3 weeks ago
Legendary investor, Bill Gurley, erstwhile warned america that incumbents support retired new, innovative, and disruptive competitors by ‘gaming nan system’ successful their favor.
It’s an age-old story; those pinch powerfulness often springiness articulator work to alteration yet shun genuine invention that threatens their supremacy. The monolithic business of sports is nary different. How galore great, cool things person we each been deprived of because of guidance to change? In sports, really galore awesome innovations person been snuffed retired because behemoths successful complaint usage their marketplace powerfulness to crush thing new? People are deprived of new, fun, astonishing things erstwhile invention is killed, and we each suffer erstwhile title is killed.
Recently we witnessed arena Caitlin Clark electrify not conscionable fans of women’s basketball but seemingly captivate nan attraction and adoration of nan full American populace. While making attendance and ratings history, Catlin made tons of group tons of money and has conscionable begun her journey. Social media posts from countless sports fans now decry nan unfair authorities of women’s hoops that only pays Caitlin $76,535 arsenic a rookie and locks her successful astatine nether $100,000 for each of her first 4 seasons successful nan WNBA. While I work together galore women successful nan WNBA including Caitlin are pathetically under-compensated, I judge nan blasted is pointing successful nan incorrect direction.
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Caitlin Clark talks to nan media during nan 2024 WNBA Draft connected April 14, 2024 astatine nan Brooklyn Academy of Music successful Brooklyn, New York. (Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)
Players (labor) and consumers are not a privilege to sports’ powerful incumbents erstwhile they exert their power. Worse, nan biggest impediment to empowering female arsenic good arsenic antheral achromatic and brownish hoops players is nan truth that achromatic MEN tally basketball. While nan NBA C-Suite slickly bombards fans pinch "woke" catchphrases, do these suits successful complaint really want change? There are nary Black aliases female owners of NBA teams, and NBA players mightiness beryllium good compensated but that doesn’t mean they still aren’t looked astatine and treated arsenic nan "hired help."
And crucially, nan NBA holds nan reins complete nan WNBA, perpetuating this imbalance. Which brings maine backmost to Caitlin Clark. She not only represents an incredibly entertaining portion of business arsenic an jock playing for nan BIG3, but she would besides supply our convention a cleanable motor for driving nan breakdown of further stereotypes and promoting diverseness by showcasing a female competing astatine a world-class level pinch men.
That’s why we made an connection to Caitlin.
On a individual level, we guaranteed Caitlin that Nancy Lieberman, nan pioneering women’s hoops awesome and two-time Hall of Fame player, would beryllium her coach. And financially, compared to her paltry WNBA net it was a MEGA offer. Ten cardinal dollars of net complete 2 years, a percent of squad ownership worthy millions, 50% of merchandising revenues from her sanction and likeness, and ownership of a BIG3 documentary pinch a seven-figure advance. In total, we’re talking 15 cardinal dollars aliases much to simply play a ten-game season. While still allowing her to play successful nan WNBA. The absolute champion of some worlds!
By playing successful some leagues, her sponsorship imaginable would summation dramatically too. Kobe Bryant ever believed that a female subordinate would make it to nan highest level to play against men professionally. Lieberman's ain acquisition competing against men and nan resultant surge successful her marketability served arsenic a precursor to what could person been for Caitlin.
Coach Ice Cube of Team Webull celebrates during nan Monster Energy BIG3 Celebrity Game astatine Capital One Arena connected August 19, 2023 successful Washington, DC. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Idol Roc Entertainment)
Additionally, a two-league statement would use from nan BIG3’s consistently increasing home and world scope further amplifying Caitlin’s marketplace worth - particularly fixed nan BIG3’s higher tv ratings and attendance, pinch regular-season ratings really higher than that of moreover nan NHL and MLS. A two-league woody for Caitlin would coming nan cleanable solution to nan very problem posted precocious connected X by President Biden, "Women successful sports proceed to push caller boundaries and animate america all. But correct now, we're seeing that moreover if you're nan best, women are not paid their adjacent share."
WNBA STAR ANGEL REESE: 'PROTECT YOUNG WOMEN IN SPORTS'
But alas, men tally nan business of basketball, and those men are driven to protect nan incumbent system. The NBA will show you nan WNBA does not make money, but amazingly a coagulated percent of nan NBA teams don’t either successful immoderate fixed year. Sports is astir squad plus appreciation and that is why each those owners are making billions. Yet, if nan NBA siphons disconnected nan merchandising, sponsorship, and media money by utilizing nan WNBA successful its deals, really tin women use from nan alteration successful user preference?
When asked astir nan BIG3 connection during nan NCAA tournament, Caitlin said "I recovered retired astir nan BIG3 point nan aforesaid clip you each did." We person logic to judge these antheral agents and executives controlling nan athletics ne'er moreover shared our trailblazing connection pinch Caitlin fto unsocial facilitated Caitlin gathering pinch nan BIG3 to talk nan opportunity. From our perspective, these representatives don’t look to activity for an individual customer for illustration Caitlin. They look to activity for nan NBA mob, arsenic their customer database is simply a who’s who of NBA players. Do we expect them to prioritize Caitlin complete nan NBA – nan apical employer of their astir highly-paid clients? The NBA commands by fear, and they make judge their manufacture of agents, lawyers, managers, and networks enactment successful line. And that statement is to forestall BIG3 success, moreover if it stunts nan maturation of women's basketball.
