Since the WNBPA withdrew from the last CBA, the union and league have sat down at countless bargaining tables. Yet, despite all the meetings, no collective agreement has been signed. And today, as tensions escalate in the ongoing battle, the divide between the two camps seems wider than ever. Shots were fired in all directions – and this time, it’s the league that speaks!
Look at the current trends!
Well, the WNBPA’s demand is clear: it wants a revenue sharing system in which players and teams share every dollar the league earns. Simply put, if the league thrives, the players should too. As the goal has not yet been achieved, the players’ association criticized the CBA’s stalled negotiations. But W is no longer taking it: the league and commissioner Cathy Engelbert have issued a firm response to Sports at receptionpushing back against allegations of delay and misrepresentation.
“It is incorrect and surprising for the Players Association to claim that the WNBA has not proposed an uncapped revenue sharing model directly tied to league performance,” » we read in the league press release. And that’s not all: the league even pointed out that it had already proposed a “an uncapped revenue sharing model that grows alongside league revenue and rewards players as the W succeeds.”
According to the league, the union refused to meaningfully engage, misrepresented the proposal and accused the league of delaying negotiations. So the W is clear: they are willing to negotiate in good faith and hope the players will do the same. That’s why the league wants a mutually beneficial collective bargaining agreement, but only if both sides are willing to compromise.
But what you just read is only part of the story. Controversy over the deal erupted Tuesday morning, when NBA commissioner Adam Silver made an appearance on NBC Today showing and speaking with confidence that a new deal would be reached and the players would receive a pay rise. But it wasn’t his intention that drew attention – it was his choice of words that drew the union’s ire.
“Yeah. I mean, I think sharing is the wrong way to look at it because there’s so much more revenue in the NBA,” he said. “I think you have to look at the absolute numbers in terms of what they’re making, and they’re going to get a big raise in this round of collective bargaining, and they deserve it.” When his comments did not seem encouraging to the WNBPA, the union fired back Wednesday.
“What the league and the teams are really trying to do is not only limit the cost of labor, but also contain it through an artificial salary system that is not tied to the business that the players are building in any real or meaningful way,” » replied WNBPA Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson. And now, after their take, the league has released its own. For now, it is confirmed that the back and forth is not over yet!
What’s next for the League and WNBPA?
There is only one week left until the CBA lockout, which will remain in effect until both sides reach a mutual agreement. While this scenario is not new to W, a similar discussion about the CBA took place in 2019. But the last CBA was signed under the leadership of Cathy Engelbert, the league’s first-ever commissioner.
But will his experience be useful now? Well, that doesn’t seem to be the case. From Napheesa Collier’s exit interview, in which she gave a 3-4 minute prepared statement recalling some of her discussions with Cathy and the caller “the worst leadership in the world” the league’s position was shaken.
From fans, media, players to owners, everyone wanted Cathy replaced. So, a a discussion with her is least likely. But with Silver’s involvement, it appears a deal could be reached. “You should look at them in absolute numbers in terms of what they’re making. They’re going to get a big raise in this round of collective bargaining and they deserve it,” he shared on Tuesday. This therefore responds to one of the players’ requests. And looking at the glass half full, it appears a new collective agreement is on the way, even if it misses the October 31 deadline. What do you think?
Share this with a friend:
