"Stop asking for revenue split": Gilbert Arenas pinpoints major WNBA pay dispute problem amid looming labor showdown

The salaries of WNBA players have become one of the most talked-about topics during the 2025 season, especially with the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) set to expire on October 31. Sharing his two cents on the ongoing debate, Gilbert Arenas dished out some unconventional advice for the players amid the negotiations.

Speaking with Joy Taylor on the Two Personal Podcast, Arenas warned against pushing for an equal revenue split. He suggested that such a move could ultimately work against the players. Instead, he proposed a more immediate and impactful change to the league's financial structure, involving the elimination of the hard salary cap.

“Stop asking for a revenue split," Arenas said (38:29). "I want real money. Take the cap off. Let our owner pay us what he wants to pay us.

“When you're talking about a revenue split, it's no different than business, right? We can split our revenue 50/50. Then what does the person that has the business do? “Ah, there's no profit. I got all these bills to pay. So there's no revenue.” So that's a pointless thing to do, right? Because they're going to offset how much they lost ... What you want is take off the hard cap.”

Under the current CBA, WNBA players receive 9.3% of the league’s revenue. However, they have chosen not to renew the existing agreement.

With a new $2 billion media rights deal set to begin, the players are actively pushing to secure what they believe is fair compensation. Their efforts have included wearing "Pay Us What You Owe Us" warm-up shirts during the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.

Caitlin Clark wants WNBA players to be paid more

Caitlin Clark is one of the most influential figures in the upcoming CBA negotiations, given her major role in boosting the league's popularity over the past year.

She believes the players deserve a significant share of the success that they have helped create. As a result, she was part of the group of 40 players who met with league officials during All-Star Weekend.

"We should be paid more, and hopefully that's the case moving forward as the league continues to grow," Clark said on July 19.

It remains to be seen if the WNBA players get an increase in their salaries with a potential new CBA deal.