A day after the 2024 WNBA season concluded with the New York Liberty winning its first-ever championship in an unforgettable Finals against the Minnesota Lynx, news broke that ensured the W would indeed remain in the news.
That news involved the WNBPA which announced – as was expected – that it would indeed opt-out of its current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the league.
When that CBA was ratified between league and players, it was hailed as a game-changer for the business of women’s sports. But what the W is today is worlds different than what it was in 2020.
With this news coming down the pike, it gives the WNBA a year to negotiate a new CBA with the union.
In addition, this statement was released by WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
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.
–Cathy Engelbert, WNBA commissioner
What does this opt-out mean? Here are five aspects of the WNBPA’s opting out of the current CBA that stuck out to us.
Shattered Glass Documentary
Remember the “Shattered Glass” documentary that premiered on Tubi around the beginning of the calendar year?
That documentary centered on how the current CBA came to fruition. It was centered on three players in particular – Nneka Ogwumike, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart.
Anyone who watched that documentary could tell that the opt-out was coming. They said it in plain language during the documentary. This day was coming – the only question was when it would come. As it turned out, the opt-out occurred nearly a calendar year prior to when the CBA is supposed to expire.
New Media Deal
A massive reason why the WNBPA is opting out of the CBA is because it is aware of the windfall of money that is coming into the WNBA – and that that amount is only going to increase.
Earlier this year, the W announced that starting in 2026, its rights will be split between ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock and Amazon Prime Video. Included in that pact is for the Finals to be rotated between Disney, NBC and Amazon. The first year of the deal – 2026 – will see the Finals will be on NBC (as well as 2030 and 2034).
Prime is slated to air the Finals in 2028, 2032 and 2036. ESPN/ABC will have the Finals in odd-numbered years.
The WNBPA wants their cut of that television money. The players also know TNT is slated to pay $100 million over six years for Unrivaled and that the WNBA deal is actually an element of a larger deal negotiated by the NBA.
“Minimum Professional Standards”
Implementing consistent minimum standards that align with other leading professional sports leagues, maintaining professional and safe environments across the league, including practice and game facilities, as well as travel accommodations.
The “travel accommodations” part of that was addressed earlier in the season when chartered flights were implemented.
This appears to be a push by the players to get all teams – including the expansion franchises – to have state-of-the-art practice facilities – those that the New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces, Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury already have.
The Chicago Sky recently broke ground on a practice facility. The Connecticut Sun had to share space at a recreation gym prior to one of its playoff games.
The WNBPA is looking to address this.
Expansion
The WNBPA knows exactly what it is doing by opting out of the CBA because it is occurring at a time when the W is expanding to new markets.
Next year is scheduled to see the Golden State Valkyries make their debut in the league. In 2026, new teams for Portland and Toronto are scheduled to make their debut.
Those are massive bargaining chips that the players can use in negotiations.
Revenue Split
The primary linchpin of everything could be the players getting a larger piece of the WNBA’s increasing financial pie.
Currently, the players only receive less than 10% of all league revenues. With more and more money coming the W’s way, that is another part of these talks that surely will get plenty of attention.
