WNBA Players Opt Out of Current CBA, Face Possible Work Stoppage in 2025

Tom Dierberger | Oct 21, 2024

The Liberty claimed the first WNBA championship in franchise history with a win over the Lynx in Game 5 on Sunday night. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The WNBA Players Association officially chose to opt out of its current collective bargaining agreement with the league and will have to agree to a new deal by next fall to avoid a work stoppage.

"Players demand a new economic model higher pay, better benefits, professional standards and an equitable share of the success they've created, reflecting their true value," the organization said in a statement. "... Despite driving WNBA growth for several seasons, players still face capped salaries and limited benefits."

The WNBPA Board of Player Representatives and WNBPA Executive Committee have decided to opt out of the 2020 WNBA/WNBPA CBA on behalf of the collective.

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— WNBPA (@TheWNBPA) October 21, 2024

The current collective bargaining agreement in place now will conclude on Oct. 31, 2025—shortly after the 2025 WNBA season concludes.

The move comes as no surprise in light of the WNBA's new television deal it signed with Disney, Amazon Prime, and NBC this summer that will pay the league about $2.2 billion over the next 11 years.

"This is a defining moment, not just for the WNBA, but for all of us who believe in progress," WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike of the Seattle Storm said in a statement. "The world has evolved since 2020, and we cannot afford to stand still. If we stay in the current agreement, we fall behind."

Among the issues the union aims to improve in future negotiations include bigger salaries, retirement benefits, and child care.

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