The WNBA and players’ union failed to reach an agreement after a marathon session for a new collective bargaining agreement that stretched overnight, according to multiple reports.
The two sides have been at a virtual stalemate for several months, with slight progress on both sides. But after the league imposed a stricter deadline Tuesday to avoid delaying the start of the WNBA season, key stakeholders met in New York for nearly 10 hours.
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League commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who left the club after 5 a.m., told reporters outside the hotel meeting: “It’s complex. We’re working toward a win-win deal as we said, a transformational deal for these players that balances all the things we’ve tried to balance with the continued investment of our owners. So we’re working hard to get there, and we still have work to do.”
WNBPA Executive Director Terri Jackson described the talks as going “in the right direction” and said they would continue, according to reports.
Two weeks ago, the WNBA set a March 10 deadline for negotiations the 2026 season would therefore not be impacted. The deadline takes into account a preseason schedule that is scheduled to include free agency, an expansion draft and a college draft before the start of training camp on April 19 and the start of the season on May 8.
The overnight negotiating meeting reportedly included WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike and other committee members Breanna Stewart, Bri Turner and Alysha Clark, as well as Engelbert, New York Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai and league operations manager Bethany Donaphin.
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The crucial issue in the negotiation process has centered on revenue sharing, with the league’s housing provision also emerging as a key issue for players after the WNBA submitted a proposal removing team housing from player benefits.
Since the establishment of this deadline, the pace of negotiations between the two parties has accelerated. The players sent a proposal to the league on Feb. 27 that reduced its request for gross revenue share to 26 percent. The league responded on March 1, and the two sides exchanged proposals again last weekend.
The length of the negotiation process introduced some tension recently. Stewart and Kelsey Plum, both members of the WNBPA executive committee, reportedly wrote a letter to Jackson expressing concerns about the state of negotiations, including the lack of clarity over their roles and the lack of transparency over the league’s proposals. A group of players’ agents previously sent a letter to union leaders expressing similar concerns about communication.
The rush of activity contrasts sharply with the apparent lack of urgency of previous months. The league waited more than six weeks before responding to a union proposal presented on December 25, during which time the CBA’s second extension expired and the WNBA entered a status quo period.
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The CBA initially expired on October 31, 2025. The players opted out in October 2024, giving the league and union nearly a year to reach a new deal, but little progress was made before the first 30-day extension.
This article was originally published in Athletics.
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