Bold statement: WNBA players are turning off the sidelines and into the boardroom, expanding their influence beyond the court while the CBA stalemate rages on. But here’s where it gets controversial: the players’ money moves are redefining what it means to be a professional athlete in today’s basketball ecosystem.
The original scene could have passed for a business school session. Last Wednesday, Fanatics’ New York headquarters hosted a two-day immersion where experts linked Christopher Booker’s seven basic plots to social media marketing, while attendees took notes with purpose. Yet this wasn’t a generic class. It was a practical showcase of how athletes can leverage fame, followers, and financial literacy to build lasting careers off the court.
Eleven WNBA players joined peers from other leagues in sessions that mixed theory with hands-on practice. They discussed everything from upcoming makeup ventures and content strategies to investments like Jewell Loyd’s Minnesota farm. The program, run by Fanatics and Boardroom, followed a summer version that welcomed NBA, NFL, and NHL players; this time, MLB, NWSL, and WNBA participants added new perspectives. A key takeaway: the influx of NIL, media, and marketing dollars is expanding opportunities, and players are eager to manage them effectively.
Natasha Cloud of the New York Liberty summed up the mindset: players are “a business in ourselves,” even if they don’t always see themselves that way. The two organizations have used offseasons to host these immersion experiences, including courses on artificial intelligence led by USC professor Anthony Borquez. Toretha McGuire, Fanatics’ chief people officer, noted that many attendees are driven by a genuine interest in business and a readiness to explore unconventional paths.
In recent years, W players have launched merch lines, podcasts, and even restaurants, with some pursuing their own basketball leagues. Rich Kleiman, Boardroom’s CEO, praised the players’ ability to cultivate audiences—often with a sharper instinct than their NBA counterparts—and highlighted a shared hunger to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Naz Hillmon, newly named 2025 Sixth Player of the Year, learned of the event through her agent and said she wants to maximize learning as women’s basketball gains momentum. The audience is hungry for knowledge, she explained, and she aims to “feed the people.”
The ongoing CBA negotiations have fueled a broader curiosity about the business side of the league. Kleiman noted multiple conversations with players about the negotiations on the program’s first day, reflecting a deep engagement with the league’s economics. Progress has been tentative: proposals have circulated, and a second deadline extension pushes talks into early January, but substantial disagreements remain.
Team USA camp speeches from WNBPA vice president Kelsey Plum acknowledged the frustration, recognizing that while a framework for a salary cap and revenue sharing might exist in theory, the specifics of revenue allocation and player earnings require more work. Natasha Cloud has been vocal about the negotiations, pushing back against proposed changes to housing stipends alongside rising salaries.
Cloud emphasized that the value lies with the players: “We’re the product for the W,” she argued, underscoring the need to defend and leverage that value. The expectation is that, if a new deal is reached, players could see meaningful pay raises. A recent proposal suggested the league’s minimum salary could exceed $225,000, signaling a potential leap relative to last season’s scales. Loyd, who earned the league’s second-highest salary in 2025, described the growing emphasis on financial literacy and planning as essential for sustaining wealth.
The discussions also delved into practical wealth management, including real estate and budgeting strategies to navigate new tax brackets and evolving financial realities.
As the basketball season approaches, the business side of the women’s game continues to advance, turning athletes into multifaceted professionals who can thrive both on and off the court. In short, the era of players as independent business voices is underway—and the courtside conversation is expanding beyond game stats to wealth, branding, and long-term impact.
