It took a while, but the WNBA and the WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) finally have a verbal agreement on a new labor deal, a huge step in ensuring that there won't be a lockout this season.
The WNBA and the WNBPA have been holding extended meetings over the past few days to come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which would include higher salaries—possibly at $1 million—and a revised revenue-sharing system.
Among those who led the fight for the WNBPA are Seattle Storm's Nneka Ogwumike and New York Liberty's Breanna Stewart, who serve as the union's president and vice president, respectively.
In a report from ESPN's Alexa Philippou, Ogwumike and Stewart expressed their relief after the positive development, while touting their resolve to stay the course.
“We're just really grateful to be able to come to a deal. We're proud of ourselves, and quite frankly, we always told you all we were going to stand on business, and that's what this looks like,” said Ogwumike.
“This deal is going to be transformational. It's going to build and help create a system where everybody is getting exactly what they deserve and more, from on-court and off-court aspects. (We're) just excited that we can tell our fans that we're going to be back,” added Stewart.
Philippou noted that the new CBA will “reflect the league's skyrocketing growth and popularity.” The league has ridden a steady wave in recent years, with attendance, viewership, and merchandise sales rising exponentially.
Players have long demanded that they deserve better treatment and that the WNBA must be more progressive with its vision to sustain its unprecedented success.
