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New York Times
12 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
What to know about WNBA CBA negotiations: Revenue sharing, salary increases and scheduling
On Saturday night, as WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was in the middle of her annual midseason news conference, players made a statement of their own by taking off their All-Star Game warmups to reveal T-shirts with the tagline, 'Pay Us What You Owe Us.' 'We see the growth in the league and as it stands, the current salary system is not really paying us what we're owed,' union president and Seattle Storm star forward Nneka Ogwumike said. 'We want to be able to have that fair share moving forward, especially as we see all of the investment going in, and we want to be able to have our salaries be reflected in a structure that makes sense for us.' Advertisement Engelbert, in one room, was discussing how the two sides in the collective bargaining agreement negotiations had recently had 'constructive' talks. On the court, players were issuing a call to action. WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson has said that union leaders and league executives have talked 'often' throughout the months-long negotiations, but Indianapolis was the site of their most important meeting yet. Central to the talks is the future of the league's business and how revenue is distributed. According to sources with knowledge of the discussions who are not authorized to speak about the matter publicly, the league and teams combined have not been profitable since the WNBA's inception in 1996. (Play began in 1997.) In other words, the aggregate sum of the league and team revenues minus the sum of their expenses has always been a negative number. Yet the business around the WNBA and its teams is growing as the sport has reached a transformative moment. 'Pay them!' WNBA All-Star fans drowned out commissioner Cathy Engelbert during her presentation of the game's MVP award. With several CBA conversations in Indy this weekend, players warmed up in shirts that read 'Pay Us What You Owe Us.' — The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 20, 2025 Here are answers to important questions about where the negotiations stand as the second half of the season gets underway. Last week's meeting in Indy was the first in-person bargaining session that players have attended since December. More than 40 players were present, a union record in its CBA discussions. The meeting was held weeks after the WNBPA received a counterproposal from the league. Players said that in the first week of February, they submitted an initial version of a proposal to the league. It focused on salary and revenue-sharing systems, the sources said. The union sent supplemental information, then in April submitted a more comprehensive proposal with more than 20 additional pages focused on a variety of topics. The league issued its counterproposal in June. Advertisement Multiple players expressed frustration with the league's response, heightening tension leading into last week's meeting. The league's revenue-sharing system was a key topic of conversation, they said. Los Angeles Sparks forward Kelsey Plum said that at one point in the meeting, she appealed to the commissioner's legacy. 'Cathy has an opportunity to make a transformational decision, not just for our league but for women in the workforce,' Plum said. 'It's a symbol that matters. You start a whole tsunami wave.' She added: 'Never have we had this much leverage. Never have we had over 40 players talking to the other side. It's unbelievable.' The meeting lasted a couple of hours, and Jackson said that some players sacrificed opportunities for paid appearances to attend. It's premature to say agreements were reached in the bargaining session. But multiple players, including Liberty star Breanna Stewart, the union vice president, said progress was made on a policy related to family planning and on another related to retirement benefits. Engelbert and other executives from the league office, as well as the league's lawyers, were at last week's meeting. The WNBA also has a committee of team representatives, who are a mix of owners and senior team leadership. The league's labor committee is composed of seven representatives from various backgrounds, with different experience levels in the WNBA and from teams in various market sizes. Multiple sources with knowledge of the meetings confirmed to The Athletic that the following team representatives and members of the league's labor committee attended last Thursday's meeting: • Atlanta Dream — Suzanne Abair, co-owner and CEO • Chicago Sky — Nadia Rawlinson, co-owner and operating chairperson • Connecticut Sun — Jennifer Rizzotti, team president Advertisement • Indiana Fever — Kelly Krauskopf, president of basketball and business operations • Dallas Wings — Greg Bibb, managing partner and CEO • Seattle Storm — Ginny Gilder, co-owner Phoenix Mercury owner Mat Ishbia is also a representative on the league's labor committee, though the Mercury are the lone team with committee representation not at last Thursday's meeting and the December meeting, the sources said. The Mercury declined The Athletic's request to comment regarding their representative's absence. Players have been outspoken about their desire for increased salaries — the league's current maximum for a player is around $250,000 — and a revenue-sharing system that does not have a fixed component. The topic appears to be at the crux of the negotiation. 'If anything is fixed, especially at a small percentage, naturally we're not actually going to grow with the business,' Ogwumike said. 