WNBPA foregoes CBA as players prepare for delicate negotiations and possible work stoppage: source

By Mike Vorkunov, Ben Pickman and Sabreena Merchant

The Women's National Basketball Players Association withdrew from the WNBA's collective bargaining agreement on Monday, setting off delicate negotiations that will help determine the league's economic system just as it gains momentum.

The decision was no surprise and the union made it official just hours after the conclusion of the WNBA Finals. The players' union/league had until November 1 to do so, and the players' association was widely expected to seek a new CBA. The current CBA expires on October 31, 2025.

A union source confirmed this The athlete that the players are willing to negotiate until a new agreement is reached, even if it means a stoppage of work. ESPN was first to report a possible disruption. However, both sides appear ready to enter into talks in good faith in order to reach a new agreement and avoid any undesirable developments.

“This is a pivotal moment, not just for the WNBA, but for all of us who believe in progress,” said WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike. “The world has evolved since 2020 and we cannot afford to stand still. If we stick to the current agreement, we will fall behind.”

She added: “We are not just demanding a CBA that reflects our value; We demand it because we deserve it.”

The WNBA has changed dramatically since the passage and implementation of the current CBA. It went through a pandemic and then a period of rapid growth. It has never been more popular than it is now and there are strong signs that its financial situation is improving.

The rise is due to the interaction of various factors. After decades of instability, the WNBA appeared to have turned a corner in 2020 and 2021. The league sought additional funding from investors through a capital raising and had raised $75 million as of February 2022. Viewership began to increase as the league reached a larger audience. This year has been a perfect storm. Television ratings skyrocketed, as did interest. By 2026, the league will add three new franchises through expansion, with a fourth expected to follow shortly thereafter.

Rookie guard Caitlin Clark has become one of the biggest stars in all of sports, taking the league even further, as have rookie forward Angel Reese and reigning stars A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. A captivating five-game WNBA Finals proved to be a fitting end to the 2024 season.

“With the historic 2024 WNBA season now in the books, we look forward to working with the players and the WNBPA on a new CBA that is fair for everyone and lays the foundation for growth and success in the years to come WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.

Now both sides have to consider how to proceed. WNBA players are not guaranteed a defined share of revenue, as NFL, NBA and NHL players have negotiated this themselves in their CBAs. WNBA fans and players have been clamoring for higher salaries.

But their desires probably go beyond just money. The WNBPA outlined its priorities in the next negotiations, including minimum standards for playing and practice facilities, better retirement provision, and family planning and pregnancy benefits.

The current CBA went into effect on January 17, 2020, and in these discussions the players' association made progress on several issues. Salaries rose across the board, with average annual player compensation topping six figures for the first time. The CBA also introduced progressive family planning, including fully paid maternity leave. Nevertheless, there is room for change on the latter front too. The current CBA requires players to have played for eight years – a threshold higher than many players' tenure – before a $20,000 subsidy for family planning services such as egg freezing goes into effect.

“Making sure that the health and safety of the players is a constant, that the charters are set, and that those benefits are getting better as we have more moms and parents in this league,” Stewart said The athlete during All-Star Weekend in July with the topics that mattered most to her.

Lynx All-Star Kayla McBride added: “It’s always about the players. I just make sure that we are looked after at a high level, the safety of the players and also the salaries so that we don’t have to go abroad.”

The league hasn't been too clear about what it apparently wants, but it will likely want to improve its financial situation at a time when revenues finally start to grow significantly. After decades of demand, charter flights for each team were introduced this season.

“Given the transformation of the league that we have worked so hard to build, building this long-term economic model, we have already returned to players through Charter by increasing playoff bonuses by over 50 percent a few years ago. “said Engelbert before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. “When we are at the negotiating table, we will continue to talk about the issues that matter most to the players. We're actually looking forward to getting into it after we kind of get the media deal in place that we've been talking about, corporate partners, everything.”

The league will enter into a new media rights agreement in 2026 that will pay it an average of $200 million over the next 11 years, while current contracts are worth about $50 million per year. Disney, NBC and Amazon will have national media rights deals with the league, but it's possible it could add two more packages — it also currently has deals with ION and CBS — that would end up increasing its rights fees even further.

However, when the new agreement was announced, union leadership expressed concerns about how the $200 million amount was determined and believes the WNBA's product remains undervalued even under the new agreement.

Furthermore, it is unclear how this money will be passed on to the teams. The NBA owns 42.5 percent of the league and the WNBA sold around 16 percent of its equity as part of the capital increase. The league's revenue is distributed to teams in a process described by league stakeholders as a waterfall, but who gets what and in what order is not known.

“The players made the decision to opt out of the last CBA to realign the business and save the league from its own limitations,” said WNBPA Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson. “Today, with a stronger foundation and new investment flowing in, they are exiting again – this time to fully professionalize the league, secure fair wages, improve working conditions and secure meaningful benefits.”

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(Photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)