The current deadline for the WNBA and its players to agree on a new collective bargaining agreement is January 9, which is just a few days away. Coincidentally, the new season of Unrivaledthe women’s 3-on-3 basketball league created by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, launched Monday. While the excitement over Unrivaled was definitely at the forefront of the press this week, questions were also asked about the status of the ABC negotiations in videos.
As co-founder of Unrivaled, Collier takes on much of the media responsibilities. It was announced on New Year’s Day that Collier would be sitting outside the unmatched season undergo a double ankle operation, his convalescence being estimated at 4 to 5 months. She will be rehabbing and recovering at Unrivaled’s Miami facility, she told media during opening weekend. Sitting out the season means she’s taking on more of an ambassadorial role, and as someone who has previously spoken out about the ongoing negotiations between the WNBPA (players’ union) and the league, she’s been a great resource for fans to understand what’s going on on the players’ side.
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On Monday’s opening night of Unrivaled Action, Collier joined the show to talk about the new season, as well as negotiations. She responded to reports that the WNBA claimed the WNBPA’s proposals were unsustainable from a business perspective, saying: “Being on this side of Unrivaled, I know what it takes to run a sustainable business. So I think if they can’t find a model that can do that, they need to put people in place who can.”
ESPN reported last week that the WNBA was projecting about $700 million in losses. if they accept the WNBPA’s latest proposal. They added that such losses would âjeopardize the financial health of the league.â
Collier went on to say on the show that Unrivaled was able to prove that more can be done when it comes to investing in women’s sports. Unrivaled was able to offer a higher average first-year salary than what the WNBA offered. Perhaps one of the biggest stories of the summer was when Paige Bueckers signed with Unrivaled, set to make more money in 10 weeks of play in Miami than her entire WNBA rookie contract.
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In that same ESPN update, published on December 31, Alexa Philippou reported that the sides remained far apart on several negotiating points. On January 2, ESPN reported that âall signs pointâ to a deal NOT being reached by January 9, leading to either another extension, a work stoppage, or entry into a state of âbusiness as usual.â The players’ union has already voted to authorize a strike if necessary.
Collier mentioned on Unrivaled that she believed a deal would eventually be reached. âWe stand firm on what we believe in. We are not going to back down and we cannot accept less,â she said. She added that going backwards would be a disservice to all those who came before them.
With many WNBA players now in Miami for Unrivaled, it has become something of an off-season hub. Last season, Unrivaled became the base camp for free agency meetings and discussions. This year it appears it will become a satellite office for CBA negotiations.
Unmatched might also be the only chance fans will have this year to see these players on the court, as the lack of alignment in CBA negotiations threatens to postpone, shorten or even cancel the 2026 WNBA season.