'We're at a point now where we're growing, so we want to make sure that as the business grows, the only thing that isn't capped is the player revenue share.' Neither side has disclosed the specific terms of their recent proposals. Engelbert said on Saturday: 'I think you'll see the revenue sharing be a much more lucrative one as we go forward because we're in a better place.' She added: 'We want to significantly increase their salary and benefits while balancing with our owners, their ability to have a path to profitability, as well as continued investment. You see tens of millions of dollars being invested in practice facilities and other player experience by teams. We want to strike the right balance between those two so that can continue.' While the league and teams combined have not been profitable at any point since inception, the league is closer than ever to making a profit (on a combined league and team basis) as a result of continued growth, sources with knowledge of negotiations said. Advertisement Engelbert said Saturday that national TV viewership is up 23 percent year-over-year, attendance is up 26 percent, and merchandise sales are up 40 percent. A new media rights deal with ESPN/Disney, Amazon and NBC, worth $200 million per season for 11 years, will go into effect next year. And the total new rights fees could have as much as six times the league's current media rights fees, because the new deals leave room for the WNBA to bring in additional partners. (In June, the WNBA announced a new multi-year deal with Scripps/Ion, for example.) It stands to reason that with the record media rights deal slated to go into effect and an increase in corporate partnerships and other positive developments, the league has a realistic opportunity to be profitable for the first time in 2026. Of course, any financial projection is difficult to predict without knowing the league's CBA. The health of the WNBA business can also be observed in the increase in franchise valuations. The New York Liberty recently raised capital from a group of investors at a record valuation for a professional women's sports franchise of $450 million, with ownership having purchased the franchise as a distressed asset in 2019. League expansion fees have also significantly increased; the three teams recently granted to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia were awarded for a record $250 million fee, up from the $50 million the Golden State Valkyries' ownership group paid in September 2023. 'We're fighting for what we're due, what we're worth, our value,' Liberty guard Natasha Cloud said. 'They're going to be fighting for what they think protects the business. Our job is to find the common ground. But that doesn't mean we keep taking the crumbs of the pie.' The NBA and WNBA generate significantly different amounts of revenue, and each league's revenue is allocated differently. For instance, the WNBA's full charter flight program and other team travel expenses (hotels and ground transportation) cost nine percent of combined league and team revenues, sources said. That percentage is smaller in the NBA. The two leagues also have different revenue-sharing systems. In the NBA, players take home roughly half of basketball-related income (BRI), while the other half goes to owners. BRI then determines the league's annual salary cap. In the WNBA, the league's current CBA does not explicitly use BRI to determine its salary cap. The CBA sets the salary cap for each year of the agreement; increases between seasons are fixed at a rate of three percent. The league has an additional mechanism for revenue sharing if certain targets are reached. However, that agreement was created in 2020, when the WNBA played a pandemic-impacted bubble season and essentially made no money. Because revenue targets are cumulative, the WNBA hasn't caught up despite recent rapid growth, preventing all players from benefiting from financial gains. 'We want a piece of the entire pie, not a piece of part of the pie,' Plum said. The future WNBA schedule seems to be another important topic in negotiations. Players have said that the league has discussed the possibility of adding more games. This season, teams are playing a record 44 games, the maximum under the current CBA. Historically, the WNBA plays from mid-May until either mid-September or mid-October. The college season ending in early April, impacting incoming rookies, doesn't allow for much flexibility in the league's start date. However, Engelbert said there is slightly more flexibility on seasons' back ends. In the 'near-term,' especially because of the 2026 FIBA World Cup running in early September, she said the WNBA season could run into November. Advertisement 'We want to make sure we're trying to fit our footprint in so that we can support those international competitions, but also have a season worthy of where we are today as a hyper-growth league. We're trying to strike that right balance from that perspective,' Engelbert said. 'Again, the scheduling is always a Rubik's cube when you're dealing with arena, broadcast windows, international competition, things like that.' Both sides sound like they want a new agreement signed by the Oct. 31 deadline. Englebert said she had 'confidence' in reaching a deal. However, it's possible that they will not reach an agreement by that date. Stewart called Thursday's meeting a 'wasted opportunity' with 'a lot of fluff that we couldn't get past.' Ogwumike said players haven't discussed a work stoppage, 'at least not recently.' Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, a WNBPA vice president, said: 'If a lockout is what it comes to, then I think we're prepared for that.' Depending on the progress, the sides could agree to an extension before the deadline. That was the case in the 2019-20 talks, as two extensions were agreed to before the current deal was struck on Jan. 14, 2020. The timing of an agreement will also dictate several key offseason events, including an expansion draft for two incoming franchises, the start of free agency and the college draft. Stewart said she wants 'more of a sense of urgency' in the talks. Jackson told reporters on Thursday that another meeting is scheduled, although she did not provide specifics on time or place. With the second half of the season underway, the meetings will mostly have to occur virtually.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Satou Sabally makes major WNBA All-Star Game announcement
