Latest news with #CBANegotiations
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA All-Star 2025: Players take court in warm-up shirts reading 'Pay Us What You Owe Us' amid CBA talks
The WNBA's ongoing CBA negotiations became a subplot of the All-Star Game the second the players stepped onto the court. Each player, as well as Caitlin Clark looking on from the bench, wore a black shirt reading "Pay Us What You Owe Us." It was a clear message to the WNBA after a week of seemingly fruitless talks in Indiana ahead of the All-Star festivities. It's never a great sign for a league when ESPN is discussing its players' demands during the middle of its All-Star Game, but the matter was unavoidable for the broadcast thanks to the shirts and other messages from the players. The WNBA players opted out of the current CBA last October, setting an expiration date on Oct. 31. A work stoppage looms if the two sides can't come to an agreement before the start of next season. Many All-Stars were present at an in-person talk between league and union officials on Thursday. The result of that meeting was a statement from the players calling the league's current proposal unsustainable: "We've told the League and teams exactly why their proposal falls so short. This business is booming — media rights, ratings, revenue, team valuations, expansion fees, attendance, and ticket sales — are all up in historic fashion. But shortchanging the working women who make this business possible stalls growth. The only thing more unsustainable than the current system is pretending it can go on forever." WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert responded by painting the conversation as "very constructive" and saying she is "optimistic" a deal will get done. There are a number of issues for the two sides to iron out, from the freedom of players to participate in other domestic and international leagues during the offseason (which almost always pays more than the WNBA) to the longstanding dispute over travel accommodations. The biggest point of contention is, of course, the distribution of money in a league set to make a reported $200 million per year for its media rights and charging a $250 million entry fee from each of the three incoming expansion teams. The players have been open with their demands and unhappiness about the state of the talks during the All-Star break, while the WNBA has mostly refrained from speaking out in recent months. Saturday represented one more time in which the players are forcing the issue into the public sphere.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA fans jeer commissioner with 'Pay them!' chants during All-Star Game ceremony
During Saturday night's 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, basketball fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse decided to show their support for the players amid their ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations with the league. With the current WNBA CBA set to expire in October, WNBA players wore "Pay Us What You Owe Us" shirts during All-Star Game warmups to send a message to the league about improving the WNBA pay scale. The WNBA met with more than 40 players on Thursday in Indianapolis but seemingly made little, if any, progress on finding compromises for a new CBA, as the WNBA players association issued a critical statement after the meeting concluded. The players understandably want their salaries to increase as more and more revenue pours into the WNBA, and any compromise will almost assuredly feature a higher salary cap for the league's teams so that the athletes' average pay scale can increase. Plenty of fans let the league know whose side they were on during the All-Star Game postgame ceremony, where loud chats of "Pay them!" broke out as league commissioner Cathy Engelbert spoke. Fans also held up "Pay the players" signs in the stands. Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes also held up one of the "Pay the players" signs while ESPN's Holly Rowe interviewed All-Star Game MVP Napheesa Collier. While we're sure the CBA negotiations still have a ways to go, the WNBA had to hear the message from the players and the fans loud and clear during one of the biggest nights on the league's calendar. "Pay the players" will be one of the biggest takeaways from WNBA All-Star weekend, whether the league wants it to be or not. We'll see if this momentum breaks the ice any as negotiations continue. This article originally appeared on For The Win: WNBA fans jeer commissioner with 'Pay them!' chants at All-Star Game
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA commissioner confident CBA will be signed by deadline despite player concerns
INDIANAPOLIS — WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Saturday she is confident that the league and the WNBPA can agree to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement ahead of the league's Oct. 31 deadline. The league and the WNBPA met on Thursday afternoon for multiple hours, with the meeting marking the first in-person bargaining session that players attended since December. Engelbert characterized the talks as 'constructive' and said she believed the league and players would agree to a new CBA that is 'transformational for the players, teams, owners and the future of our league.' 'I have confidence we can get something done by October, but I'm not going to put an exact date on it,' she said. 'We've got some room to continue negotiations if we're close at that point.' As Engelbert spoke, players from both teams took the floor wearing shirts that read 'Pay Us What You Owe Us.' Salary structure and revenue sharing have become a hot topic in the ongoing talks, as players expressed frustration at a recent league counterproposal. Many players, however, gave a different characterization of Thursday's meeting than Engelbert. New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart, who is a vice president of the WNBPA, called it 'a wasted opportunity' and said there was 'fluff to start' the meeting. Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, also a vice president, said she hopes the league 'comes back quickly' so that dialogue can continue. Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike, who is the WNBPA president, said that they were 'hoping perhaps more would be yielded given the engagement.' 'We have a long way to go. We're gonna use this weekend to show our value and our worth and continue to be united because we do deserve more,' said Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, who is the first vice president of the WNBPA. A record number of players attended Thursday's meeting between the WNBA and WNBPA, with further negotiations coming executive director Terri Jackson said she felt encouraged by player participation, but did not give details on whether she considered the meeting successful. 'Negotiations are hard. They have hard conversations. … That's what today was, no different from any other negotiation,' she said. Jackson said another meeting is scheduled 'soon,' though she did not specify a date or location. Engelbert said that the league wants to 'significantly increase' player salaries and other benefits, but said that it is important to do so by 'balancing with our owners (and) their ability to have a path to profitability. 