Iowa's Caitlin Clark pauses arsenic she speaks during a property convention earlier believe for nan NCAA Women's Final Four title hoops crippled connected Saturday, April 6, 2024, successful Cleveland. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Amid existent negotiations of captious NBA caller media deals, you tin ideate nan unit connected nan NBA feeder strategy easy trumps immoderate of Caitlin's aliases different promising female players' champion interests.
OLYMPIC STAR KATIE LEDECKY HOPEFUL TO MEET CAITLIN CLARK: 'SHE'S GREAT'
Don’t deliberation so? These aforesaid agents, whose clients see Tiger Woods, fto each their play clients walk connected complete a cardinal dollars from LIV ostensibly because it was tainted "Saudi" money, yet present a divers group of American backers of nan certified Black-owned convention BIG3 were seemingly stymied by them arsenic good arsenic an NBA that approved backing by Hamas benefactors Qatar. Were nan backers nan existent reason, aliases were agents siding pinch nan incumbent, ruling White men of nan PGA erstwhile they passed connected life-changing salary for their clients? In nan end, moreover Rory had to admit LIV ended up getting them each amended treated and compensated by providing an replacement that benefited moreover those who stuck pinch nan PGA. See a shape here?
Ice Cube and I emphasized invention for fans and athletes erstwhile conceptualizing our caller convention BIG3, now successful its seventh play broadcast connected sports powerhouse CBS and X worldwide. BIG3 was nan first pro convention to instrumentality a intelligence wellness policy, favour CBD arsenic a symptom guidance replacement to opioids, enlist female coaches of men, and name a Black commissioner successful Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler, who is besides pro sports first erstwhile subordinate serving arsenic commissioner. Our inaugural CEO was nan legendary, incomparable Raider executive Amy Trask. We hired coach Charles Oakley aft nan legendary Knick was disgracefully tackled and forcibly removed from Madison Square Garden wherever he had fixed 100% arsenic a player.
Caitlin Clark smiles during nan 2024 WNBA Draft connected April 14, 2025 astatine nan Brooklyn Academy of Music successful Brooklyn, New York. (Mike Lawrence/NBAE via Getty Images)
That’s america successful a nutshell. Oakley gave nan NBA his each conscionable to get pissed on. These were not "woke" hires; this was getting nan champion and treating them for illustration nan champion which is why our convention succeeds. In fact, 2 "bests" – coaches Nancy Lieberman and Lisa Leslie – some won BIG3 championships. For fans, BIG3 offers difficult protect play, nary garbage minutes, speedy action, and innovations that person transformed backyard 3-on-3 into nan master athletics Fireball3. Our occurrence has fixed nan NBA plentifulness of innovative ideas they’ve happily employed and declared their own.
CAITLIN CLARK HOPED FEVER GOT NO. 1 PICK IN WNBA DRAFT, SAYS TEAM TAKING HER WAS 'PRETTY SET IN STONE'
Before BIG3’s first-ever game, we met pinch NBA commissioner Adam Silver and daringly suggested that blocking erstwhile players who received quality fees from their aged NBA teams from participating successful BIG3 - specified arsenic Hall of Famers George Gervin and Allen Iverson – was a modern-day shape of plantation mentality. And contrary to Silver's recounting, we NEVER asked for an investment. In fact, we offered 10 percent of BIG3 FOR FREE, recognizing nan aforesaid move erstwhile nan Mafia aliases a supplier trader demands a portion of nan action successful speech for "territory" access. The hoops Don and his NBA mob alternatively tried unsuccessfully to footwear america disconnected "their corner" attempting unsuccessfully to crush america successful work of their marketplace stock protection racket.
Unfortunately for them, Ice Cube and I are missioned to amended nine arsenic we prosecute business success. That potent operation makes it difficult to sound america down. It besides raises profiles and attracts esteemed recognition, arsenic pinch nan Basketball Hall of Fame establishing nan yearly Ice Cube Impact Award honoring those utilizing hoops to amended society. That’s right, Ice Cube has an grounds successful nan very aforesaid Hall of Fame arsenic BIG3 coaches Dr. J, Gary Payton, Nancy and Lisa, Rick Barry, Micheal Cooper, and early Hall of Famer and convention champion Stephen Jackson.
Head coach Stephen Jackson of nan Trilogy reacts to a play during nan crippled against nan Aliens successful BIG3 Week Four astatine Comerica Center connected July 10, 2022 successful Frisco, Texas. (Logan Riely/Getty Images for BIG3)
As portion of nan brethren of hoops royalty, nan NBA mob will NOT shingle us! For decades I fought nan "system" connected behalf of world-class movie and euphony talent, achieving unprecedented power and prosperity for them while providing superior intermezo experiences for their fans. Often I heard, "you’ll ne'er eat luncheon successful this municipality again," but I ignored those threats. From my BIG3 partner Ice Cube to galore different artists including Snoop Dogg, Backstreet Boys, Kelly Clarkson, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Enrique Iglesias, and Jennifer Lopez, I battled a strategy hellbent connected maintaining nan position quo truthful my clients could innovate connected their position and entertain audiences astir nan world.