The post Satou Sabally makes major WNBA All-Star Game announcement appeared first on ClutchPoints. Since 2021, Phoenix Mercury star Satou Sabally has made the WNBA All-Star Game in every other season. 2021 was her first All-Star appearance, 2023 was her next selection, and this year on the back of an incredible first season with the Mercury, Sabally was named as a starter to the midseason showcase. However, Satou Sabally took to social media on Wednesday to announce that she would not be playing in the WNBA All-Star Game this Saturday due to her continued recovery from an ankle injury, as per Desert Wave Media. 'Over the past two weeks, I've been working around the clock to rehab my body from injury with two goals in mind: to return to the court with my Mercury sisters as soon as possible, and to be able to participate as a starter in the All-Star Game,' Sabally wrote. 'Unfortunately, my body still needs more time to recover and I am unable to suit up and play in this weekend's game. I'm disappointed, naturally, but I want to ensure I'm doing everything I can to be healthy after the break and give my organization and the X-Factor everything I can as we compete to accomplish our team goals,' Sabally continued. Sabally did mention that she was still going to be in Indiana with the WNBPA Leadership Committee as part of the expected CBA negotiations with the league. Earlier this season, Sabally was 100 percent honest with her assessment of the league's initial CBA proposal. Sabally has missed the last four games for the Mercury due to the ankle injury. She last played on July 3 against the Dallas Wings in what was her first game back in Dallas as an opponent. Sabally joined the Mercury this offseason via a sign-and-trade and helped keep the team afloat amid early injuries to Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper. She has appeared in 18 games so far this season at a little over 28 minutes per game. She's been averaging a career-high 19.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals with splits of 39 percent shooting from the field, 30.9 percent shooting from the three-point line and 82.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line. While her shooting percentages are down, there's no denying her importance to this Mercury team. Related: Mercury fans are loving this Alyssa Thomas-inspired NASCAR design Related: Mercury's Satou Sabally, Kahleah Copper get tough injury updates for Lynx game
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA union rep calls league's CBA offer a ‘slap in the face' as feud intensifies
We've got you covered on the Liberty beat Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA. tRY IT NOW Satou Sabally, a Mercury star and Women's National Basketball Players Association representative, didn't mince words. Negotiations with the WNBA hit an early roadblock when the union rejected the league's first collective bargaining agreement offer sent recently, according to Front Office Sports, and Sabally called it a 'slap in the face' when addressing reporters Tuesday. 'I love to see the league growing,' Sabally said one day after the league announced it'll expand to 18 teams by 2030. '… But how cool would it also be to have a little bit of expansion on the rosters? Let's focus on the teams that have everything set up right now.' The WNBPA opted out of its current CBA in October, essentially setting up a scenario where 2025 would be the last year on the current iteration, and a work stoppage could follow without a new agreement once it expires after the campaign. So negotiations have served as the backdrop to everything that transpires during games this season, with players such as the Fever's Sydney Colson using an interview to leverage the union's thoughts and Caitlin Clark calling out — in the aftermath of Indiana's Commissioner's Cup title earlier this week — the discrepancy in pay between winning the in-season tournament and the postseason one. The first proposal wasn't seen as 'entirely responsive' to the union's stance, according to Front Office Sports, which cited an anonymous source. WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike told The Post's Madeline Kenney on June 22 that negotiations were 'on track' and added that the union wants to have a 'productive' in-person meeting at All-Star Weekend later this month. But as Liberty star Breanna Stewart said, challenges exist when attempting to negotiate during a season. 'I think the hardest things are like finding time,' Stewart said on May 15. 