WNBA Collective Bargaining

[NycUcWbbFan]

I believe that a meeting last week gave a hopeful hint (who was in the meeting vs. who usually is and retracting that snarky no-housing proposal) that the CBA talks have finally gone beyond Engelbert’s initial remit (that resulted in the inevitable impasse on the proposals). Only Owners can resolve the impasse.

• The impasse shows the players association’s and the WNBA’s claims about the impasse (in above link) can both be true but the WNBA’s are true by pulling a “fast one” (below, exacerbated by their closed books).

While the impasse was always couched in terms of revenue sharing/ salary cap, it was rooted in certain revenue streams that the WNBA considers, because of its ownership structure, exempt from revenue sharing/ salary cap. The impasse, then, is really all about the ownership structure.

Currently, the WNBA doesn’t (substantially) share the following player-created value with players:

• (a) the unrealized gain (realized through sale) &1 in astronomical franchise valuations;
• (b) the very large expansion fees;
• (c) revenue streams (e.g. merchandise sales) that must go through a Ruth Goldberg Contraption to determine the slice, if any, of the slice, if any, that will be shared.

&1 This is the same as the NBA not sharing the full economic value of the media rights deals.

 

[JellyBean]

I wish that a deal would have been reached sooner. Year 30. It is wild because many folks thought that the W would not make it past Year 5. When the original Portland team folded, many folks were saying how the W would fold as well. Here we are in Year 30. Pretty awesome. Now we just have to figure out the steps for a season.

I just hope that there are plans in place for a relatively smooth transition into the season. The expansion draft for starters. How about when the season starts. Usually, the W starts in May. Will they push for a May start time or push for a start time in June? Will the WNBA draft start the week after the NCAA WBB Final Four. So many questions.

 

[azfan]

March 10 deadline?

Sources: WNBA sets CBA target date to keep '26 schedule intact

The WNBA told the union and its teams on Monday that a new CBA should be agreed to by March 10 for the 2026 schedule not to be impacted, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

Looks like we have a game of chicken

 

[JellyBean]

March 10 deadline?

Sources: WNBA sets CBA target date to keep '26 schedule intact

The WNBA told the union and its teams on Monday that a new CBA should be agreed to by March 10 for the 2026 schedule not to be impacted, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

Looks like we have a game of chicken

Year 30. The clock is ticking.

 

[azfan]

WNBA players' union feels movement is being made in CBA negotiations after 9-hour bargaining session WNBA players’ union feels movement is being made in CBA negotiations after nine-hour bargaining session

Looks like the major sticking point is gross versus net.

I guess the owners are offering 70% of the net and the players want 20 to 25% of the gross.

I wonder if this can be resolved. It would be a sucker's bet to take a percentage of the net

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

The NY Liberty owner and Rizzotti are Engelbert’s nannies. [Article]

• see also Post #26 for context on the last two paragraphs.

 

[azfan]

Owners still playing Chicken on the revenue sharing issue. It's My Hope that the players hold arm on gross rather than net:

But the parties still need to agree on a new revenue sharing system.

Jackson reiterated Friday that a system "tied to revenue in a meaningful way" remains a priority for the players.

WNBA: Urgent to reach new CBA by Monday to not impact season

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told reporters that there is urgency to get a new CBA done by Monday to avoid disruptions to the preseason calendar, including training camp and preseason games.

www.espn.com

 

[Bigboote]

Owners still playing Chicken on the revenue sharing issue. It's My Hope that the players hold arm on gross rather than net:

But the parties still need to agree on a new revenue sharing system.

Jackson reiterated Friday that a system "tied to revenue in a meaningful way" remains a priority for the players.

WNBA: Urgent to reach new CBA by Monday to not impact season

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told reporters that there is urgency to get a new CBA done by Monday to avoid disruptions to the preseason calendar, including training camp and preseason games.

www.espn.com

I still think that in order for it to be gross, they need to open the books. And I don't see that happenin', and if the W negotiators think the players would go for it, they think very highly of their ability to hoodwink. Would you trust the WNBA management to give you a real number for something with no evidence whatsoever?

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

Owners still playing Chicken on the revenue sharing issue. It's My Hope that the players hold arm on gross rather than net:

But the parties still need to agree on a new revenue sharing system.

Jackson reiterated Friday that a system "tied to revenue in a meaningful way" remains a priority for the players.

WNBA: Urgent to reach new CBA by Monday to not impact season

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told reporters that there is urgency to get a new CBA done by Monday to avoid disruptions to the preseason calendar, including training camp and preseason games.

www.espn.com

“Contrived Predicament Bargaining” is not an actual term, but it describes Engelbert’s/ Silver’s strategy.

• There have been inexplicable lollygagging lulls on Engelbert’s part in responding to player union offers since the last All-Star break when players were disappointed at the WNBA’s initial response;
• Game Theory-wise, it is a legitimate strategy for a non-cooperative player who also likes a season to begin, but likes to keep certain advantages (closed books, untouchable revenue streams);
• Doing close to nothing (there were only two articles of agreement, since as late as December), “movement” only coming very lately, and announcing an arbitrary deadline to the non-cooperative counterparty is par for the course for Engelbert (as well as her feeding various gas-lighting media narratives);
• It is not lost on the players who have authorized the union to be able to call a strike;
• Ogwumike’s “negotiating in good faith” line has been uttered in different ways, notably above and in the January lull of the negotiations.
• There was a recent meeting that Engelbert did not attend but the NY Liberty owner did (see post 26), where the players presumably lambasted Engelbert and her team airing their grievances; the recent tone of negotiations and the NY Liberty owner’s ongoing involvement are hopeful signs.

 

[azfan]

“Contrived Predicament Bargaining” is not an actual term, but it describes Engelbert’s/ Silver’s strategy.

• There have been inexplicable lollygagging lulls on Engelbert’s part in responding to player union offers since the last All-Star break when players were disappointed at the WNBA’s initial response;
• Game Theory-wise, it is a legitimate strategy for a non-cooperative player who also likes a season to begin, but likes to keep certain advantages (closed books, untouchable revenue streams);
• Doing close to nothing (there were only two articles of agreement, since as late as December), “movement” only coming very lately, and announcing an arbitrary deadline to the non-cooperative counterparty is par for the course for Engelbert (as well as her feeding various gas-lighting media narratives);
• It is not lost on the players who have authorized the union to be able to call a strike;
• Ogwumike’s “negotiating in good faith” line has been uttered in different ways, notably above and in the January lull of the negotiations.
• There was a recent meeting that Engelbert did not attend but the NY Liberty owner did (see post 26), where the players presumably lambasted Engelbert and her team airing their grievances; the recent tone of negotiations and the NY Liberty owner’s ongoing involvement are hopeful signs.

I see behind all this the hand of Adam Silver and he's really using the WNBA commission as a stooge.

Well I'm very pleased that the significant progress made both in terms of salary and in travel it's clear that the NBA and WNBA was never negotiating and good faith. I'm wondering about the length of this CBA.

The next negotiation will be very interesting in terms of movement toward real revenue sharing.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

I see behind all this the hand of Adam Silver and he's really using the WNBA commission as a stooge.

Well I'm very pleased that the significant progress made both in terms of salary and in travel it's clear that the NBA and WNBA was never negotiating and good faith. I'm wondering about the length of this CBA.

The next negotiation will be very interesting in terms of movement toward real revenue sharing.

Moving closer to the NBA Model:

WNBA Players Didn’t Just Get Paid—They Took Control With New CBA - The Ringer