ST. CLOUD — The St. Cloud State Center for Economic Education is hosting a public event on Friday, Nov. 7, to discuss the recent controversy and details surrounding the WNBA collective bargaining agreement.
King Banaian, director of the Center for Policy Research and Communication Engagement, and Lynn MacDonald, associate professor of economics, will lead the discussion.
MacDonald has been using real-life examples to make economic material “real and understandable,” she told St. Cloud LIVE. She’s also used the WNBA example to develop a curriculum to help teachers across the state implement lessons. MacDonald hosts webinars in partnership with the Minnesota Council for Economic Education for K-12 teachers.
“Most professors look for ways to tie the material to their students, make it real and understandable, so I’ve always done that, but it’s been more recently that I’ve been actually developing curriculum to help other teachers do the same,” MacDonald said.
She’s given similar lessons, including one about the economic impact that Caitlin Clark had on the WNBA in her rookie season. MacDonald has also analyzed Taylor Swift’s impact on the NFL.
“I’m a fan of sports personally, so I was like, ‘Why don’t we do it again this year?'” MacDonald said. “The Minnesota Lynx are now at the forefront of this controversy, with the collective bargaining agreement and Napheesa Collier in the news.”
Collier, a forward for the Minnesota Lynx, made headlines after criticizing WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for on-court officiating, the lack of transparency and accountability, following the conclusion of the 2025 season.
“We have the best players in the world; We have the best fans in the world,” Collier said on Tuesday, Sept. 30. “But right now, we have the worst leadership in the world.”
The WNBA collective bargaining agreement was set to expire on Oct. 31, but has been extended to Nov. 30.
The Nov. 7 event is free and open to the public, from 9:30-10:45 a.m., Centennial Hall Room 100, 201 8th St S. It will dive into the numbers, podcasts, other revenue streams, growing pains and the future of women’s professional basketball. Parking is available in the Fourth Avenue ramp and can be validated for free by bringing the ticket to the event.
Trent Abrego is a business reporter for St. Cloud LIVE and can be reached at trent@stcloudlive.com.