WNBA Faces Potential First-Ever Work Stoppage! Major Disagreement Over Revenue Sharing Between Labor and Management

On August 26 Beijing time, according to the well-known American media outlet Front Office Sports, the WNBA and the players' union have just over 60 days left to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, but various signs indicate that the two sides are unlikely to reach a consensus before the October 31 deadline.

A source familiar with the negotiations revealed that extending the deadline is likely necessary to avoid an immediate stoppage.

“Women’s sports and the WNBA are currently on an upward trajectory, showing strong momentum and positive developments. The players are fully committed and hope to secure a transformative collective bargaining agreement that will serve as a foundation to further advance the league,” said Jackson, the executive director of the players’ union, in a statement to Front Office Sports. “With only 60 days left on the negotiation clock, the league shows no sense of urgency, causing players to question whether the league genuinely wants a deal or is merely stalling. Fans do not want to see this outcome; they stand with the players demanding new industry standards for the WNBA.”

Front Office Sports reported that if no agreement is reached by the October 31 deadline, the following possibilities exist—

1. Extension of the previous collective bargaining agreement

Extending the previous CBA (which requires mutual consent) can temporarily prevent a stoppage and buy more time for negotiations. In 2019, the league and players’ union issued a joint statement three days before the deadline agreeing to extend the negotiation period by 60 days; ultimately, they completed negotiations before the free agency market opened the following January.

However, unlike in 2019, the WNBA currently faces the challenge of league expansion—with two new teams planned to join in 2026. On December 7, 2024, the league held an expansion draft for the Golden State Warriors Women, more than a month before the free agency market opened. Yet, for the upcoming expansion draft, the league has not released any rules or set dates. Since both expansion drafts and free agency operations depend on the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, without a new deal, expansion-related activities cannot proceed.

2. WNBA Work Stoppage

Another possibility is a work stoppage or disruption, which could take the form of a league-initiated lockout (where the league refuses to allow players to compete) or a player-initiated strike. Historically, the WNBA has never lost official games due to work stoppages, though in 2003, the league draft and preseason schedule were slightly delayed.

The players’ union has repeatedly stated it will “stay at the negotiating table at all costs” until a “transformative” new CBA is reached. Key player demands include improving the revenue-sharing structure, enhancing benefits, expanding team rosters, and establishing unified league-wide workplace standards.

The first face-to-face negotiations occurred during the WNBA All-Star Weekend held in Indianapolis. Several players, including union vice presidents Stewart and Collier, described the talks as a “complete waste of time” due to vast disagreements over revenue sharing. Before the All-Star game, players warmed up wearing T-shirts printed with “What We’re Owed, We Want Back” to express their demands.

In the NBA, players receive about 50% of basketball-related league revenues, and the salary cap increases in line with league revenue growth—the maximum salary cap increase for the 2025-26 NBA season has reached 10%. In contrast, the WNBA’s salary cap increase is capped at 3%, a restriction stemming from the context of the last negotiation round when the WNBA’s business model was far less stable than it is today.

In recent years, the WNBA has seen significant capital inflows: on one hand, the league signed an $2.2 billion, 11-year media rights deal; on the other, expansion fees have set new records. In June this year, the WNBA announced plans to increase the number of teams to 18 by 2030, with just the three new teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia bringing in $250 million in expansion revenue each.

For WNBA players, the primary current demand is to secure a fixed percentage share of league revenues that grows in tandem with the league’s commercial development.