The WNBA has opened an investigation on the Las Vegas Aces over an alleged pay-for-play scheme. This is also connected to the NFL because Raiders owner Mark Davis owns this team as well.
According to Howard Megdal of The Next, the Las Vegas-based WBNA team is under investigation for “making under-the-table payment offers to both current players and free agents the team has pursued.”
A “high-level member” of the Aces franchise would allegedly inform either the free agent or the player’s agent that they would receive another call after preliminary contract negotiations, according to the story, which has been confirmed by nine league sources. A pre-selected corporation would make a certain financial offer in exchange for “negligible” work during that call.
This scheme is a clear violation of the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“It shall constitute a violation of Section 1(a) above for a Team (or Team Affiliate) to enter into an agreement or understanding with any sponsor or business partner or third party under which such sponsor, business partner or third party pays or agrees to pay compensation for basketball services (even if such compensation is ostensibly designated as being for non-basketball services) to a player under Contract to the Team. Such an agreement with a sponsor or business partner or third party may be inferred where: (i) such compensation from the sponsor or business partner or third party is substantially in excess of the fair market value of any services to be rendered by the player for such sponsor or business partner or third party; and (ii) the Compensation in the Player Contract between the player and the Team is substantially below the fair market value of such Contract.”
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The Aces have had one of the WNBA’s most eventful offseasons, adding two-time league MVP Candace Parker and former All-Defensive team forward Alysha Clark.
The team is fresh off of its first league title in 2022.
