After a 16-month-long negotiation process, the WNBA and the players' union finally came to an agreement on the new CBA deal last month.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert revealed during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday that the new CBA reflects the passion both parties have for the sport, making it crucial to get the terms of the deal right.

"We needed to get it right. I mean, when you're looking at this long-term labour piece, seven years, the process wasn't definitely linear.  And, you know, you have to do a lot of listening, reacting, responding." Engelbert said.

The biggest negotiating factor that took the most amount of time to get the deal over the line was the revenue-sharing model.

While the players initially looked forward to a 30% share, the WNBPA only offered a net revenue of 70%, which amounted to less than 15% of the gross value.

The final number in the new CBA is around 20% of the gross value, as Engelbert explained on the importance of its inclusion.

“This is the first time the players are going to benefit every time we increase our revenue,” Cathy Engelbert said. “They have a full revenue share on full league and team revenue. And that’s a huge win-win for both them and team owners.”

The WNBA had also told the players that the league triggered an automatic revenue share of around $8 million through reaching specific benchmarks as per the last CBA in 2020.

The WNBA now proceeds with other scheduled offseason events, starting with the expansion draft on April 3 for the new teams, Portland Fire and Toronto Temper, while the college draft is scheduled for April 13. Training camps open on April 19, while the preseason starts on April 25.

Fans React to Cathy Engelbert's Latest CBA Statements

Fans were obviously content to see the end of the negotiations, as they could finally focus on some hoops. The WNBA Commissioner's latest comments reignited their hopes for the league's future.

"You can feel how much this means for the future of the WNBA. Big step forward." One user said regarding the CBA deal negotiated by Cathy Engelbert and the players.

"'Passion' sounds good, but it usually means there were real disagreements before they got a deal done." Another user believes that significant effort from both parties was needed to reach an agreement.

"Passion + business finally aligning… that’s how leagues level up." One fan echoed their opinion.

"As long as the players are satisfied, it's a win." Another said.

"Couldn't agree more, it's amazing to see everyone come together like that." One user commented.

With the completion of a revolutionary CBA, fans are even more hyped for the 30th anniversary of the WNBA, with opening night scheduled for May 8.

Read more at She Got Game!

Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Siddharth Rawat