The WNBA will not come to a halt just yet. The players association accepted the league's offer to extend the deadline to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, according to The Athletic's Ben Pickman. Before this deal was reached, which will run through Nov. 30, the current CBA was set to expire on Oct. 31. Tension and resentment continue to define talks, but this is undeniably a welcome development.
It initially appeared that the WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) would reject the extension proposal, given how far apart the two sides have been to this point, but both parties clearly want to avoid a lockout. The league has experienced growth in recent years, culminating with a $2-plus-billion media rights deal, but it still cannot afford to sever trust with its audience. The product must maintain momentum, and a CBA deadlock risks squandering it.
While it is unclear if the WNBA and WNBPA can make meaningful progress during this additional window of time, it is encouraging to see them get on the same page in this regard, at least. Do not expect the players to decrease their intensity, however. Minnesota Lynx star and WNBPA Vice President Napheesa Collier remains firm in her stance that the players are unjustly compensated for their role in expanding the W.
Unless owners agree to fork over a significantly larger revenue share than the 9.3 percent they currently pay out, a lockout is inevitable. Coming to a resolution on this issue will be difficult, but perhaps the tides will turn in November. The fact that the league and WNBPA are actively preventing a work stoppage is a step forward, even if just a small one.
