WNBA Investigating $100K Sponsorship Payments From Las Vegas Tourism To Aces Players

The WNBA is investigating a sponsorship deal between the Las Vegas Tourism Board and the Aces players.

On Friday, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) announced it would provide $100K sponsorship to each player on the team's roster. The LVCVA is funded solely by the room tax paid by tourists who stay in the city's hotels.

"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," CEO Steve Hill told the players. "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."

READ: Las Vegas Tourism Board Sponsors Entire Aces Roster, Gives Each Player $100K

The Collective Bargaining Agreement says the franchise itself can't arrange for additional compensation or endorsements on behalf of its players. But LVCVA says it worked solely with players' agents, and not the team itself.

Aces coach Becky Hammon confirmed this claim following her team's 89-82 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday.

"I'm going to put it to you real simple like this: Most sponsorship people go after the top two people," Hammon said. "[A'ja Wilson] is taken care of — she's got plenty of stuff going on. [Kelsey Plum] has plenty of stuff. In this situation, from what I understand, is they wanted the whole team. So they went and called individuals, agents. I don't know the details. I have nothing to do with it; the Aces don't have anything to do with it. It's just odd, but that's basically what happened."

Is The Aces' Sponsorship Deal Fair Game?

Even though the sponsorship does not violate the WNBA's salary cap, other teams are likely to raise questions about the fairness of the sponsorship and whether it violates "the spirit" of the cap rules. And now, the league has stepped in to look deeper into it.

"We’re talking about growing the game and when we’re talking about taking that next step, it can’t always be investigated," Aces star A'ja Wilson said. "We’re trying to move the needle. We’re trying to make things better for franchises for players and for teams. So this is still a question mark to me."

A'ja Wilson celebrates after winning thhe 2023 WNBA Finals.

(Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports)

For perspective, $100K is 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.

"Definitely more than my salary," rookie Kate Martin said, according to the Las Vegas Sun. "I'm super thankful. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming, but this is very much real life, and that is what all these players deserve. I wouldn't be getting this crazy bonus if it weren't for how great all of these players have played in the last few years."

Even the higher-earning players, like Alysha Clark, said deals like these are instrumental for growing the women's game.

"[For] the LVCVA to see our value and to help close that pay gap, it says a lot about the character of the people that are there. So, I'm extremely grateful," Clark said. "I'm honored to be able to represent this organization and this city and be able to put on for the city, give back to this city and pour into the community, and that's what they did for us. It was really, really special."

The Aces unveiled their new championship banner Tuesday night.

(David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)

This isn't the first time the defending back-to-back WNBA champs have been under scrutiny. Last May, the WNBA penalized the Aces by making them forfeit a 2025 first-round draft pick and suspending Hammon for two games after finding the team had violated league rules during contract negotiations with former Aces player Dearica Hamby.