Negotiations Restart for the WNBA’s Next Collective Bargaining Agreement
NEW YORK — The WNBA and its players’ union continued negotiations on Wednesday after an exhaustive 12-hour session that concluded early in the morning without a new collective bargaining agreement. Following the lengthy discussions, both parties reconvened in the afternoon, with talks still underway as evening approached.
Union executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson expressed optimism earlier Wednesday, stating that there were "a lot of conversations going in the right direction."
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert briefly addressed reporters after leaving the negotiation site. "It’s complex, but we’re working towards a win-win deal like we’ve been saying, a transformational deal for these players," she remarked. Engelbert emphasized the importance of balancing the league’s various interests alongside the expectations of team owners.
Key figures in the negotiations included union executive committee members Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart, Alysha Clark, and Brianna Turner, who were present with Jackson and the union staff. Engelbert was joined by league operations head Bethany Donaphin and New York Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai. Connecticut Sun president Jen Rizzotti also participated in the discussions on Wednesday.
Despite the lengthy talks, both sides remained outside during breaks, enjoying an unusually warm mid-March day in Manhattan. Reports indicate that the two sides have been actively sharing proposals during this ongoing negotiation.
Central issues in the discussions involve revenue sharing, player franchise tags, and benefits for retired players. The league has indicated that a preliminary agreement must be reached by Tuesday to ensure the season commences as scheduled.
"We’ve got to get this deal done. We’ve got to get it done soon," Engelbert stated, although she refrained from answering further questions.
Should a deal be reached, the WNBA has noted that it would require several weeks to finalize the collective bargaining agreement. Following this, an expansion draft for new franchises in Portland and Toronto is expected to occur from April 1-6. Free agent qualifying offers will be sent out from April 7-8, with teams having three days to negotiate with over 80% of players due to become free agents. The signing period is slated for April 12-18, with training camps opening the following day and the season kick-off set for May 8.
For the season’s timeline to be met, however, a resolution on the revenue-sharing model is crucial. The union’s proposal from the previous week requested an average of 26% of gross revenue throughout the collective bargaining agreement term, starting at 25% in the first year. The league has deemed this proposal unrealistic, instead offering over 70% of net revenue, with potential increases as the league expands.
