Players, under the leadership of Terri Jackson from the WNBPA, are challenging the fixed salary cap system in place.
WNBA on the Brink of Potential Work Stoppage as CBA Negotiations Approach Deadline
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is currently in the midst of a critical period, with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations between the league and its players, represented by the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), reaching an impasse. The current agreement is set to expire on October 31, and both parties are eager to avoid extending negotiations into the important offseason, with two expansion teams, Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, gearing up for the 2026 campaign.
The ongoing WNBA postseason adds an additional layer of complexity to the negotiations. The WNBPA is pushing for a revamped revenue-sharing system that gives players a cut of revenue to better reflect actual growth, while the league has proposed a fixed 3% annual increase in the salary cap. Terri Carmichael Jackson, the WNBPA executive director, has expressed dissatisfaction with this proposed model.
Recent developments have seen more than 80 lawmakers from the Democratic Women's Caucus and the House Democratic Caucus sending an open letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, urging her to "bargain in good faith" as the CBA deadline approaches. Despite this pressure, league officials have objected to the characterization of a lack of urgency to get a new CBA done before November.
The league has stated that it is working toward an agreement that addresses the players' priorities while also supporting the long-term growth and success of the league and teams. However, the WNBPA representatives have expressed that it is unlikely an agreement will be made by the CBA deadline on October 31.
If negotiations go beyond October 31, a lockout could potentially eat into the 2026 season, which has never happened in the league's 29-year history. A work stoppage, where players are blocked from entering team training facilities among other stipulations, could still happen if both sides remain at odds post-extension.
The past 25 years have seen WNBA team owners face annual losses with minimal revenue growth, and capital investments were rare. However, recently, team owners have been sinking money into new training facilities and added employee headcount, indicating a shift in the league's financial landscape.
As the deadline approaches, all eyes are on the WNBA and the WNBPA to reach a fair and equitable agreement that ensures the continued growth and success of the league and its players.
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