If you have been following the WNBA CBA negotiations, you know that time has passed and no resolution has yet been reached. Dates have already been extended twice with both sides at an impasse, and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) agreed to a moratorium on league business. This decision has now angered Sophie Cunningham, and she has made her disapproval known.
“Me and Sydney Colson were the only ones there last week, and our ABC is so stupid right now, like it’s heading into a lockout. So nothing we get like weekly emails from the AP, and it’s like it’s so stupid,” Cunningham said on the Show me something podcast as she talked about her Indiana Fever reunion with Lexie and Sydney at Lexie Hull’s fiancĂ© Will Matthiessen’s birthday party.
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While terms are at a standstill and both sides have entered a temporary period of “status quo,” maintaining previous working conditions, the new moratorium means teams cannot issue qualifying offers, exercise basic designations or sign free agents. This brings everything to a standstill.
Many hoped that after such a wave of protests and appeals, the league would think again and change its position. However, the league seems adamant that the new agreement is not workable. The players have explicitly stated the need to revamp player salaries, which would involve 30% of gross revenues and a salary cap of approximately $10.5 million, but their demands have fallen on deaf ears as the league sees no reason to pander to their “whims.”
September 14, 2025; College Park, Georgia, United States; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) reacts to a call against the Atlanta Dream in the fourth quarter during game 1 of the first round of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Center Arena in College Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The league was dismissive and vehemently dismissed the WNBPA’s ultimatum as “financially unsustainable.” What happens next is the big question on everyone’s mind right now. Does this put Sophie Cunningham and the others in trouble?
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Moratorium accepted and negotiations will begin on players’ salaries
With both parties are locked in a moratorium, The Associated Press exclusively declared that no commercial relationship will take place if the two teams cannot reach common ground. The WNBA’s current offer, however, seeks to make amends by opting for a substantial increase in annual salaries.
Although the WNBA’s current offer provides players with a substantial increase in average annual salary, the union believes the amount is simply not enough relative to the revenue it gets from players.
The most recent offer guarantees a maximum base salary of $1 million, starting this season, which could rise to $1.3 million through revenue sharing. The last collective agreement had a maximum cap of $249,000.
Credit: IMAGO
The latest proposal aims to compensate players and allows them to receive more than 70% of net revenue. This would be after expenses have been paid. This spending would include better amenities for players, such as improved facilities, charter flights and five-star hotels.
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As a result, the average salary would also increase to more than $530,000, which far eclipses the current $120,000, and would increase to more than $770,000 over the life of the deal. The minimum wage would increase from $67,000 to around $250,000 in the first year.
So as it stands, it all comes down to money and numbers, with many permutations and combinations going on. Just like the battle on the court, this too is intensifying, but behind closed doors and with much at stake, every basketball player will be focused on the outcome.
Hopefully there will be a peaceful end to this issue so that Sophie Cunningham and her basketball buddies can breathe easy.
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