'I really respect the players. We're listening. They're listening to our owners. We're kind of in the middle as the league trying to make sure we're setting this league up for success for decades. That's the goal, to have a fair CBA for all.' The current CBA began in January 2020, and while it sparked several significant shifts in the league, such as groundbreaking maternity benefits and a notable jump in maximum player salaries, much has changed around the WNBA since. Just two weeks ago, the WNBA announced three expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, which are set to debut in 2028, 2029 and 2030, respectively. All three will enter the league at a record $250 million expansion fee. A new 11-year, $2.2 billion TV deal will also go into effect next season. Engelbert said national TV viewership is up 23 percent, attendance is up 26 percent and merchandise sales up 40 percent. Here are other things that came out of Engelbert's availability: Engelbert said the WNBA is thinking about expanding its future scheduling footprint as well as the number of games played in upcoming seasons. While the number of games in a season will have to be part of collective bargaining with the WNBPA, Engelbert said the league may have to extend into early November 'in the near-term.' The 2026 FIBA World Cup will run from Sept. 4-13, 2026, and the league may need a break to accommodate players who want to play. Ogwumike said during Thursday's CBA media availability that the league did pose ideas regarding extending the season. WNBA teams are playing 44 games this season, the most they have ever had in a season and the current maximum under the CBA. It seems as if there will be future changes to WNBA All-Star Friday nights. Engelbert said the league is looking at possible revisions to the festivities, which this year included only the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest. 'We'll definitely be looking at different ideas, different formats beyond the skills and 3-point (contest),' Engelbert said. 'I got a lot of fans asking me today at WNBA Live, 'We want more W this weekend.' We're going to look at that and hopefully deliver something in the future on that.' Caitlin Clark, Rhyne Howard and Satou Sabally were all unable to participate in Saturday's All-Star Game due to injury, and many around the league have wondered whether there are more injuries this season than normal. However, Engelbert said, 'I think the rate of injury is about similar to last year.' Throughout the first half of the season, players and coaches from across the league have routinely criticized WNBA officiating, often describing it as 'inconsistent.' Engelbert said the league hears the concerns from its key stakeholders, and that 'we're working hard to make sure that we put the best product on the court, and our officiating follows that.' She added: 'I realize consistency is the name of the game and I think it's something we definitely need to look at and evaluate.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. WNBA 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA All-Star 2025: Players take court in warm-up shirts reading 'Pay Us What You Owe Us' amid CBA talks
The WNBA's ongoing CBA negotiations became a subplot of the All-Star Game the second the players stepped onto the court. Each player, as well as Caitlin Clark looking on from the bench, wore a black shirt reading "Pay Us What You Owe Us." It was a clear message to the WNBA after a week of seemingly fruitless talks in Indiana ahead of the All-Star festivities. It's never a great sign for a league when ESPN is discussing its players' demands during the middle of its All-Star Game, but the matter was unavoidable for the broadcast thanks to the shirts and other messages from the players. The WNBA players opted out of the current CBA last October, setting an expiration date on Oct. 31. A work stoppage looms if the two sides can't come to an agreement before the start of next season. Many All-Stars were present at an in-person talk between league and union officials on Thursday. The result of that meeting was a statement from the players calling the league's current proposal unsustainable: "We've told the League and teams exactly why their proposal falls so short. This business is booming — media rights, ratings, revenue, team valuations, expansion fees, attendance, and ticket sales — are all up in historic fashion. But shortchanging the working women who make this business possible stalls growth. The only thing more unsustainable than the current system is pretending it can go on forever." WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert responded by painting the conversation as "very constructive" and saying she is "optimistic" a deal will get done. There are a number of issues for the two sides to iron out, from the freedom of players to participate in other domestic and international leagues during the offseason (which almost always pays more than the WNBA) to the longstanding dispute over travel accommodations. The biggest point of contention is, of course, the distribution of money in a league set to make a reported $200 million per year for its media rights and charging a $250 million entry fee from each of the three incoming expansion teams. The players have been open with their demands and unhappiness about the state of the talks during the All-Star break, while the WNBA has mostly refrained from speaking out in recent months. Saturday represented one more time in which the players are forcing the issue into the public sphere.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA players take court at All-Star Game in warm-up shirts with message: 'Pay Us What You Owe Us'
The WNBA's ongoing CBA negotiations became a subplot of the All-Star Game the second the players stepped onto the court. Each player, as well as Caitlin Clark looking on from the bench, wore a black shirt reading "Pay Us What You Owe Us." It was a clear message to the WNBA after a week of seemingly fruitless talks in Indiana ahead of the All-Star festivities. It's never a great sign for a league when ESPN is discussing its players' demands during the middle of its All-Star Game, but the matter was unavoidable for the broadcast thanks to the shirts and other messages from the players. The WNBA players opted out of the current CBA last October, setting an expiration date on Oct. 31. A work stoppage looms if the two sides can't come to an agreement before the start of next season. Many All-Stars were present at an in-person talk between league and union officials on Thursday. The result of that meeting was a statement from the players calling the league's current proposal unsustainable: "We've told the League and teams exactly why their proposal falls so short. This business is booming — media rights, ratings, revenue, team valuations, expansion fees, attendance, and ticket sales — are all up in historic fashion. But shortchanging the working women who make this business possible stalls growth. The only thing more unsustainable than the current system is pretending it can go on forever." WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert responded by painting the conversation as "very constructive" and saying she is "optimistic" a deal will get done. There are a number of issues for the two sides to iron out, from the freedom of players to participate in other domestic and international leagues during the offseason (which almost always pays more than the WNBA) to the longstanding dispute over travel accommodations. The biggest point of contention is, of course, the distribution of money in a league set to make a reported $200 million per year for its media rights and charging a $250 million entry fee from each of the three incoming expansion teams. The players have been open with their demands and unhappiness about the state of the talks during the All-Star break, while the WNBA has mostly refrained from speaking out in recent months. Saturday represented one more time in which the players are forcing the issue into the public sphere.
