WNBA sets urgent Monday deadline to agree new collective bargaining deal
The WNBA and its players’ union face a critical Monday deadline to agree on a new collective bargaining agreement and avoid severe disruptions to the upcoming season.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has stressed the urgency of finalising the deal to protect the preseason calendar, free agency, and an upcoming expansion draft.
“We have to get it done by Monday,” Engelbert said.
“We’ve got to get expansion going, we’ve got to get free agency going, and we’ve got to get the college draft, which is now a month from today.”
Revenue sharing remains the biggest hurdle
Negotiations between the league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) have involved intense, double-digit hour sessions over the past four days.
A final agreement hinges heavily on creating a completely revamped revenue-sharing model that satisfies both parties.
The league has proposed allocating an average of 70% of net revenue to the athletes, while player representatives are pushing for 26% of gross revenue over the lifetime of the contract.
These conflicting systems have generated wildly different initial salary cap projections, with the governing body offering $6.2m per team compared to the union’s $9.5m demand.
Preseason schedule under threat
WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson expressed cautious optimism about recent progress despite viewing the established deadlines as somewhat arbitrary.
“As long as movement keeps us going in a forward direction, then I think we’re good,” Jackson told reporters.
Time is rapidly running out for the highest level of women’s professional basketball to resolve these foundational economic issues.
With training camps scheduled to open on 19 April and preseason fixtures commencing just six days later, any further delay could severely impact player preparation.
The sport is currently experiencing an unprecedented boom in popularity and viewership, making a seamless start to the new campaign vital for continued growth.