The WNBA and WNBPA have been negotiating a collective bargaining agreement for more than a year and are eight days away from the league’s latest deadline of March 10. If an agreement isn’t reached by then, the season faces delays with the WNBA Draft scheduled for April.
WNBA Players Want To Get On Court, Union Reps Still Threaten Strike
In recent days, there seems to be a rift within the WNBPA brewing, with players getting restless and the reality of a strike influencing a change of mind for some.
On Monday, WNBPA vice president Alysha Clark posted on Threads that, “a strike is still very much on the table.”
On the other hand, WNBPA first vice president Kelsey Plum and others see the new revenue-sharing system as a win.
“I want to play and players want to play. We’re going to continue to negotiate and do everything we can to get this done in a timely fashion. But obviously a strike would be the worst thing for both sides because we are in a revenue share, so no revenue, no revenue to share.”
In recent days, the players’ tone has shifted. Back in December the energy was different. The union authorized a strike in a near-unanimous vote, but in recent months, as the season draws nearer, total unity is fracturing and most desire an end to the negotiations. Especially considering the concessions that the league has made.
Sticking Point Is Shared Revenue: Players Want 26 Percent, League Offering Less Than 15 Percent
However, those in charge of the negotiations are sticking to their goal to receive more of the shared revenue.
“I agree with Plum,” WNBPA vice president Breanna Stewart said. “While we still are fighting for a lot of different things, we have to realize that the rev share is a win.”
Stewart went on to say that no deal currently on the table is ready to be voted on for approval and that negotiations are still necessary.
2026 Season Is Coming Fast: Sophie Cunningham Says Expansion Draft Will Be Affected
On the latest episode of “Show Me Something” podcast, the Indiana Fever star blasted the league’s latest proposal, but on what could unfold if a new collective bargaining agreement isn’t finalized in time.
“They didn’t respond to our proposals for 6 weeks. They’re putting all the pressure on us, yet they’re not even moving on things that we need them to move on. They are changing every little thing possible except for our top freaking things. Our biggest thing that they haven’t even touched on is revenue share whatsoever. Revenue share is like the main thing that we need you to touch on, and you’re not doing it.”
Cunningham also discussed the chaos that this unsettled CBA negotiations can do to the impending expansion draft for the incoming Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo.
“It all is very determined on the CBA,” Sophie Cunningham explained. “And normally, you can like protect six players; you can do all that thing. But I think that was the last CBA. So I guess where it kind of stands now is – one – need a CBA, two – I think teams can protect up to five players. But all that looks different because are you gonna have core players? Are you gonna have people who are protect, like it’s so dependent on CBA, that’s why it’s going to be legit a sh*t show because you have an expansion draft.”
Players See Revenue Sharing System As Win: League Has Made Other Concessions
Both sides agree on a system for sharing revenue, but they can’t find common ground on the percentage split. The players started off asking for 40 percent of the league’s gross revenue and have settled on 26 percent over the life of the deal. The league is reportedly offering less than 15 percent total revenue, based on the WNBA’s revenue projections.
The league made a new proposal to the union Sunday night with a slight bump to the salary cap — from $5.65 million to $5.75 million — according to reports. The league also offered all players team-provided housing in the labor deal’s first year.
in addition, the WNBA’s latest proposal to the players includes conditions that would allow younger stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, to earn a max salary faster than allowed under the current rookie contract scale. The supermax would amount to 20 percent of the salary cap, and the standard max would be roughly 17.5 percent.
Plum and Breanna Stewart are at the forefront of players who feel that striking would be detrimental to the future of the league and the players’ interests.
According to reports, however, there was a tense players meeting last week and despite objections, half of the union leadership doubled down on their willingness to strike if necessary.
Fans Respond To Latest CBA News
Some fans are frustrated at the league’s stance and feel like they should take the wins.
“Kelsey gets it. Does (Union reps) Phee and (Natasha) Cloud?,” said one fan on X.
Some fans think that this opportunity won’t come again anytime soon and the players must hold steady with their demands.
“We’re long past getting it done in a timely fashion. All the fans calling for a strike don’t seem to understand this. The leverage the players have right now will not be there next year,” another fan said.
Others say the season is already delayed and doomsday was yesterday.
“3 days to negotiate with 80% of all players that are free agents with the teams’ qualifying offers?? Comical in the extreme if it isn’t true. Let’s see how fast the dozen or so agents can burn the phone lines for their 3-15 clients each? “The middling players turning down their 1st offers risk no chairs to sit down on when the music stops!,” one commenter said, quoting from an AP source.
Players Empowering Themselves Against WNPBA Heads Unchecked Authority
On Thursday, a group of agents representing various players across the league sent a letter to WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson, requesting to review the league’s proposals subject to non-disclosure agreements. Multiple players said they supported the agents’ request. More access to the information at hand would definitely help players and their agents make better decisions about supporting a strike or voting against it.
“They want to be looped in because they want to be able to make sure that their players are as informed as possible,” Stewart said.
It looks like the home stretch. WNBPA leadership is doing a solid job holding out for as much as the league is willing to give up on these negotiations, but the players also know that striking over a percentage of revenue that they won’t get if they don’t play doesn’t leave them with much more leverage.
