One 12 months in the past Tuesday, the WNBA gamers’ affiliation introduced the gamers would decide out of their present collective bargaining settlement with the league that was set to run out following the 2025 season.
It was a call that WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike referred to as a “defining second, not only for the WNBA, however for all of us who imagine in progress.” The gamers outlined their want for a brand new financial mannequin primarily based on fairness — as Ogwumike mentioned, “claiming our rightful share of the enterprise we have constructed” was the highest precedence.
But 12 months faraway from the preliminary announcement, there aren’t any indicators a brand new settlement might be put in place by the date that the present deal expires, on Oct. 31. Requested whether or not a deal will get achieved by that date, WNBPA senior advisor and authorized counsel Erin Drake advised the “Good Recreation with Sarah Spain” podcast final week, “Sadly, I am not assured.”
Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
Since October 2024, tensions have solely escalated, with gamers expressing frustration with an absence of progress in negotiations. In late September, WNBPA vp and Unequalled co-founder Napheesa Collier decried WNBA management because the “worst … on the planet” in an explosive exit interview that gained the backing of a number of WNBA stars.
With the 2025 season and Finals now prior to now, all eyes shift towards what’s occurring on the bargaining desk. WNBPA government director Terri Jackson advised ESPN the gamers are as decided as ever.
“[The players are] actually fairly clear and laser targeted on what they’re preventing for,” Jackson mentioned this week, “and what they mentioned a 12 months in the past was true six months in the past, was true six weeks in the past, six days in the past.”
It is not but time to panic: The 2 sides might conform to an extension that might permit them extra time to barter into November or past. Nonetheless, with the clock ticking, ESPN explores the most recent we have heard on arguably essentially the most consequential set of CBA talks in league historical past.
The present state of negotiations
When the league and WNBPA maintain bargaining classes, there might be an array of stakeholders within the room, and it isn’t at all times the identical folks every assembly, sources aware of the negotiations mentioned. WNBA and NBA employees, in addition to their exterior counsel, signify the league’s facet of the aisle, with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert attending all substantive bargaining conferences, in keeping with earlier negotiations in 2019 and with the actions of former league presidents. WNBPA employees and out of doors counsel are the principle contributors for the union facet, although WNBPA advisors and participant management may additionally attend.
The gamers’ CBA committee sometimes options at the very least 33 gamers: the 26 participant representatives (two per crew), seven members of the chief committee (Ogwumike, Kelsey Plum, Elizabeth Williams, Brianna Turner, Alysha Clark, Collier and Breanna Stewart) and some different gamers exterior of these teams who’ve opted to take part.
The league has its personal model of that group, the labor relations committee, that includes seven crew homeowners and executives: Suzanne Abair of the Atlanta Dream, Greg Bibb of the Dallas Wings, Ginny Gilder of the Seattle Storm, Kelly Krauskopf of the Indiana Fever, Mat Ishbia of the Phoenix Mercury, Nadia Rawlinson of the Chicago Sky and Jennifer Rizzotti of the Connecticut Solar. That committee doesn’t take part in bargaining classes.
The league and WNBPA first met in December for a preliminary dialog on the brand new CBA and held a bigger in-person assembly that includes representatives from the labor relations committee plus over 40 gamers at All-Star weekend in late July.
Since then, the WNBPA has met with participant management “weekly, if not a pair instances every week,” in keeping with a supply, and the 2 sides have continued to speak with regularity, although the contributors and scope have fluctuated.
The most important holdup: wage mannequin
Throughout the playoffs, Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Grey mentioned negotiations are “not the place we thought and needed to be at this time limit. It is market share, it is salaries, it is participant security, it is every part.”
However the greatest holdup for the gamers in negotiations has at all times revolved across the alternative ways all sides believes salaries needs to be decided.
The WNBPA is pushing for a system the place the proportion of income going towards salaries grows with the enterprise. Within the NBA, for instance, the wage cap is set by the basketball-related earnings (BRI), with gamers taking in about half of that mark as dictated by their CBA.
WNBA gamers say the league’s proposals, against this, characteristic a wage cap that will increase by a set fee over time — which is how it’s arrange within the present CBA, with annual 3% raises.
The league’s wage cap was $1,507,100 in 2025, with a minimal wage of $66,079 and a supermax of $249,244.
The present CBA additionally has a income sharing provision that might lead to direct funds to gamers if the league hits sure income targets, however it hasn’t but been triggered.
In an announcement supplied to ESPN, a WNBA spokesperson mentioned, “Because the WNBA has acknowledged repeatedly, we agree with the gamers that they should be paid extra and, importantly, to take part within the success and development of the league by sharing in income. The excellent proposal we supplied to the Gamers Affiliation contains each vital assured wage cap will increase and substantial uncapped income sharing that permits participant salaries to develop because the league’s enterprise grows.”
