D-Day for WNBL: Clubs in crisis talks with BA

• A number of WNBL clubs don't agree with the new ownership's contractual requirements
• They will meet with Basketball Australia before the April 2, 2025 takeover
• There is a risk the new WNBL will go on without them

WNBL clubs and Basketball Australia are in "crisis talks" about the proposed contractual agreement tabled by the new ownership of the WNBL, Code Sports Basketball Reports.

The consortium will assume control of the WNBL on Wednesday April 2, 2025, with Basketball Australia retaining a minority shareholding.

Code Sports Basketball Michael Randall reports: "A number chose not to lock into the new agreement by the deadline and one said there is a real chance some owners would choose not to be involved in the new league."

The breakdown is impacting the WNBL's free agency period with one insider expressing deep concern to basketball.com.au's Peter Brown as Code Sports Basketball reported that these four stipulations are at the centre of the stalemate.

• Requirement to cede advertising control of some court and LED signage.
• Requirement to hand over some elements of intellectual property — team name, colours, logos — to the league.
• Cost of meeting a lift in minimum standards to ensure courts were operated and presented at a level fit for professional sport and broadcast.
• The level of funding, understood to be around $300,000, the league would grant to each club

Some WNBL clubs will meet with Basketball Australia on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 in an attempt to find a resolution with both sides — clubs and the ownership — refusing to budge.

Read the full story at Code Sports Basketball here.

basketball.com.au's WNBL expert Hayley Wildes identified the broadcast as the No1 priority it be fixed.

"Getting the broadcast right is key, and the lacking in this area has held the league back for years. It’s such a simple thing, but why does the WNBL have such an issue with the score bug on broadcasts?" she wrote.

"I watch a lot of basketball and never see any other league struggle as much as the WNBL does with this.

"The shot clock and game clock are more often wrong than right, which is incredibly frustrating for viewers across the country and the globe. So often when it’s a tight game and every second counts, viewers at home aren’t sure how much time is left in the possession and the game."

WNBL franchises — including Adelaide Lightning, Bendigo Spirit, Perth Lynx, Southside Flyers, Sydney Flames, Townsville Fire and Canberra Capitals — lost $5 million between them in the 2023 financial year, News Corp reported.

Wollemi Capital Group Syndicate purchased a 49% stake in the WNBL, while NBL owner Larry Kestelman 29% while Basketball Australia retains a minority stake.

Tesla chair Robyn Denholm is the founder of Wollemi Capital Group Syndicate. She is also owns a share in the NBL club Sydney Kings and WNBL club Sydney Flames.

When the sale was announced in November 2024, Denholm said: "We want the WNBL to be a sporting powerhouse, reflecting basketball’s position as one of the most popular participation sports in Australia.

"Our League is home to some of the most talented athletes with inspiring stories. We are committed to amplifying these stories and elevating women’s professional basketball, ensuring it reaches new heights both on and off the court.”

Kestelman added: "The WNBL is Australia’s oldest professional women’s sporting league and the pinnacle of women’s basketball in this country.

"It deserves to be showcased on the same level as other elite competitions. This acquisition unlocks an exciting new era of growth, visibility, and opportunity for players, fans, and the sport as a whole."

Basketball Australia CEO Matt Scriven said: "We're at an exciting stage of the long-term vision of the WNBL and we have worked extensively with the ownership consortium to ensure that the growth and aspirations of the League will be supported into the future."

The WNBL's one-year deal collective bargaining agreement expired after the 2024-25 season.

The WNBL25 salary cap was $532,331.11 (9.5% increase), and the floor was $479,102.79 (6.2% increase).

The league minimum was increased by 15% from $20,000 to $23,000 with the development player honorarium doubled from $2,000 to $4,000.

NBL vs WNBL

The NBL's salary cap is almost four times that of the WNBL.

• Salary Cap: $1,947,662.58
• Salary Minimum Spend: $1,752,913.85
• Minimum Player Salary: $74,540.23 (will increase to about $80,000 in the 2025/26 season)
• Soft Cap: The NBL salary cap is a soft cap, meaning teams can exceed it but will incur a luxury tax.
• Marquee Players: The NBL has a system for marquee players, with different salary levels for different marquee positions.
  Marquee 1: $233,697.34
  Marquee 2: $311,597.82
  Marquee 3: $389,496.93
• Salary Increase: The salary cap increased by 7% from the previous season, the maximum allowed by the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement.

— Additional reporting Peter Brown