WNBA players have been clear about the fact that they want more. More respect. More money. More salary. More of the total profits. Higher salary cap.\u00a0<\/p>\n
RELATED: \u2018Peak Delusion\u2019 Or WNBA \u2018Needs A New President?: Chaos Within The League and Caitlin Clark\u2019s Silence Suggests Collective Bargaining Will End In Player\u2019s Strike<\/a><\/p>\n WNBA Players Want A Revenue Sharing System With 30 Percent Of Gross Revenue & Salary Cap Of $10.5\u00a0<\/p>\n And based upon the latest reports, the WNBA has acquiesced to most of their demands. However, with just over a week remaining until the Jan. 9 deadline for a new WNBA collective bargaining agreement, the league and the Women\u2019s National Basketball Players Association are not close to a deal, ESPN reported on Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n In fact, reports indicate that the league and players association are in a stalemate concerning a number of basic points including a revenue-sharing system and the process of accounting for expenses.<\/p>\n WNBA president Nneka Ogwumike told ESPN on Dec. 19, that the league\u2019s revenue sharing model is \u201cnot adequate.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the league, who hasn\u2019t denied that higher pay is in order, the latest proposal from the WNBPA (30% of gross revenue for the players and a salary cap of around $10.5 million) isn\u2019t a sustainable financial model to ensure league survival. They claim these increases would cost the WNBA approximately $700 million over the length of the pact. League sources report that such a loss would be more than the combined losses of the league and its teams in the WNBA\u2019s first 39 years. WNBA\u2019s counter proposal is a salary cap of $5 million with growth in line with revenue sharing over the deal.<\/p>\n WNBA Offers 50 Percent Net Revenue, $410K Increase In Salary, $2M Max Salaries\u00a0<\/p>\n The last reported proposal from the WNBA side also offered 50-plus-percent of net revenue (revenue subtracting expenses), raising average salaries from $120,000 to $530,000 and max salaries from $249,244 to $1.3 million immediately and close to $2 million over the course of the deal.<\/p>\n Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier<\/a> has been very outspoken against the league and WNBA Commissioner Catherine Engelbert<\/a>, which made these negotiations very contentious from the start.\u00a0<\/p>\n Collier, the WNBPA vice president, called a press conference and said WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was providing the \u201cworst leadership in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor too long I have tried to have these conversations in private,\u201d Collier added. \u201cBut it\u2019s clear there\u2019s no intention of accepting there\u2019s a problem (with the league\u2019s officiating, in particular). The league has made it clear, it isn\u2019t about innovation. It isn\u2019t about collaboration. It\u2019s about control and power.\u201d<\/p>\n Other less outspoken voices, including Caitlin Clark agreed with Collier.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI have great respect for Phee, and I think she made a lot of very valid points,\u201d Clark told reporters back in October. \u201cI think, what people need to understand, we need great leadership in this time across all levels. This is straight up the most important moment in this league\u2019s history\u2026 This is a moment we have to capitalize on.\u201d<\/p>\n Player rep Satou Sabally of the Phoenix Mercury called the league\u2019s first CBA offer \u201ca slap in the face.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n RELATED: \u2018Making Million Dollar Salaries in a League Losing Money?\u2019: WNBPA Reportedly Rejects \u2018Slap In The Face\u2019 Deal That Quadruples Salaries, Boosts Max To $1M<\/a><\/p>\n In mid-December, WNBA players put their chips in the middle of the court and voted to give WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike and the executive committee the authority to potentially initiate a strike.<\/p>\n \u201cThe players have spoken,\u201d the WNBPA said in a statement. \u201cThrough a decisive vote with historic participation, our membership has authorized the WNBPA\u2019s Executive Committee to call a strike when necessary. The players\u2019 decision is an unavoidable response to the state of negotiations with the WNBA and its teams.\u201d<\/p>\n The WNBA has so many things going on as the league expands and everyone tries to get a gauge on how much the league makes, what its worth and what the players (outside of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A\u2019ja Wilson and a few other familiar names) should be compensated with.\u00a0<\/p>\n Studbudz Explain What\u2019s Going On With WNBA CBA Negotiations\u00a0<\/p>\n WNBA All-Star Courtney Williams and backcourt mate Natisha Hiedeman broke down the current CBA negotiations between the players and the WNBA on the \u201cStudbudz\u201d Twitch stream.\u00a0<\/p>\n courtney williams breaks down the current CBA negotiations between the players and the WNBA on the studbudz stream<\/p>\n “they still wanna pay coaches more than they pay an a’ja wilson or a napheesa collier.” pic.twitter.com\/fuxVxpHMFG<\/a><\/p>\n