(Reuters) -NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said on Tuesday he expects WNBA players will get big raises when they eventually strike a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Appearing on NBC’s “Today” show ahead of the NBA season-opening double-header on Tuesday, Silver was asked if players from the Women’s National Basketball Association deserved a higher share of the league’s revenue.

“Yes,” said Silver. “I think ‘share’ isn’t the right way to look at it because there’s so much more revenue in the NBA,” said Silver.

“I think you should look at it in absolute numbers in terms of what they’re making, and they are going to get a big increase in this cycle of collective bargaining, and they deserve it.”

The NBA owns 42% of the WNBA, whose commissioner reports to Silver.

The current C

See Full Page