INDIANAPOLIS >> This is the center of the WNBA universe this weekend, with planned celebrations across the city — highlighted by Saturday’s All-Star Game. Serious business also took place, with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association meeting with league representatives to continue negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement.
And if it seems a league known for its social activism has recently seemed a bit quiet in that realm, you wouldn’t be the first to notice.
The WNBPA acknowledged its efforts this season have been more business-minded: particularly the CBA. The current agreement is set to expire after the 2025 season, and players are in the midst of spirited discussions.
Forty players attended the meeting between the union and the league Thursday, with revenue sharing being a crucial negotiating point for the players. The NBA agreement has a 50 percent revenue share between the league and players, whereas the current WNBA CBA has a 25 percent share going to players.
The players weren’t particularly thrilled with the talks, and they insisted they will stand firm on their demands as they have more leverage than ever.
“Honestly, for us, the CBA is a big part of the activism,” said Chicago Sky center Elizabeth Williams, who serves as WNBPA secretary and said she hoped negotiations would be further along by the all-star break.
“Equal pay is still a huge activism piece, and that’s kind of how we’re envisioning it. It might not necessarily look like the social justice activism we saw in 2020 and ’21.
“But I think that’s why our priority and our focus has been on the CBA, because we’re saying, ‘Hey, for women fighting for equal pay, fighting for appropriate standards throughout the league, that’s our standard.’”
The league is undergoing unprecedented growth, with a new $2.2 billion media rights deal and six expansion teams soon joining — the past three paying a record $250-million entry fee. Salaries are a top priority for the players, and all that growth and new money, including a bevy of new marketing partners, are negotiating points for the union.
Is getting proper pay enough, though? Not all players believe so.
“Over the last few years, we have backed away from being intentional about our activism,” said New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud, who will participate in the skills challenge Friday. “I understand that we’re headed in a really great trajectory as far as our league and women’s basketball and women’s sports. But we will never put profit before people. And that is where we need to get back to.
“We still need to do our due diligence with the platforms that we have.”
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