Can the W Avoid a Catastrophic 2026 Lockout?
By Noah Zimmerman
noah@queensledger.com
On Thursday last week the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) saw historic participation and support for a potential strike, authorizing executives to dig their heels in if CBA negotiations don’t progress. The vote saw overwhelming participation and support, with 98% in support of authorizing a strike and 93% of the league casting a vote.
“The players’ vote is neither a call for an immediate strike nor an intention to pursue one,” the WNBPA said in their statement. “It is an emphatic affirmation of the players’ confidence in their leadership and their unwavering solidarity against ongoing efforts to divide, conquer and undervalue them.”
After seeing significant growth over the past few seasons, WNBA players are eyeing a significant jump in shared revenue, also hoping for other significant concessions. However, the league has made little progress on negotiations. While a strike could be catastrophic to continued league growth from its current peak, the vote sends a strong message to the league, urging executives to pursue a fair deal in good faith.
The emphasis in a new CBA largely falls on league revenue sharing and salary ranges. Right now, the league only shares roughly 10% of revenue, much lower than most male sports leagues that share nearly half of their profits. As a result, many players are forced to look overseas or into offseason leagues like Unrivaled to supplement their time playing in the WNBA. With the league making more than ever, players are searching for significant increases.
Reports say that the WNBA is offering an increase in revenue sharing up to 15% with minimum and average salaries roughly quadrupling, but players are steadfast in their demands for 30% of revenue, with salaries dependent on annual league profits.
“What we’re doing right now isn’t working,” said NY Liberty star Breanna Stewart, who serves as a Vice President in the Players’ Association. “We know how important as players it is to play and to be on the court. But at the same time, if we’re not going to be valued the way that we know we should be, then we’re just not going to do something that doesn’t make sense for us.”
It doesn’t seem likely that the league will cave to player demands quite yet, but the threat of a 2026 lockout shouldn’t be taken lightly. After all the growth in recent years, it would be disastrous for players, teams, and the league if the upcoming season doesn’t start on time.
