A simple courtside invite from Caitlin Clark has highlighted a serious issue for the WNBA. 

What’s one of the most endearing ways to show respect? Naming your dog after someone. But when that someone is Caitlin Clark, things are bound to get interesting.

It all comes up as CC found herself at the center of a lighthearted moment. When Elijah Sarratt shared that he named his American Bully after the Indiana Fever star, criticism was expected. But it never came. 

When CC saw the post, she responded in her own way. She reposted the video to her Instagram story and added a welcoming message. “Both are welcome courtside this year,” she wrote. 

That simple response sparked excitement, suggesting that both Sarratt and his dog, also named CC, could be heading to an Indiana game. But the moment also reopened a larger conversation. One that depends on whether a 2026 WNBA season even happens.

The players' union and the league have been negotiating on the CBA since October 31, 2024. Both sides held talks, including two extensions, but they did not reach an agreement. 

Now, over 100 players have entered free agency, the expansion draft is pending, and the contract extensions have been delayed. And all these signs point to the 2026 season being pushed back as well. 

Although a full fledged work stoppage has never happened in the WNBA, this is a situation that feels all too familiar for fans who have witnessed the same in the NBA and MLB.

The CBA disputes ultimately resulted in a lockout and a postponed start to the season. Can this league avoid that, is the answer that may define the WNBA’s future far beyond this season.

Where are the Two Parties Stuck? 

The league is reportedly offering 70% of net revenue, while the union is pushing for 30% of gross revenue. As a result, the WNBA has entered a status quo wherein the current CBA would be maintained.

Even though the two parties negotiate in “good faith,” nothing is guaranteed. The union has already voted to authorize the Executive Committee to call out a strike if necessary, holding firm on its demand for 30% of gross revenue. 

And Caitlin Clark, unsurprisingly, stands with the union. Speaking to the media on December 12, the Fever star shared, “We’re going to fight for everything we deserve…But at the same time, we need to play basketball. That’s what our fans crave, and that’s what all of you crave as well.”

She added, “It’s important that we find a way to play this next season. I think our fans—and everybody who has played in this league before us—deserve that.”

The league, meanwhile, believes meeting that demand could result in losses of nearly $700 million over the life of the agreement. And that’s exactly where things stand, for CC, the Fever, and the future of the league.

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Joyita Das