Love the Las Vegas Aces or hate them, there was never any question whether they were the star Ah, Wilson understands the moment.
Wilson, 27, is a two-time WNBA MVP, two-time WNBA champion and five-time All-Star. As one of the faces of a league that is becoming increasingly popular, she is also in favor of expanding it further.
“I believe that every single season I am planting seeds not only for myself and the team, but also for the next generation,” she said exclusively Us weekly at the TIME100 Gala in New York City on Thursday, April 25. “To be able to not go through the things we went through the year before and just continue to invest in myself and my team is something big.”
The Aces selected Wilson No. 1 overall in the 2018 WNBA Draft, and in that time, as she alluded to, the league has undergone a sea change. Players signed a new collective bargaining agreement in 2020 that increased salaries across the board and opened up numerous opportunities for players to earn additional money in the form of bonuses.
In recent seasons, the WNBA has also expanded access to charter flights and franchises have begun investing heavily in state-of-the-art facilities. As players’ remuneration and facilities have improved, attendance and viewing figures have also increased.
A’ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces celebrates with the MVP trophy after defeating the New York Liberty in Game Four of the 2023 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center on October 18, 2023 in New York City.
Sarah Stier/Getty ImagesAttendance at WNBA games increased 16 percent in 2023 compared to last year, as more fans overall attended games than in any of the past 13 seasons. Earlier this month, 2.45 million people watched the WNBA Draft, more than triple the previous record.
“I think we obviously have a lot of eyes on us now. So now it’s time to say, ‘No, this is a reason you’re watching us,'” Wilson added. “And every year I try to get better at it.”
With the league set to see an increase in star power over the next few years, viewership and attendance are expected to continue to rise. Caitlin Clark The madness has already spread to the WNBA, as the rookie sends ticket prices for games against her new team, the Indiana Fever, skyrocketing across the league. Big draws like Paige Bueckers, Azzi advantage and finally Juju Watkins will also add to the excitement.
Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink and other basketball stars have proven that they are not just good at scoring points on the court. The athletes showed us their fashion side at the WNBA Draft. Before WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced their new home teams, the Class of 2024 rocked the red carpet at Brooklyn Academy […]
In recent years, the WNBA has also seen investments from well-known owners. Dwyane Wade became part owner of the Chicago Sky and last year Alex Rodríguez is one of the owners of the Minnesota Lynx. Seattle Storm legend and future Hall of Famer Sue Bird joined the Storm’s ownership group this week, and Renee Montgomery is part owner of her former team, the Atlanta Dream.
“We continue to hope that people continue to invest in us,” Wilson said. “We have a lot of eyes on us, a lot of people trying to pay attention. So now it’s kind of like, ‘Make your voice heard and invest in us and show that you want to be part of the change’. This is how we can continue to break this glass ceiling that is placed over us.”
The WNBA regular season begins on Tuesday, May 14th.
With reporting by Andrew Nodell