The 2026 WNBA season is scheduled to begin on May 8, at least according to the schedule. But day after day, the possibility of strike is only becoming real. The league and WNBPA have been in talks to reach a new collective bargaining agreement for over a year now, but they are pretty far apart in finding common ground. So, while negotiations drag on for another month, players are no longer just asking for progress; they begin to publicly challenge the leaders of the league. And this time, it was Sophie Cunningham who did it, who didn’t bother to soften the message.
In a recent episode of Show me somethingThe Indiana Fever guard delivered a blunt assessment of the state of negotiations between the league and the players’ union. But that’s not all, as Cunningham also denounced the lack of visible support from Commissioner Cathy Engelbert during the impasse.
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After a recent in-person meeting, the Fever star revealed that frustration was only growing between the two parties.
“We had a big meeting this week,” she said. “Negotiations are going on in hopes of moving things along, because it hasn’t moved at all. Both sides are kind of frustrated, but I know us players are holding on, so it should be interesting.”
While the WNBPA withdrew from the previous CBA in hopes of achieving better salaries and a revenue sharing system that would reflect the league’s rapid growth, Sophie Cunningham made it clear that it was not just about salaries, but the future of the league.
“Ultimately depending on where these negotiations go, like if you give these players what they want,” she explained. “You’re going to have all the best players; therefore you’re going to win. Therefore, your ticket sales are going to increase. Everything is going to be better. It sucks because the way our negotiations are going, it’s like we’re the laughing stock of sports right now,” she added.
However, when co-host West Wilson pointed out how unprecedented the current moment is, arguing that the WNBA’s explosive rise over the past three years has left people uncertain about how to handle the new challenges, she didn’t disagree. But she also shifted her focus to leadership.
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“Whenever you are in a position of leadership, yes! » she replied. “But just like being in a position to influence and empower other people. For some reason our league doesn’t do that. Everyone wants to be the star. Our commissioner, right now, even though we don’t agree on negotiations, we barely talk at all, like she can always go on other social media platforms and say, ‘Hey, I believe in our product. I love our product. “Because it gives off a different feeling than saying nothing and acting like we don’t exist,” added Sophie Cunningham.
With players becoming increasingly vocal and the league office remaining largely silent, the gap between the two sides seems wider than ever. And that urgency became even clearer after the WNBA and WNBPA finally came face to face in New York this week, as they held a meeting that was supposed to bring progress, but which, in Cunningham’s words, left even more “frustration” in its wake.
Tensions rise after WNBA shows up without counterproposal
Just a day ago, the league and players’ union finally held a crucial meeting in New York, where they were expected to bring real movement after months of stalled negotiations. It was the first time since the fall that league executives and union representatives were in the same room.
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But instead of a breakthrough, the meeting reportedly ended without a solution. One of the main reasons behind this? The union entered the session expecting the league to formally respond to its proposal, submitted more than four weeks ago. But the WNBA would have presented itself without any counter-proposal.
“They voluntarily stated that they had not prepared a proposal at the start of the meeting,” union president Nneka Ogwumike later admitted, “that kind of set the tone for the conversation because we were hoping to hear otherwise.”
July 19, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, United States; Collier team forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) looks on before the 2025 WNBA All Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
So rather than negotiating numbers, the three-hour discussion became more of an explainer session, with both sides laying out their positions and explaining why they are where they are.
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The core issue remains the same: revenue sharing and salary structure, where the league offers 15% of net revenue, while players demand 30% of gross revenue.
With the WNBA set to open on May 8 and major league matters still up in the air, the question is how long can this last before a strike becomes more than just a threat?
