{"id":183582,"date":"2025-10-01T22:28:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T22:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/183582\/"},"modified":"2025-10-01T22:28:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T22:28:13","slug":"heres-absolutely-everything-you-need-to-know-about-this-weeks-wnba-drama-that-might-actually-shut-down-the-entire-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/183582\/","title":{"rendered":"Here’s Absolutely Everything You Need To Know About This Week’s WNBA Drama That Might Actually Shut Down The Entire League"},"content":{"rendered":"

The WNBA is currently the fastest-growing brand<\/a> in American sports. The all-women’s basketball league has seen unprecedented development following the popularity of players like Caitlin Clark<\/a> and Angel Reese<\/a>.\"Two<\/p>\n

Icon Sportswire \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

However, all is not well in the WNBA world, as the players are currently negotiating their CBA.CBA stands for Collective Bargaining Agreement, which is the contract between the players, the union, and the league. It focuses on a wide range of players’ rights, but the main one that has stalled the negotiation process is the player revenue share.\"TweetIn most major sports leagues, players enjoy a revenue share. That’s a cut from the league’s overall revenue. In the NBA, players get nearly 50% revenue share<\/a>. The same can be said<\/a> for the NFL<\/a>, the MLB, and the NHL. However, WNBA players have a meager 9.3% revenue share<\/a>, which is disgusting. This lowly revenue share maybe made more sense when the WNBA was getting on its feet, but it cannot be logically explained in today’s market.\"BarCouple that 9.3% revenue share with the fact that the WNBA’s 13 teams have seen an 180% increase<\/a> in value due to stars like Clark and Reese bringing millions of new eyeballs to TVs and thousands of butts into stadium chairs, and you have gross negligence and what I can only categorize as a fleece by the WNBA.\"BasketballNot to mention that the WNBA is expanding<\/a> to 18 teams by 2030. Maybe pay your players more first?\"A<\/p>\n

Steph Chambers \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

Napheesa Collier, a veteran star who plays for the Minnesota Lynx, went viral this week after she took aim at WNBA leadership for a range of issues, including revenue sharing and officiating. In a prepared statement, she called out WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, saying, \u201cRight now, we have the worst leadership in the world.\u201d\"Basketball<\/p>\n

Christian Petersen \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

“The real threat to our league isn\u2019t money, it isn\u2019t ratings, or even missed calls, or even physical play. It\u2019s the lack of accountability from the league office,\u201d Collier stated. \u201cSince I\u2019ve been in the league, you\u2019ve heard the constant concerns about officiating, and it has now reached levels of inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity in which it operates.”\"A<\/p>\n

Ellen Schmidt \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether the league cares about the health of the players is one thing, but to also not care about the product we put on the floor is truly self-sabotage,” she continued. \u201cYear after year, the only thing that remains consistent is the lack of accountability from our leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n

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“Fans see it every night,” Collier said. “Coaches, both winning and losing, point it out every night in pregame and postgame media,” Collier said. “Yet leadership just issues fines and looks the other way. They ignore the issues that everyone inside the game is begging to be fixed. That is negligence.\u201d She was directly referring to a league-wide call from fans, coaches, and players<\/a> to improve officiating, which has been inconsistent.\"TweetHere is Collier’s coach, Cheryl Reeve, commenting on officiating:<\/p>\n

Twitter: @espn<\/a><\/p>\n

Officiating wasn’t the only issue Collier addressed in her statement. She also called out the league for the ongoing revenue sharing issue. \u201cI also asked how she (Commissioner Cathy Engelbert) planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin (Clark), Angel (Reese) and Paige (Bueckers), who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years,” she stated. “(Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s) response was, \u2018Caitlin should be grateful she made $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn\u2019t make anything.\u2019 In that same conversation, she told me, \u2018Players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Twitter: @FOS<\/a><\/p>\n

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YIKES. For reference,\u00a0Caitlin Clark is on her rookie contract<\/a>, which pays $338,000 over a four-year period. This past season, Clark made $78,000. I earn more than that, and I assure you, I’m not generating millions in jersey sales. Angel Reese, also on a rookie contract<\/a>, makes roughly the same amount.<\/p>\n

Of course, WNBA fans came to Collier’s defense after her statement went viral:Talk about it!\"TweetNGL, even my 60+ year old parents know Caitlin Clark, and they haven’t watched a single WNBA game in years.\"AI have also been radicalized.\"Tweet @Chrismichcon \/ Via x.com<\/a>Put it on a billboard!\"InstagramSay it louder for the people in the back!\"TweetEngelbert responded to Collier\u2019s comments via a statement on Tuesday. \u201cI have the utmost respect for Napheesa Collier and for all the players in the WNBA,” her statement read. “Together we have all worked tirelessly to transform this league. My focus remains on ensuring a bright future for the players and the WNBA, including collaborating on how we continue to elevate the game. I am disheartened by how Napheesa characterized our conversations and league leadership, but even when our perspectives differ, my commitment to the players and to this work will not waver.\u201d\"A<\/p>\n

Jed Jacobsohn \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

There also seems to be a major misconception about what WNBA players are asking for, with mouth breathers rushing online to say things like this:\"BasketballHowever, takes like this are purposely worded poorly, to stir up controversy. Or perhaps this person actually has no idea what they’re talking about. What WNBA players are asking for is more than their 9.3% revenue share, especially since the league has seen nearly 200% growth in valuation. A model closer to other leagues, such as the NBA or NFL, where players receive nearly a 50% revenue share, would be more equitable for the athletes who are on the floor, actually putting their bodies on the line for the massive growth we’ve witnessed in the WNBA.\"Basketball<\/p>\n

Geoff Stellfox \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

The WNBA players’ union opted out of the\u00a0current CBA<\/a>, which was originally set to expire in 2027. Now they have until\u00a0October 31 to reach a new agreement, or decide to extend the current one. However, many analysts are predicting a lockout<\/a>, which would essentially close the league until a new CBA is put in place.<\/p>\n

@jazzvangogh \/ Via x.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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What do you think about the ongoing WNBA CBA negotiation and Collier’s statements? Let me know in the comment section below!