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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Before the Las Vegas Aces hosted the Los Angeles Sparks Wednesday, the WNBA team signed Joyner Holmes and waived Crystal Bradford.
The financial implications for both players transcended salary. With Holmes on the Las Vegas roster and Bradford off it, there were money consequences far beyond a salary payment.
Only a day before on Tuesday, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) brought its board up to date on Season Two of the LVCVA’s headline-grabbing sponsorship deal for $100,000 to each of the Las Vegas Aces players to serve as “Las Vegas ambassadors” by posting social media content.
Here was a slide from Tuesday’s LVCVA meeting:
With Holmes on the roster and Bradford off it, the LVCVA will pay each player a prorated payment based on the days they are on the active roster per season, said Molly Castano, LVCVA vice president of public relations and communications.
For starters like superstar A’ja Wilson and All-Stars/Olympians Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd, they will receive the full $100,000 like any other Aces player on the roster for a full season.
The Aces saw their former popular player, Kelsey Plum, back at Michelob ULTRA Arena for the second time in 12 days. When Plum was traded in a three-way deal to the Los Angeles Sparks, she said goodbye to that juicy $100,000 “ambassador” payout from the LVCVA.
The Aces had seven returning players and six new ones, who were considered the “new Vegas ambassadors,” according to that slide presented to the LVCVA board members Tuesday.
In tonight’s game, the Aces were missing their dominant player, Wilson, in the fourth quarter. She left the game late in the third period with a head injury.
Without their biggest star, the Aces could not mount a rally against Los Angeles in the final quarter and lost their fourth game of the season, 97-89.
LA’s Rickea Jackson was outstanding with 30 points, while former Aces forward Dearica Hamby added 19. Plum scored 13 and dished out nine assists.
Young had a big game with 34 points for Las Vegas and Gray scored 28. Wilson finished with 13 points before she left the game.
PSA