Minnesota Lynx All-Stars reflect on wearing 'Pay us what you owe us' shirts

Lynx stars wear 'Pay us what you owe us' shirts at WNBA All-Star Game

Minnesota Lynx players Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams were part of the WNBA contingent to wear "Pay us what you owe us" shirts before the All-Star Game. Players and the league are in negotiations for higher-paying contracts as part of the next collective bargaining agreement.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The WNBA had its All-Star Game over the weekend in Indianapolis, and players sent a message to the league before a basket was ever scored.

‘Pay us what you owe us’

The backstory:

During pregame warm-ups, players, including Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, wore "Pay us what you owe us" shirts. Last week, more than 40 players met with league officials as the WNBA negotiates a new collective bargaining agreement. Talks have not gone well as an October deadline looms.

Collier accepted the MVP award for the game, with "Pay them!" chants coming from the crowd as WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert handed her the trophy. Collier talked about it after the game. Collier signed a three-year contract with the Lynx back in 2022. She’s making about $214,000 this season, the final year of her current deal.

What they're saying:

"I think it was delivered, it was exactly what was on the shirts – "Pay us what you owe us" – That’s the No. 1 thing we went into these negotiations with is salary and revenue share," Collier said after the Lynx practiced Monday at Mayo Clinic Square. "That’s what we said from the beginning we’re not budging on, we got that point across."

"We wanted to send a powerful message and I think that’s what we did. I think it’s just getting what we deserve, I think sometimes people don’t understand what it is we’re asking for. We’re going to get what we deserve, and we’re standing on business," Lynx guard Courtney Williams said. "We’re asking for what we deserve, you’ll see. We just want a piece of our pie."

‘We should be paid more’

Why you should care:

WNBA players are advocating for higher-paid contracts, while their counterparts in the NBA are signing multi-million dollar contracts.

The WNBA has a new media deal worth more than $2 billion, and players want a piece of that.

"We should be paid more, hopefully that’s the case moving forward as the league continues to grow," Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark said. "That’s the most important thing that we’re in the room advocating about."

"Obviously it’s something they’re very passionate about, and they should be. It reminds me a lot of the women’s national soccer team on the Capitol steps. It’s powerful, and what they’re doing is powerful. I think any time they use their voices in something they believe in, I’m proud of them," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said.

Collier’s Unrivaled league

What we know:

Collier and New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart last offseason debuted "Unrivaled,"  a new 3-on-3 league that pays WNBA players more, and keeps them in the U.S. during the offseason. In the past, players have had to go overseas to play, and those contracts are significantly more than what the WNBA pays its players.