'Time for the calls, because it's like everyone's got a different schedule. Everyone's got personal things going on. But it shows how important it is, and that's really why everyone's — we're able to make time. We're able to make sure that we're gonna not leave anything on the table in terms of when we're talking about what we want.' A new 11-year media rights deal worth $2.2 billion will start next year, and seismic roster shifts could happen this offseason with plenty of players — intentionally — set to hit free agency with the hope of capitalizing on an expected increase in salaries. The WNBA announced that Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia will all add teams by 2030, joining Golden State (this year), Portland (2026) and Toronto (2026) as other cities to receive expansion teams. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told reporters earlier this week that she didn't want CBA negotiations to interfere with the league's plan to scale, calling it the 'right moment' for growth, according to Sportico. But that doesn't mean the WNBPA agrees with how those negotiations have unfolded in the meantime.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA players call initial labor talks with league a ‘wasted opportunity'
INDIANAPOLIS — It had been nearly 20 hours since dozens of WNBA players engaged in 'spirited' exchanges and debates with league officials while discussing matters pertaining to ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations ahead of the All-Star festivities. But after having the time to decompress and reflect, the overwhelming sentiment among players Friday was that the pivotal meeting yielded little to no progress. 'To be frank, it was a wasted opportunity,' Women's National Basketball Players Association vice president Breanna Stewart said. 'We could have really kind of gotten into a deeper dive of everything but it was a lot of fluff that we couldn't get past. And it sucks because situations like that aren't going to happen again because players are playing for different teams in different leagues and this is the only time to have a group together.' The union's executive committee met again 30 minutes before Thursday's negotiations to make sure they had their priorities in order. More than 40 players attended, marking the largest turnout in union history for CBA talks. At one point, the room ran out of chairs for players. The WNBPA believes the record turnout was one of the best ways to send a 'strong message' on how serious the collective is about the new CBA. But what transpired over the next couple of hours in the hotel conference room was not exactly what players had expected. Stewart said it appeared some members on the opposite side of the bargaining table were 'shocked' by how passionately players feel about certain issues, especially revenue sharing. Seattle Storm All-Star Gabby Williams felt the league official 'found a very strategic way to spin everything' and compared them to politicians when players raised questions and concerns. 'I don't think they were aware of how much we did understand of their proposal,' Williams said. 'They thought … that they could just impress us with some fancy numbers and some fancy language and not think that we would actually understand what this meant for us as far as revenue sharing and everything. So I think they heard that we're not to be bamboozled.' Paige Bueckers, this year's No. 1 pick, summed up the meeting by saying it went 'not well.' 'Frustrated' and 'hurt' were other words players used to describe how they felt about it. The WNBPA said it sent proposals as early as February to the league but didn't receive an official counter until last month. The delay was maddening, but the WNBA's proposal was even more upsetting. While players have been calling for a better revenue-sharing model, where players' salaries reflect the league's growth each year, the league's first offer showed just how far apart each side is. 'We were disappointed, for sure, in what they came back with,' WNBPA vice president Napheesa Collier said. 'It was just nowhere near what we asked for. Or even in the same conversation. We asked for something, they came back with something totally different.' The WNBA hasn't issued an official statement on Thursday's meeting. Cathy Engelbert is slated to meet with reporters ahead of Saturday's All-Star Game. While revenue sharing and increased salaries remain the most pinnacle issues for the union, there are many more things that need to be discussed, including but not limited to player amenities, pension, housing stipends and benefits for mothers. With an extended season, there are also questions regarding league prioritization rules that some players, especially international talents, including Williams, have concerns about. The league repeatedly told the union, 'We hear you' throughout Thursday's meeting. But players don't want to just be heard. They want action. '[WNBPA president] Nneka [Ogwumike] did a really great job of making sure [and] Napheesa [Collier] made it abundantly clear, like, 'This is what we are trying to do, so hear that,' ' Fever star Kelsey Mitchell said. 'They stood on business. And it's important to have those kind of leaders supporting the movement because we just want what we deserve.' There's so much ground that still needs to be covered, but a lot of conversations were left 'unfinished' in the meeting, Stewart said. 'There's a lot to be figured out,' Stewart added. The clock is ticking. The current CBA, which was signed in January 2020, expires Oct. 31. While both parties were hoping to avoid a work stoppage, it's a real possibility given how little headway has been made — so much so that Collier said players are preparing for one. '[A work stoppage] is not what anybody wants. But at the end of the day, we have to stand firm,' Collier said. 