The distinction in philosophy was on show Tuesday, when NBA commissioner Adam Silver mentioned on the “TODAY Present” that WNBA gamers will get a “huge improve” in salaries of their new collective bargaining settlement however pointed to “absolute numbers” as the best way to measure that development versus share of income.
“I believe ‘share’ is not the appropriate method to have a look at it as a result of there’s a lot extra income within the NBA,” Silver mentioned. “I believe you need to take a look at absolute numbers by way of what they’re making, and they’re going to get an enormous improve on this cycle of collective bargaining, and so they deserve it.” On an Instagram story, the WNBPA reposted a clip of Silver’s feedback that featured him repeating on a loop, “I believe ‘share’ is not the appropriate method to have a look at it,” with the caption, “Do not wish to share?” and tagging Silver.
“When the gamers opted out a 12 months in the past, they made it clear they needed a wage system that values their labor and permits them to develop with the enterprise they’re very clearly driving,” Jackson advised ESPN in an announcement. “The league’s response has been to expire the clock, put lipstick on a pig and retread a system that is not tied to any a part of the enterprise and deliberately undervalues the gamers. The truth that the league now needs to name any a part of its proposal ‘uncapped’ is exactly why its management, transparency and accountability are being challenged proper now.
Adam Silver mentioned it himself on behalf of the WNBA. ‘Share is not the phrase.’ It is not of their vocabulary.”
The WNBA has skilled file development because the final CBA and prior to now two years particularly with attendance, viewership, merchandise gross sales, funding and franchise valuations skyrocketing and a brand new $2.2 billion media deal on the best way. However in the course of the Finals, Engelbert spoke to the significance of “balancing” a rise in participant salaries with what she referred to as the “long-term viability of the league.”
“I believe all of us agree we’re attempting to return each greenback we probably can to the gamers, however we additionally wish to incentivize funding from homeowners,” Engelbert mentioned. “We would like homeowners to have a viable enterprise. Clearly, we’re taking a look at enlargement as much as 18 groups by the tip of the last decade. So, that is necessary that these homeowners coming in have a shot at a viable financial mannequin for the longer term.”
What occurs subsequent?
The present CBA expires 9 days from now, and although Sophie Cunningham mentioned in her exit interview that “a possible lockout … is form of the place it is headed,” the passing of the deadline doesn’t suggest that’ll robotically occur.
It is extra possible that if no deal comes earlier than then, the league and the union will agree on an extension to offer them extra time to achieve a settlement. Engelbert talked about as a lot throughout her WNBA Finals information convention.
“Whereas I hope we make the October thirty first deadline, and that could be a actual deadline from that perspective, we have now prolonged deadlines prior to now,” she mentioned.
That is what occurred earlier than the final CBA expired, which had an Oct. 31, 2019, preliminary deadline. Negotiations had been initially prolonged 60 days, to Dec. 31, and the brand new CBA was agreed to on Jan. 14, 2020. It was signed three days later.
A league supply advised ESPN final week they didn’t imagine a brand new deal could be agreed upon by the Halloween deadline however was optimistic {that a} work stoppage wouldn’t come into fruition.
“Ultimately, a piece stoppage would not profit anyone,” the supply mentioned. “I do not know precisely how far persons are off. However usually, once I’ve seen these items, normally because it comes nearer to crunch time, everyone form of strikes a bit bit nearer collectively, and we will get to a deal that is affordable sufficient.”
This 12 months, although, extending the deadline has wider considerations: With two new franchises, Toronto and Portland, beginning play subsequent season, an enlargement draft for each groups must be held earlier than a supersized free company that can characteristic many of the league’s gamers who aren’t presently on their rookie contracts.
The parameters for the enlargement draft are presupposed to be set within the new CBA. However as the present deadline approaches, a league supply advised ESPN that there have not been any guidelines or tips given to both franchise.
The draft for the Golden State Valkyries was held Dec. 6, 2024, with the league’s 12 groups allowed to guard six gamers. Golden State chosen 11 gamers, taking one from each crew besides Seattle; the Valkyries handed on the Storm’s accessible gamers.
Since this enlargement draft may have Toronto and Portland collaborating — that means two groups might be filling out rosters — it is thought that maybe the opposite groups may solely be capable of shield 5 gamers this time.
Assuming there may be an extension agreed upon for CBA talks, the supply mentioned their expectation is for the enlargement draft to happen as quickly as potential after the CBA is put in place. However, with out figuring out precisely how lengthy the extension could be for, it is troublesome for the 2 new franchises to plan with out a particular timeline or any set guidelines.