hammon and A’ja Wilson spoke about the the investigation by the #WNBA into the $100,000 sponsorship deal by the city of LV to the team. #ALLINLV pic.twitter.com/4mV7f6h9ax
— Nick Hamilton (@NickHamilton213) May 18, 2024
Six of the 12 Aces—Kate Martin, Emma Cannon, Dyaisha Fair, Kierstan Bell, Sydney Colson, and Megan Gustafson—earn less than $100,000, according to Spotrac. Wilson and Kelsey Plum, who both earned $200,000 this season, are the team’s best paid players.
