As league viewership and team valuations have swelled, the players union exercised its right to opt out of the current agreement’s 2027 expiration date. Players wanted increased revenue sharing as part of their salary makeup, so that they could benefit from the record media deal with ESPN that is set to go into effect next year and additional money, like that from increasing merchandise sales.
“We’re on a time crunch. No one wants a lockout,” Collier told reporters in July at this year’s WNBA All-Star Game, where players took the court wearing warmup T-shirts reading, “Pay Us What You Owe Us.”
“But at the end of the day, we have to stand firm, and we’re not going to be moved on certain topics,” added Collier, who, as a vice president of the WNBPA, has been a frequent advocate for the players in negotiations.
The league and the players association could agree to an extension of the current CBA while negotiations continue past October, but major roadblocks in the two parties coming to consensus could lead to a play stoppage and player lockout. That could delay typical offseason events, like the college draft and free agency.
And even a new CBA could spell change for the league. Roster sizes, salary caps and free agency procedures are among the issues determined in these types of contracts.
Nearly all of the league’s veteran players signed their most recent contracts with an eye on the CBA expiration date. They realized a new agreement could elevate teams’ salary caps and didn’t want to be stuck on old deals when those ceilings were raised.