I ate a batch of lunches earlier deciding it was now clip to innovate successful sports. Cube and I on pinch our ragtag unit of believers successful our imagination dove into nan world of sports pinch nan intent to build a thriving and innovative intermezo sports business, which we have. But to do so, successful execution meant putting nan correct puzzle pieces together which besides happened to perfectly service our desire to fulfill a greater intent – helping to break down stereotypes, beforehand diverseness successful sports, create opportunities for black, brown, and female athletes beyond nan court, and to support nan achromatic organization overall. And earlier anyone raises an eyebrow, we person ne'er prioritized that ngo complete nan capitalistic well-being of our league. Instead, our elevated vocation conscionable happens to thrust our success.
That’s not to opportunity location aren’t innovators. As a league, nan NFL is self-confident capable to let nan AAF, XFL, and USFL to return their champion shots. Roger Goodell knows he tin out-innovate immoderate of them. In representation, Michael Jordan’s supplier David Falk fearlessly forced revolutionary demands connected nan NBA creating tremendous opportunities for nan G.O.A.T. — opening doors for different players for generations to come. If only David Falk represented Caitlin, I stake nan result would’ve unleashed invention benefiting Caitlin, galore of her female peers, and nan women’s crippled overall.
CAITLIN CLARK'S HIGH SCHOOL COACH 'SO PROUD' AFTER IOWA STAR'S WNBA DRAFT SELECTION: 'PRETTY SURREAL'
BIG3 is forging a way of opportunity and nickname for Black, brown, and female athletes. NBA superstar Jaylen Brown, besides a high-ranking personnel of nan NBPA, intelligibly gets it. He demanded to play successful our all-star crippled astatine nan O2 arena successful London contempt nonstop threats of fines and suspensions from nan NBA brass including Silver himself, and he flew to London astatine his ain disbursal and played for free. If Caitlin is reluctant to play successful our defense-oriented and beingness league, adjacent enough. We besides surely understand nan unit a 22-year-old faces, particularly 1 focused connected conscionable competing and enjoying her sport. We don’t cognize aliases whitethorn ne'er cognize if she would’ve been a BIG3 star, but nan aforesaid could’ve been said of Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson playing 2 sports, aliases of Billie Jean King, and moreover Jackie Robinson. Regardless of her eventual level of performance, our extremity astatine nan BIG3 was to make Caitlin connected our tribunal a legendary triumph for EVERYONE. Surely BIG3 would’ve benefited, nan quality is we were not greedy to nan constituent of not giving overmuch of nan use to nan personification helping to make it happen.
Cube and I position this infinitesimal arsenic 1 erstwhile nan tables could person been everlastingly turned successful nan awesome favour of women athletes. However, this historical opportunity whitethorn person been lost. Stars for illustration Britney Griner and others will still request to consequence spending clip successful Russian jails because they must play overseas to eat and live. They tin convey nan men guarding nan strategy for that. I tin only ideate really galore different awesome ideas were killed successful nan cradle by nan NBA and their sycophant supporters who are often incentivized to waste retired their client’s champion liking for that of nan NBA.
Resistance to change, particularly erstwhile it crosses nan statement into anticompetitive behavior, hurts everyone. Fortunately, nan United States Department of Justice is presently investigating nan NBA for its transgressions against BIG3. We’ll spot really that plays out, and for female players astir nan world, I dream justness will prevail.
Caitlin Clark #22 of nan Iowa Hawkeyes catches nan shot against nan South Carolina Gamecocks during nan NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship astatine Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse connected April 7, 2024 successful Cleveland, Ohio. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
We are some proud and appreciative of our players, who are reasonably and arsenic compensated arsenic we build nan BIG3 and fortify nan league’s financial wherewithal. Caitlin could’ve been our Lionel Messi – resulting successful a monumental rising tide raising each boats. Our players and Hall of Fame coaches yearned for specified a revolutionary subordinate to subordinate our corporate ngo changing leverage crossed nan sports world. It could’ve been our Billie Jean King/ Bobby Riggs infinitesimal successful history.
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But nary matter what happens from here, we judge successful Caitlin. She will person reverberations for women athletes everywhere. That said, a elemental gathering pinch america would person amended and much instantly impacted ALL female athletes. A elemental sixty minutes would’ve fixed her leverage either by nan threat of existent title pinch different league, aliases by nan committedness of exponentially calling her ain marketplace value. This could person group a precedent for nan WNBA, prompting basal changes successful compensation and treatment. With nan WNBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement discussions connected nan horizon, nan timing couldn't person been much opportune.
Bill Gurley told us, "If you attraction astir prosperity, and you termination innovation, you’re going to termination prosperity."
Boy was he correct …
Jeff Kwatinetz is nan co-founder of nan Big3 Basketball League.
