Written by Mike Vorkunov, Ben Pickman, Sabreena Merchant
The Women’s Basketball Players Association withdrew. WNBA‘s collective bargaining agreement was signed on Monday, kicking off delicate negotiations that will help determine the moment the league’s economic system kicks in.
The decision came as no surprise, with the union making it official just hours after the WNBA Finals ended. The players’ union, or league, had until Nov. 1 to do so, and the players’ association was widely expected to seek a new CBA. The current CBA is scheduled to expire on October 31, 2025.
Union sources confirmed the players were prepared to negotiate for as long as it took to reach a new agreement, even if it meant a work stoppage. ESPN was first to report on the possible outage. However, both sides appear willing to engage in talks in a good faith effort to reach a new agreement and avoid disruption to game play.
“This is a defining moment not only for the WNBA, but for all of us who believe in progress,” the WNBPA president said. Neka Ogwumike said. “The world has evolved since 2020, and we cannot remain still. “If we maintain the current agreement, we will be left behind.”
“We’re not just asking for a CBA that reflects our values,” she said. We are demanding it. Because we got it.”
The WNBA has changed dramatically since the current CBA was agreed upon and implemented. After going through the pandemic, we went through 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 was driven by a confluence of factors. After decades of instability, the WNBA appeared to be turning a corner in 2020 and 2021. The league sought additional funding from investors through capital raises and had raised $75 million by February 2022. As the league gained a larger audience, viewership began to increase. This year has been a perfect storm. As viewership ratings soar, interest is also increasing. The league plans to add three new franchises through expansion by 2026, with a fourth coming soon.
rookie guard Caitlin Clark He has become one of the biggest stars in all of sports and, like many rookie forwards, has taken the league further. angel lisAnd current stars Aja Wilson, Brianna Stewart and Nafisa Collier. The exciting five-game WNBA Finals proved to be a fitting coda to the 2024 season.
“Now, as the historic 2024 WNBA season begins, we look forward to working with the players and the WNBPA on a new CBA that is fair for all and sets the stage for growth and success for years to come,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy. . Engelbert said in a statement:
Now both sides will have to consider how to proceed. WNBA players are not guaranteed a share of the revenue. NFL, NBA and NHL The CBA negotiated it themselves. WNBA fans and players have been demanding higher salaries.
However, it is highly likely that money alone will not be enough for their desires. The WNBPA outlined its priorities for the next round of bargaining talks, including minimum standards for game and practice facilities, better retirement benefits, and family planning and pregnancy benefits.
The current CBA went into effect on January 17, 2020, and during those talks, the players’ association made progress on several fronts. Salaries have risen across the board, with average annual player compensation exceeding six figures for the first time. CBA also implemented progressive family planning, including fully paid maternity leave. Nevertheless, there is room for change in the latter aspect as well. Currently, the CBA stipulates that players must play for eight years (a higher threshold than many players’ tenure) before the $20,000 benefit for family planning services such as egg freezing kicks in.
“We see these benefits getting better and better as the health and safety of the players stays constant and the charters stay in place and we have more moms and parents in this league,” Stewart said for the July All-Star Weekend issue. It was the most passionate.
Added lynx all star Kayla McBride: “What is always important is the players. “We are ensuring a high level of care, player safety and even salaries so we don’t have to go abroad.”
The league isn’t clear on what it wants to do, but it will likely want to get its financial situation sorted once revenues finally start to grow by any significant measure. After decades of demand, we have introduced charter flights for all teams this season.
“In light of the changes to the league and the long-term economic model we have been working hard to build, we have already increased playoff bonuses by more than 50% a few years ago to return to players through charters. ” Engelbert said before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. “Once we get to the bargaining table, we will continue to discuss the issues that matter most to our players. “We’ve got the media deals, the corporate partners, everything we discussed, so I’m really looking forward to being a part of it.”
The league will sign a new media rights deal in 2026 that will see it pay an average of $200 million over the next 11 years. This is an increase from the current contract, which is worth approximately $50 million per year. Disney, NBC and Amazon are expected to sign national media rights deals with the league, but could add two more packages, which also currently have deals in place with ION and CBS, which could further increase rights costs.
But when the new agreement was announced, union leaders expressed concerns about how the $200 million figure was determined and believe WNBA products are still undervalued even under the new agreement.
Plus, it’s unclear how that money flows to the team. The NBA owns 42.5% of the league, while the WNBA sold about 16% of its stake through a capital raise. League revenue is distributed among teams in what league stakeholders have described as a cascade, but there is no telling who gets what and in what order.
“The players decided to withdraw from the last CBA in order to reorganize their business and save the league from its own limitations,” said WNBPA Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson. “Today, with a stronger foundation and an influx of new investments, they are opting out again, this time to fully professionalize the league, secure decent wages, improve working conditions and secure meaningful benefits.”
This article originally appeared on: athletic.
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