WNBA players opt out of current CBA, could face work stoppage

After a breakthrough 2024 season, WNBA players opted out of their current collective bargaining agreement two years before its expiration date.

The elected Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) members announced on Oct. 21 that players are seeking “a business model that reflects their true value, encompassing higher salaries, enhanced professional working conditions, expanded health benefits, and crucial investments needed for long-term growth.”

Players had until Nov. 1 of this year to opt out of the current deal, which was set to expire in 2027 and will still be in effect until Oct. 31, 2025. The two sides have a year to reach an agreement and face the prospect of a work stoppage if they don’t negotiate a new deal with the league by the end of the 2025 season.

“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,” Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.

The statement cited higher television viewership and increased franchise values for the decision. According to the statement, viewership has increased steadily over several seasons and hit new highs this season. ESPN’s regular-season viewership increased by 170%, CBS Sports saw an 86% jump, and attendance reached a 22-year high and increased by 48%. The postseason had games averaging over 1 million viewers on ESPN — up 131% from 2023 — and the WNBA Finals turned in the best viewership in 25 years.

The WNBA will expand to 13 teams next season as Golden State joins the league and will be at 15 teams in 2026 when Toronto and Portland launch franchises.

“This is a defining moment, not just for the WNBA, but for all of us who believe in progress,” WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike of the Seattle Storm 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.”

Sophie Cunningham and Natasha Cloud are the Phoenix Mercury’s player representatives and were in the voting group that decided to opt out of the current CBA.

“The players made the decision to opt out of the last CBA to realign the business and save the league from its own limitations,” WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson said in a statement. “Today, with a stronger foundation and new investments flowing in, they’re opting out again — this time to fully professionalize the league, secure proper wages, improve working conditions, and lock in meaningful benefits.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: WNBA players opt out of current CBA