Lynx’s Courtney Williams makes explosive allegations about WNBA CBA as talks stall originally appeared on Sports news. Add The Sporting News as Favorite source by clicking here.
In 17 days, the WNBA collective bargaining agreement will expire unless the 2020 agreement is further extended.
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The WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association are reportedly far apart on the terms of a new CBA. Players continue to push for a revenue-sharing model similar to what their NBA counterparts enjoy — and according to one WNBA All-Star guard, the league isn’t making enough progress in negotiations.
In a position she described as “mind-boggling,” Minnesota Lynx Guard Courtney Williams said the WNBA wanted to “pay itself first” while leaving 30 percent of revenue for players to share with the league.
“They want to pay themselves first, and what’s left, they want us to share with them, which leaves less than 15 percent (of revenue) for the players,” Williams said Tuesday on the Studbudz stream she runs with Lynx teammate Natisha Hiedeman.
These figures are consistent with reporting that the WNBA proposed a 15 percent revenue share that would decline over the life of a new CBA — which didn’t impress the players’ union, even though the league proposed maximum salaries above $1 million.
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For Williams, salary doesn’t mean much while Napheesa Collier, the Lynx’s All-WNBA superstar forward, reportedly still makes less money than the league’s head coaches.
“They always want to pay coaches more than an A’ja Wilson or a Napheesa Collier,” Williams said. “They want to pay the coaches and all their expenses first.”
The 2020 CBA expires on January 9 and the league schedule has already been affected by the slow pace of negotiations, as the newly formed Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo are still unsure when an expansion draft will take place to fill out their rosters.
In short, it appears there is still some way to go before the WNBA and WNBPA find common ground on a new CBA. The WNBPA has already authorized its executive committee to call a strike.”when it is necessary“Time is running out.
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