'We're not going to be moving on certain topics and so, hopefully, the league comes back quickly so that we can have more dialogue, more conversations and we can get the ball rolling.' There's not another in-person meeting on the schedule yet and Stewart said it's unlikely one would happen before the season ends given the WNBA's game schedule, which added to players' frustrations about how little was accomplished. Stewart said a virtual meeting would be the 'next best thing,' though it's still not ideal. Union executives are expected to meet with league officials again 'soon,' but WNBPA executive director Terri Michael Jackson didn't share any details. While the league and players association may remain at odds as of now, both are committed to creating a fair and transformational CBA that makes sense for all parties involved. 'Both sides want to get this done,' Stewart said. 'But at the same time, we need to have a little bit more of a sense of urgency because if we don't have it figured out by end of season, then we have bigger problems and things to worry about.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA's Cathy Engelbert counters on ‘constructive' CBA talks as players send message before All-Star game
INDIANAPOLIS — As WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert held a press conference in the depths of Gainbridge Fieldhouse ahead of Saturday night's All-Star Game, players used their pregame warmups as a chance to send a message. 'Pay us what you owe us,' the T-shirts worn by each player read. The Women's National Basketball Players' Association and league stakeholders remain at an impasse as negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement become more strained and the likelihood of work stoppage after this season grows. While many players felt Thursday's CBA meeting was a 'wasted opportunity' and said little-to-no progress was achieved, Engelbert said she thought the gathering with 40-plus players and league stakeholders was 'constructive.' 'We had candid dialogue, and this is part of the process,' Engelbert said. 'I fully respect the players who are listening. They're listening to our owners, and we're kind of in the middle of the league trying to make sure we're setting this league up for success for decades. And that's the goal. To have a fair CBA for all.' Both sides want to write out a 'transformational' CBA, but the WNBA and players' union have different viewpoints on what that might look like. It took the league five months to counter the union's initial proposals, and the WNBA's response was not well received among players. Some called it 'disrespectful' and said the two parties are oceans away on important issues, especially in terms of creating a robust revenue sharing model that allows players to benefit as the WNBA's popularity and profitability continues to grow. Union president Nneka Ogwumike said she interpreted the league's initial response to include fixed salary-cap numbers. But Engelbert refuted that, saying it's 'not accurate.' 'We've been talking about different ways to do revenue sharing,' she said. 'You'll see the revenue sharing be a much more lucrative one as we go forward because we're in a better place. 'We want to significantly increase their salary and benefits while balancing with our owners their ability to have a path of profitability as well to continued investment.' The union's stern stance on implementing a fluid revenue sharing system is rooted in the fact that the league has a new 11-year media rights deal valued at $2.2 billion starting in 2026. They also took note that the WNBA's most recent expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia coughed up a whopping $250 million to buy in. Engelbert mentioned that national viewership year-over-year is up 23 percent, attendance is the highest it's been in decades and merchandise sales shattered previous records — all promising stats that show the league's surge in popularity. Players see those numbers and want their fair share. They used the opportunity of the nationally televised All-Star Game to make a statement. Not only did players wear the shirts, but Mystics guard Brittney Sykes also held up a 'Pay The Players' sign when she was presented the All-Star Game's MVP trophy. Breanna Stewart, a member of the WNBPA executive committee, said the demonstration likely would've happened regardless of how Thursday's tempestuous meeting went. 'We wanted to do something united,' Stewart said. 'We have strength in numbers, and we know that we don't always have this opportunity to be together like this. So making a statement where everyone will see it.' The union has said it's preparing for a work stoppage when the current CBA expires Oct. 31. Engelbert said she has 'confidence' a deal can be struck before the Halloween deadline, but also said she's 'not going to put an exact date on it. 'We're in a good place and we're going back and forth,' she said. The current CBA was signed in January 2020. But there's extra urgency to get this deal done by the deadline so teams can prepare for the Toronto and Portland expansion drafts, which are expected to take place in December. Rules for expansion drafts are part of the CBA, so teams don't know what to expect yet. Free agency, which usually starts in late January, and potentially the April draft would also be on hold as long as a deal remains unfinalized. Neither side wants that to be a case. Engelbert remains optimistic that the two sides will be able to agree on a CBA that people will hopefully be raving about at next year's All-Star event. 'I want a lot of the same things the players want. I said that last time, too, and it's not changed,' she said. 'But we also have to have a process where we got back and forth and that's where we're in the process. Again, still really optimistic that we get something done that will be transformational.'
