On Tuesday, the WNBA offered to extend the negotiations for new CBA by 30 days.<\/p>\n
WNBA players have yet to accept, with a source telling ESPN<\/a> and Front Office Sports<\/a> that players could agree to an extension \u201cunder the right circumstances,\u201d yet \u201cthose circumstances do not yet exist.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n If an extension is not reached, the CBA expires Friday, Oct. 31. At that point, without a new CBA , both sides could continue to negotiate. But, those conditions could also result in a work stoppage, with the players going on strike or the owners locking out the players.<\/p>\n Speaking on The Athletic\u2019s \u201cNo Offseason\u201d podcast<\/a>, Erin Drake, a WNBPA senior advisor and legal counsel, indicated that a new CBA will not be agreed to by the Friday deadline, explaining:<\/p>\n We have worked hard to be able to say on Friday, we did it. Unfortunately, that\u2019s not going to happen. In a dance, it takes two to tango. And it has been difficult to find a beat, to find a rhythm and to find the same sense of urgency [from the league], just to be frank, to get this done.<\/p>\n The league has rebutted Drake\u2019s assertions, with a WNBA spokesperson telling ESPN<\/a> and Front Office Sports<\/a>:<\/p>\n We have been negotiating with the Players Association in good faith and with urgency for several months with the goal of finalizing a new collective bargaining agreement as quickly as possible. Throughout this process, we have been clear that our top priority is reaching a new collective bargaining agreement that addresses players\u2019 ask for significant increases in pay, benefits and enhancements to their experience, while ensuring the long-term growth and success of the league and its teams.<\/p>\n We urge the Players Association to spend less time disseminating public misinformation and more time joining us in constructive engagement across the table.<\/p>\n The WNBPA further communicated their stance in an Instagram post<\/a> featuring photos of fans with players, except with blacked-out outlines of the players, and the caption, \u201cWho\u2019s missing? These moments wouldn\u2019t be possible without the players.\u201d<\/p>\n