The second CBA extension between the WNBA and the players’ union is set to expire in 20 days. And the WNBPA remains “frustrated” by the lack of progress toward a new agreement. Now, the union has issued a serious warning about a possible strike.

But is this the first time that threat has surfaced?

Not really!

Nearly a month ago, during an episode of In Case You Missed It, WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson was asked about the possibility of a work stoppage.

To which she replied with, “If a work stoppage were to happen, I want fans to realize that it should not have happened, that nobody wanted this to happen,....At least nobody on the player side of the table would have wanted this to happen.”

At the time, it sounded like a precaution. But now, it feels like a warning.

And clearly she’s right, as a lockout would benefit no one. Players would be affected, yes, but so would the league.

The upcoming season could be delayed, even as two new expansion teams wait for the draft. More than 100 players are set to enter free agency this January. But what makes it even more painful is that it all comes as W experiences historic growth in visibility and revenue.

Still, if necessary, the players are prepared to act.

As Jackson emphasized last month, “If this happens, if the players were to strike, I want fans to understand it’s because we were pushed to a point of no return. We were pushed to a point where the league and the teams did not take us seriously and were not willing to engage.”

And as she warned then, that appears to be exactly where things stand. Since October 31, 2024, players have been pushing for a better revenue-sharing model and higher salaries. But despite months of negotiations, their demands remain unmet.

So far, the league has proposed increasing the maximum salary to $1.3 million per season. With revenue sharing, that number could rise to nearly $2 million, a significant jump from the current supermax salary of roughly $250,000 per year.

The proposal would also raise the average annual salary to more than $530,000, with minimum salaries projected to exceed $225,000.

But revenue sharing remains the biggest hurdle. While players currently receive about 9%, the league’s proposal caps that share at 15%. The WNBPA, however, is pushing for closer to 30%.

That gap is where negotiations appear to be stuck. Though Jackson has declined to specify the details, saying only that “everything seems to still be a sticking point.”

As a result, the WNBPA has taken its most serious step yet. About 93% of eligible players participated in a recent vote, and 98% authorized a strike if necessary. The final decision, however, rests with the seven-player WNBPA executive committee.

“Will there be another extension? There shouldn’t be another extension,” Jackson said recently. "We understand their position and point of view, and they understand ours.”

But while the union remains frustrated and prepares for the possibility of a strike, will the league let it come to that?

WNBA on CBA Negotiations

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert hinted back in October that the league wants to avoid a lockout. And the league, despite the union’s recent move, is on the same page. 

“While we acknowledge the players’ right to authorize a future work stoppage, we strongly disagree with the WNBPA’s characterization of the current state of negotiations,” the league said in a statement.

“It is difficult to understand claims that the league is resistant to change, particularly given that we are proposing numerous CBA modifications, including significant immediate salary increases and a new uncapped revenue-sharing model that would ensure continued salary growth tied to revenue growth.”

So yes, the league says it is looking for common ground. But will that ground be reached before the clock runs out?

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Joyita Das