The WNBA has granted players an additional 30 days for ongoing discussions regarding a new collective bargaining agreement, as conveyed by two sources familiar with the matter to The Associated Press on Tuesday evening.
With the current CBA set to expire this Friday, tensions have escalated in recent weeks as both parties strive to reach a new agreement. The league is open to extending the deadline, as disclosed by anonymous sources due to the lack of an official announcement.
Extending the negotiation period would afford both sides more time to formulate a potentially game-changing deal in terms of player salaries. In 2019, a similar situation occurred when the previous CBA expired, leading to a 60-day extension and the eventual ratification of the existing CBA in January 2020.
The acceptance of the extension by the union remains uncertain at this point.
The extension offer was first reported by ESPN.
Erin D. Drake, a senior adviser and legal counsel at WNBPA, expressed on a podcast by The Athletic that reaching a deal before Friday would require cooperation from both sides.
In response to suggestions of bad faith in negotiations, the league issued a statement refuting such claims.
Recent weeks have seen several meetings between the parties, including one in New York earlier this month, as per a confidential source.
Players opted out of the current CBA last year in pursuit of various improvements, including enhanced revenue sharing, increased salaries, better benefits, and a more flexible salary cap.
While the WNBA has presented offers, it appears they have not met the players’ expectations so far. The exact disparity in salary terms between the sides remains unclear. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert emphasized the league’s shared goal with players of achieving a substantial increase in salaries and benefits through a transformative agreement.
[WATCH: Breaking down all the drama in the WNBA in 60 seconds, explaining the current situation between the league and players.]
With tensions on the rise between the league and players, CBC Sports provides an insight into the ongoing developments in the WNBA negotiations.
