Mark Davis-owned WNBA team under investigation

The WNBA opened an investigation on the Las Vegas Aces over an alleged pay-for-play scheme.

According to Howard Megdal of The Next, the Las Vegas-based WBNA team — owned by Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis — is under investigation. The investigation is for “making under-the-table payment offers to both current players and free agents the team has pursued.”

Per the report, which has been corroborated by nine league sources, a “high-level member” of the Aces franchise would instruct either the free agent or the player’s agent that they would receive another call after initial contract negotiations. That call would include an offer for a specific amount of money from a pre-selected company in return for “negligible” work.

Any attempt to do so would be a scheme to circumvent the WNBA’s salary cap. And such an act 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.”

What the league ultimately decides remains to be seen. But this could spell some real consequences for Mark Davis — one of the NFL’s more powerful owners.

[The Next, WNBAPA]