WNBA Champion Aerial Powers Breaks Barriers For Female Gamers

Gaming has seen an increase in popularity during quarantine. Nielsen reported in June 2020 that 82% of global consumers played video games and watched video game content during the height of the pandemic. The increase was highest in the U.S. (46%), followed by France (41%) and the U.K. (28%). As the global gaming industry expands rapidly, with over two billion gamers worldwide, sales are expected to reach close to $140 billion by 2021. Esports, organized video gaming events or tournaments that culminate in championships at the regional and international level, was recently valued at $950 million. According to Statista, female gamers account for 41% of gamers in the United States.

Aerial Powers, a WNBA champion player and gamer, breaks barriers for females in the gaming industry and paves the way for other professional female athletes to earn extra income. 

It’s a known fact that WNBA players earn significantly less than NBA players. WNBA rookies earn a starting salary of $42,000, whereas an NBA rookie earns over $560,000. Many of the female basketball players play overseas to compensate their income. Powers is part of that group. However, since entering the gaming industry and streaming live on Twitch, she is being exposed to brands that she wouldn’t necessarily be introduced to as a basketball player. At the same time, she is introducing a new demographic to the streaming platform. Once endorsement and sponsorship negotiations are finalized, Powers will be earning more gaming then playing basketball.

While talking about a brand that is considering sponsoring her, Powers states, “I would have never gotten this brand thinking about sponsoring me as a basketball player. I can rock some headphones during warm-ups, but now, because I put it into esports, now I’m getting to brands that would have never thought, ‘hey, Aerial Powers could be this. Aerial Powers could use this.'” 

The road to Powers’ professional basketball career began at Michigan State University. Due to an injury her freshman year where she had to red-shirt, she only played three years of college basketball before being drafted by the Dallas Wings. 

“I finally made it to my dream,” Powers smiles. “We were finally here. I’m sitting there with my brother, my dad, my mom and my head coach from Michigan State, Suzy Merchant. She’s sitting there with me in a circle…I remember looking around like this is the moment that I have been working every day…