WNBA investigates Las Vegas Aces after each player received $100,000 in sponsorship

The WNBA is investigating the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces after each player on the roster received a $100,000 sponsorship deal.

On Friday, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority announced that it would sponsor each player with a two-year contract that pays the player $100,000. The organization posted a video on social media in which leadership also told players about it.

In the video, Steve Hill, president and CEO of the tourism authority, told players: “The offer is very simple: We want you to just play, we want you to continue to represent Las Vegas, and if you win three times in a row, that would be the icing on the cake.”

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that each player signed a contract that secured them “mutual opportunities to perform on behalf of Las Vegas” and provided them with equipment to promote the city.

However, all players signed a contract to “find mutually agreeable opportunities for performances on behalf of Las Vegas.” The LVCVA will also provide players with Las Vegas-related gear to wear to promote the city.

The agency said the contracts were negotiated directly with the individual players’ agents, not through the team, so as not to violate the WNBA’s salary cap. The team was unaware of the deal, the agency said. However, a WNBA spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that the league has launched an investigation into the matter.

Why is the WNBA investigating the Las Vegas Aces?

The league has not specified why it is investigating the Aces, but it could likely be related to whether the deal actually violates the salary cap, even though the sponsorship is similar to a name, imagine and image (NIL) deal for a college athlete. ESPN reported the league will examine whether the deal “violates the spirit of the salary cap” by giving the team a recruiting advantage and an additional incentive for players to sign with Las Vegas.

The WNBA’s salary cap is $1.4 million, and the team’s contract with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority totals $1.2 million.

The deal is also more money than half the players make on their WNBA contracts; six of the 12 players on the roster make less than $100,000, according to Spotrac. A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum are the top earners at $200,000 each, while rookies Dyaisha Fair and Kate Martin will make $67,249 this season, the lowest salary on the team, according to the website.

Guard Sydney Colson, who makes $76,535 according to Spotrac, said on social media it was “a life-changing investment.”

“We are SO grateful and love representing this city!” she said.

Aces coaches and players respond to investigation

Reports of the investigation surfaced during Las Vegas’ home win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday. After the game, head coach Becky Hammon was asked about the deal. She mentioned that the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority wanted to sponsor the entire team and no team or management staff were contacted.

“From what I understand, they wanted the whole team. So they called individual agents,” Hammon said. “I don’t know the specifics. I have nothing to do with it. The Aces have nothing to do with it. It’s just weird, but that’s basically what happened.”

Wilson said she only learned about the investigation after the game and was confused by it.

“I don’t understand the investigation,” Wilson said. “I haven’t gotten too deep into it yet. I just looked at my phone and thought, ‘Oh, wow, just another day in the life of the Aces.’ We can never just start off normally, something is always going to happen, and that’s OK.”

Wilson added on social media: “What happened to the development of the game?”

Las Vegas was under investigation by the WNBA ahead of the 2023 season. Hammon was suspended without pay for the first two games of the season and the team lost a 2025 first-round draft pick after the league ruled the Aces violated workplace policies and league rules regarding player benefits. The WNBA said the Aces promised improper benefits in contract extension negotiations with former forward Dearica Hamby and that Hammon made comments to Hamby about her pregnancy.

Las Vegas is seeking its first third consecutive WNBA Finals title since the Houston Comets won the league’s first four titles from 1997-2000 and is 2-0 this season.

Contributors: Jeff Zillgitt

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA investigates Aces over $100,000 sponsorship for each player