Las Vegas Aces owner Mark Davis addressed the ongoing WNBA investigation into his team's recent sponsorship deal Wednesday, defending the arrangement and criticizing the league's response. The WNBA announced the investigation just one day after the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) unveiled a $1.2 million sponsorship of the Aces, raising questions about the legality and fairness of the deal in regards to the league's salary cap.
Davis, speaking to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, asserted that the league would find “absolutely nothing” wrong with the sponsorship.
“There was absolutely nothing done wrong,” Davis said following the NFL league meetings, where he was also representing his Las Vegas Raiders. “And I think it's sad that they used the word investigation instead of something a little softer to say, ‘Hey we might look into it' or whatever. But they're going to find there's nothing wrong.”
The controversy centers around the LVCVA's $100,000-per-player sponsorship deal, which was reportedly negotiated with each player and their agent individually. WNBA rules prohibit teams from facilitating such deals to avoid violating the league's collective bargaining agreement. With the league's hard salary cap set at $1.4 million, questions have been raised about competitive equity and the potential advantages for teams with wealthier owners.
Davis, who purchased the Aces in 2021, has been vocal about his commitment to increasing player salaries. He notably hired Becky Hammon as head coach, making her the first WNBA coach to earn at least $1 million. Under his ownership, the Aces have won consecutive WNBA titles and are off to a strong start this season.
“I'm just really proud of the LVCVA for doing it and recognizing the value that the women bring to the community,” Davis said. “If in fact we can get them hundreds of thousands of dollars or get into the millions of dollars for all the players, they can stay in the community. They don't have to go overseas to play. They'll have the resources to stay to work in the community, work with young kids and all of that. And that's the vision I have for growing the league.”
Davis expressed concern that the word “investigation” could deter other potential sponsors, both in Las Vegas and elsewhere.
“When you say ‘investigation,' other organizations that are in our community might say, ‘Hey, we may want to sit back and wait. Maybe this is illegal' or this or that,” Davis said. “And I think that's the wrong approach. Again, the word investigation is not good. It should have been, ‘This is great. Let's see more of these come forward and do this.'”
Teams question if Las Vegas Aces sponsorship is fair
Davis also pointed to a potential double standard within the WNBA. He noted that while his Raiders cannot sponsor the Aces or their players due to league rules, Nike, an equity investor in the league, can sponsor players, including Caitlin Clark, who recently signed a lucrative deal.
“Nike is an owner of the WNBA and they're allowed to sponsor Caitlin Clark for $28 million on one player. And nobody's complaining or investigating,” Davis said. “And I think it's great that Nike's doing that. But let's give credit to where credit's due: Las Vegas Convention Authority is stepping up and recognizing these women.”
Teams around the league have questioned whether the deal is fair and whether it violates the spirit of the league's salary cap rules. According to ABC News, while the sponsorship does not technically violate the salary cap because it was not orchestrated by the club, there are concerns about its impact on competitive equity.
“The sponsorship does not violate the WNBA's salary cap because the authority did not orchestrate the sponsorship with the club. But other teams are likely to raise questions about the fairness of the sponsorship and whether it violates the spirit of the cap rules. And now, the league has stepped in to look deeper into it,” reported ABC News.
The deal, worth more than most WNBA contracts, raised concerns that the Aces could gain a significant advantage in free agency. This is not the first time the WNBA has investigated the Aces. In 2023, the league stripped the team of a future first-round pick and suspended Hammon for two games for violating league rules on impermissible player benefits and workplace policies.
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