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More than 40 WNBA players gathered in Indianapolis on Thursday, July 17, for an in-person meeting with the league as part of ongoing negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement, or CBA. It marked the largest in-person turnout by union members in WNBPA history during CBA talks.
The meeting between the Women’s National Basketball Players Association and WNBA officials lasted a couple of hours, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN, and concluded without a resolution. In a statement issued after the session — shared on X, formerly Twitter, by Andrews — the union expressed disappointment with the league’s latest proposal, calling it insufficient.
“The WNBA’s response to our proposals fails to address the priorities we’ve voiced from the day we opted out: a transformational CBA that delivers our rightful share of the business that we’ve built, improves working conditions, and ensures the success we create lifts both today’s players and the generations that follow,” the WNBPA said in a public statement.
Over 40 players attended today’s CBA meeting, which lasted a couple of hours.
In a statement, the WNBPA says “the WNBA's response to our proposals fails to address the priorities we've voiced…we will not stop until we achieve the transformational CBA this moment demands.” pic.twitter.com/OPRkoWY60F
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) July 17, 2025
The union emphasized that player demands have been clearly communicated and criticized the league for undervaluing the labor that has helped drive the league’s growth.
“Media rights, ratings, revenue, team valuations, expansion fees, attendance, and ticket sales — are all up in historic fashion,” the statement continued. “But short-changing the working women who make this business possible stalls growth.”
The current CBA expires at the end of October, and players voted last fall to opt out in order to seek better terms. If no agreement is reached by the deadline, a potential lockout looms. Union president Nneka Ogwumike had previously expressed hope that face-to-face dialogue would ease tensions, but the WNBPA ultimately left the meeting unsatisfied.
“We are committed to the fight,” the union said. “We are committed to returning to the negotiating table. And we will not stop until we achieve the transformational CBA this moment demands.”
Further negotiations are expected in the coming months as both sides work toward an agreement before the offseason.
