WNBA corporate sponsorship deals are growing. But not every athlete is getting their due

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The WNBA has wrapped up a historic season that notched all-time viewership and attendance records while racking up brand deals and corporate sponsorships for its players along the way

In a banner year for women’s professional sports, athletes who dominate their game are reaping the financial benefits.

The WNBA is a leading example. Last month, it wrapped up a historic season that notched all-time viewership and attendance records while racking up brand deals and corporate sponsorships for its players along the way. On Sunday, the league will hold its draft lottery for the 2025 season.

Many of the WNBA's young stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese brought deals with them from their playing days in college, including name, image and likeness agreements that became endorsements with such companies as Nike, Reebok and Gatorade. Players of different backgrounds landed a variety of other endorsement deals with companies like CarMax and State Farm.

But for all those enjoying their newfound riches, there are still some players who are being left out. The WNBA recently partnered with Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand SKIMS, which featured women of color as well as LGBTQ+ players in its ads. The company received pushback, however, for excluding masculine-presenting athletes in its May campaign.

“Not the papis of the league being forgotten again,” Phoenix Mercury’s Natasha Cloud posted on X after SKIMS' “Fits Everybody” campaign dropped.

Two-time all star Natasha Howard of the Dallas Wings also criticized the campaign, saying it felt “like a smack” for the league’s more masculine presenting players, and that it is “absolutely” harder for Black LGBTQ+ athletes to get brand deals.

“I feel like a lot of people don’t want to see