The WNBA has exploded in popularity of late, with the 2024 season being a record-setting year for the league in terms of viewership and attendance. The league has a new $2.2 billion TV deal kicking in next season as part of the NBA’s overall deal with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon, and could continue adding on to that with additional rights deals with current partners like ION.
With the financial security of the league locked in and three expansion franchises coming into the league in the next two years, the players association sees this as a good time to take a look at their collective bargaining agreement and explore what comes next. On Monday, the WNBPA made their decision to trigger their opt-out clause in the current CBA for next year, meaning the 2025 season will be the last of the current deal.
“This is a defining moment, not just for the WNBA, but for all of us who believe in progress,” WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike said in a statement. “The world has evolved since 2020, and we cannot afford to stand still. If we stay in the current agreement, we fall behind. Opting out isn’t just about bigger paychecks — it’s about claiming our rightful share of the business we’ve built, improving working conditions, and securing a future where the success we create benefits today’s players and the generations to come.”
The decision comes as little surprise to the WNBA and those that follow the league, as players had indicated this would be coming for some time, and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert released a statement noting the league is ready to get to work creating a new CBA with the WNBPA.
“With the historic 2024 WNBA season now in the books, we look forward to working together with the players and the WNBPA on a new CBA that is fair for all and lays the foundation for growth and success for years to come.”
What will be interesting is what the WNBPA decides are the most important things to get out of this new CBA. Salaries are always a driving factor, but the WNBA is still trying to improve day-to-day life in the league as well as getting long-term benefits for players after they retire. As is always important to remember, the owners and the league may say the right things about wanting to give the players more, but this is a negotiation which means a give and take. ESPN reports pensions, child care support, improved facilities, and a better charter flight system are all on the WNBPA’s list, along with the push for a change to the league’s salary cap structure and raising salaries. Which of those become hard line issues and which they’re willing to give a bit on will be crucial to how this all shakes out.
From the WNBA perspective, the ownership landscape has changed pretty significantly since the last CBA negotiations. The internal battle between longtime owners, who typically have less money, and new owners, many of whom are adding WNBA squads to portfolios with major men’s sports teams, seems to have finally tipped over to the latter’s favor. What that means for CBA negotiations will be fascinating to watch. If I were to guess, they’ll be more willing to give on things like immediate improvements for facilities and flights, understanding the importance of those up front costs to the long-term success of the league. If I were to guess, what they’ll try to do is use those things to try and squeeze a bit more when it comes to the revenue split in the long-term, recognizing the growth phase the league is in.
I don’t expect a deal to come together quickly, as there is far more money at stake in these negotiations than ever before in the WNBA. That always raises tensions in negotiations, especially early on, but, while the players are (rightfully) saying right now they’re willing to go into a work stoppage if necessary to get what they want, I think all parties involved understand that there would be considerable risk in a stoppage doing damage to the massive wave of momentum the league is riding right now.
