After a season that substantially raised the league’s profile, the WNBA players have chosen to opt out of their current collective bargaining agreement.
On the back of decades-high television ratings, soaring franchise valuations, and record-setting attendance, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) announced Monday that they would opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement, which will expire in 2026. Players had until November 1st to decide whether to exercise the opt-out. Now, the WNBPA and the league will have to negotiate a new agreement prior to the end of the 2025 season or risk a work stoppage.
“This is a defining moment, not just for the WNBA, but for all of us who believe in progress,” Seattle Storm forward and WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike said. The WNBPA opted out of the last CBA a year prior to its expiration and secured significant increases in compensation and improved working conditions as a result.
Of course, the opt-out comes at an advantageous moment for the players. Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark led the league to significant increases in viewership during her first season. The league has secured well over two dozen seven-figure audiences this season after not reaching that threshold ever since 2003.
Additionally, the WNBA is coming off the heels of several new media rights deals worth $200 million annually, which will kick in for the 2026 season, coinciding with the new CBA. Those media rights deals will provide additional financial windfall for the league and will surely be a point of discussion during upcoming negotiations.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert struck a supportive tone when discussing the news publicly. “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,” the commissioner said in a statement.
The WNBA season’s structure is also undergoing major transformation. Earlier this month, Engelbert announced that the league would expand its regular season from 40 to 44 games. In addition, the league will move from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven format for the WNBA Finals. Three expansion franchises will join the league, one next season and two in 2026.
Though the move from the WNBPA was expected, it comes at a critical juncture for the league. One would have to imagine that both sides have too much to lose to not reach a deal before the 2026 season, but the next year will prove crucial for the league’s health for years to come.
[ESPN]
