Las Vegas Tourism Board Sponsors Entire Aces Roster, Gives Each Player $100K
It's been quite a week for the Las Vegas Aces.
On Tuesday, the players received their championship rings as the team commemorated its 2023 WNBA Championship with a fresh new banner in Michelob ULTRA Arena.
But on Friday, things got even better for the back-to-back champs when each player was gifted a $100,000 sponsorship by the Las Vegas Tourism Board.
The surprise announcement was made to the team by Steve Hill and leaders from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).
"Today we want to do something that is new, something that I don’t think anyone has done before. We want to recognize you individually, we want to put some money in your pockets," Hill told the players in the locker room, who all laughed and scooted closer.
"The offer is really simple: We want you to just play, keep repping Las Vegas and if you get a three-peat, that would be icing on the cake."
And while NBA players can easily drop $100K on a pre-game outfit, that's a big chunk of change for the women of the WNBA. According to Spotrac, six Aces players are currently making less than six figures a year.
And the star players' salaries look like this:
- Kelsey Plum: $200,000
- A’Ja Wilson: $200,000
- Chelsea Gray: $196,267
- Jackie Young: $169,950
- Alysha Clark: $110,000
So, needless to say, an extra 100 grand in the bank is a huge deal.
Kelsey Plum shows off her championship ring.
(Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)
This sponsorship is independent of the Aces organization because — in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement — the franchise itself can't arrange for additional compensation or endorsements on behalf of its players.
The LVCVA is funded solely by the room tax paid by the city's tourists. So if you hit up Vegas this year for some gambling, pool time or clubbing, Kelsey Plum and the gang say thanks!