As the conflict between WNBA leadership and players heats up, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has described the current problems facing the women’s league as “growing pains” and that building relationships is necessary for future growth.
The WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) are in the midst of tense labour negotiations, with the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) set to expire on October 31.
Last week, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier read out a scathing statement, aimed at the WNBA’s leadership and the league’s commissioner, Cathy Engelbert.
“The real threat to our league isn't money, it isn't ratings or even missed calls or even physical play. It's the lack of accountability from the league office,” Collier said during her post-season exit interview.
Collier characterised Engelbert’s attitude towards the players’ grievances as indifferent and that the commissioner told her earlier in the year that “Caitlin [Clark] should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn't make anything”.
That was allegedly in response to Collier’s questions to the commissioner about how players like Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers can drive so much revenue to the league while being underpaid.
According to Collier, Engelbert also said: “Players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.”
In her statement, Collier concluded that “we have the best players in the world. We have the best fans in the world. But right now we have the worst leadership in the world”.
Engelbert has since denied making those statements about WNBA superstar Clark, but added that “if the players in the W don’t feel appreciated and valued by the league, then we have to do better, and I have to do better.
“If they don’t feel that [appreciation], then I will do everything I can to change that.”
Players have voiced their support for Collier, who is a WNBPA vice president and co-founder of the 3x3 league "Unrivaled". Her statement has rocked the league with the clock ticking towards the October 31 deadline.
The NBA holds a 42 per cent ownership stake in the WNBA, and that figure goes up to nearly 60 per cent if the personal investments from NBA owners is taken into account.
In an interview with The National last week in Abu Dhabi, NBA commissioner Silver was asked about the reason behind the big disconnect between WNBA players and the league’s leadership during this period of the W’s soaring popularity.
“It’s a different situation, of course, in the WNBA right now than the NBA. It's a younger league. They're going through an enormous growth stage right now,” Silver said last Thursday.
“Commissioner Engelbert, in the six years that she's been presiding over the league, there's been probably more growth than in any league that's in existence right now.
“And I think with that comes what we're seeing are obviously growing pains. In addition, they're in the middle of a collective bargaining cycle.
“We have, of course, a great Finals with Phoenix and Las Vegas. So we'd love attention to be on the competition on the floor, which I'm looking forward to watching.
“Then we need to sit down with the players and get a new collective bargaining agreement done. And then we can all sort of sit down and sort of build these relationships that are necessary for future growth.”
Silver discussed several other matters during the interview, including the rapidly changing media landscape within which the NBA is operating.
Over the past few years, several active players have launched their own podcasts, which allows them to share instant commentary and reaction to things that are happening in the league.
As well as having their own podcast, some players, like Draymond Green, have also been part of live studio coverage of games, once their team has been eliminated from the competition.
Silver weighed in on the evolution of the media landscape, and whether it’s tricky keeping tabs on everything that’s posted online every day.
"I encourage the players to find their own voice. I think the fans love it, to the extent that they can hear a player's perspective directly.”
The podcast space has particularly come to the fore in recent weeks, thanks to the shocking revelations from Pablo Torre’s seven-month-long investigation – released on his podcast – which alleges that LA Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard signed a $28 million no-show endorsement deal with a startup funded by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer as a way to circumvent the NBA’s salary cap rules.
Leonard and Ballmer have both denied the allegations but the NBA has launched an independent investigation.
“There's a strong role for journalists in this league,” Silver continued. “Sometimes that role, as a journalist, is to be an investigator into issues they see in the league. And then it's my role to the extent that they're presenting to the public findings from their journalism to step in and say, 'Alright, there's enough evidence here or enough of an issue that we need to bring in our own investigators, bring in outside law firms and do investigations too'."
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
Story of 2017-18 so far and schedule to come
Roll of Honour
Who has won what so far in the West Asia rugby season?
Western Clubs Champions League
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Dubai Exiles
Fixtures
Friday
West Asia Cup final
5pm, Bahrain (6pm UAE time), Bahrain v Dubai Exiles
West Asia Trophy final
3pm, The Sevens, Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Sports City Eagles
Friday, April 13
UAE Premiership final
5pm, Al Ain, Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
'The Predator'
Dir: Shane Black
Starring: Olivia Munn, Boyd Holbrook, Keegan-Michael Key
Two and a half stars
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Everything Now
Arcade Fire
(Columbia Records)
In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine 2.4L four-cylinder
Gearbox Nine-speed automatic
Power 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.4L/100km
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
