The WNBA and players’ union returned to negotiations Wednesday after a grueling 12-hour bargaining session ended at 5 a.m. without a deal. Key issues include revenue sharing and player housing, with both sides working toward what officials call a “transformational” agreement.
NEW YORK — Professional women’s basketball officials and player representatives continued contract negotiations Wednesday following an exhausting overnight bargaining session that concluded at 5 a.m. without reaching an agreement on a new collective bargaining deal.
The lengthy discussions wrapped up early Wednesday morning after 12 hours of talks, but both parties reconvened that afternoon and were still meeting as evening approached.
Speaking Wednesday morning, union executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson expressed optimism, noting there were “a lot of conversations going in the right direction.”
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert briefly addressed media outside the Manhattan hotel hosting the negotiations.
“It’s complex, but we’re working towards a win-win deal like we’ve been saying, transformational deal for these players. That balances all the things we’ve been trying to balance with continued investment by our owners,” Engelbert stated. “So, we’re working hard towards that and still have work to do.”
The players’ union brought executive committee members Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart, Alysha Clark and Brianna Turner to join Jackson and union staff. League representatives included Engelbert, head of league operations Bethany Donaphin and New York Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai. Connecticut Sun president Jen Rizzotti joined Wednesday’s negotiating team.
During the overnight marathon session, neither party departed the hotel. The following day, both groups stepped outside during breaks to enjoy Manhattan’s unusually mild mid-March weather.
According to a source close to the negotiations who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks, both parties have been presenting proposals during the past two days of bargaining.
Major disagreements center on revenue sharing arrangements and housing provisions, along with disputes over franchise player designations and benefits for former players.
League officials previously stated that at minimum, a preliminary agreement would need completion by Tuesday to maintain the planned season schedule.
“We’ve got to get this deal done. We’ve got to get it done soon,” Engelbert told reporters without accepting questions.
Once negotiators reach an agreement in principle, the league indicates several weeks will be required to finalize the collective bargaining agreement. Following completion, expansion drafts for new Portland and Toronto franchises would occur between April 1-6, based on a timeline provided to the Associated Press.
Teams would issue free agent qualifying offers, including franchise tags, on April 7-8. Organizations would then have three days to negotiate with more than 80% of players entering free agency. The signing window would run from April 12-18.
Training camps would begin the following day, allowing the season to commence May 8.
However, reaching that timeline requires resolving the revenue sharing structure. The union’s recent proposal requested an average of 26% of gross revenue throughout the contract period, starting at 25% in year one. League officials called that figure unrealistic.
The WNBA’s latest offers have proposed more than 70% of net revenue, with increases tied to continued league growth.