The WNBA is changing rapidly. Viewership and attendance numbers continue to skyrocket, expansion teams are joining the league, and more money is flowing into the WNBA than ever before. Amid those changes, the players are trying to make sure they won’t be left behind and want to negotiate a new CBA that recognizes their value. They already have the support from fans, who called for better pay during All-Star Weekend.
It’s no secret that the CBA negotiations haven’t been going well. Players have been very vocal about how they feel that the league leadership doesn’t value their sacrifices and contributions to the growth of the league. A lockout was never off the table, but it seems even more plausible now that Napheesa Collier has made it public how little the league appears to value its players’ CBA demands.
Napheesa Collier called out Cathy Engelbert for ignoring players’ concerns
Napheesa Collier dove into some of the problems plaguing the relationship between the players and the league leadership when she delivered a fiery statement that called out the lack of accountability from the WNBA during her exit interview.
The Lynx star detailed some conversations she had with commissioner Cathy Engelbert, saying that Engelbert told her that “only losers complain about the refs,” “Caitlin [Clark] should be grateful she makes 16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything,” and that players should be thanking her for the new media rights deal. Collier concluded that portion of her statement by saying, “We go to battle every day to protect a shield that doesn’t value us. Our league believes it succeeds despite its players, not because of them.”
Collier also noted that she was speaking for herself, but players quickly flocked to her side, voicing their support on social media or during media availabilities. Big-time stars like A’ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese applauded Collier for calling out the league leadership. Collier’s public comments and the overwhelming support from other players make it clear that the players won’t back down during the CBA negotiations—rightfully so. They deserve to profit from the league’s growth and play under the best conditions possible. If the commissioner’s stance truly is that players should be grateful for the current situation, it seems unlikely that the two sides will come to an agreement any time soon.
The WNBA could be headed for its first lockout
As the CBA negotiations continue to stall, this WNBA offseason becomes more and more uncertain. Almost every veteran in the league will be a free agent, five teams need to hire new head coaches, and it is still unclear how the expansion drafts for the Fire and Tempo will go. Now, another serious question is whether there will even be a 2026 season or if the WNBA will face a lockout.
A lockout wouldn’t be ideal for the league or the players, but the players have never had a better opportunity to firmly stand by their CBA demands. A work stoppage could halt the momentum the WNBA has built over these last few years. The players have opportunities to make money elsewhere, whether that is Unrivaled, Athletes Unlimited, or overseas. Meanwhile, the WNBA cannot function without its players.