Ogwumike and the WNBA Union: Ready for the Future and Fair Salaries

Nneka Ogwumike Addresses Salary Negotiations in the WNBA

The president of the WNBA players’ union and power forward for the Seattle Storm, Nneka Ogwumike, has addressed discussions about the league’s collective bargaining agreement, amid a growing economic landscape. The WNBA is generating more revenue than ever, driven by sponsorships and ticket sales, and a significant increase is expected with the 11-year media rights deal, which will begin in 2026 and be worth approximately $200 million annually. However, the players’ salaries have not seen a considerable increase in recent years. Following the Storm’s 89-79 victory over the New York Liberty on Sunday, Ogwumike spoke out on the salary issue, in line with statements from other WNBA players.

We have women here who know the business. We understand where our league has been and where it’s going. And we are prepared. We want to be able to go out and represent ourselves and our value in the same way that we do on the court, in our contracts, in our facilities, in the standards of the resources we have available.

Nneka Ogwumike

Ogwumike noted that the players’ union received a response from the league, which it considered a “good” step forward. In October, WNBA players chose not to renew their collective bargaining agreement. The current agreement still covers the 2025 season. The next step for the union is for the contracts to better reflect the growth of the league. The current collective bargaining agreement was signed before the 2020 season.

Everyone wants to go to the same place. Everyone has a different idea of how to get there. But it definitely starts with valuing the players in a way that makes sense for what we’re doing here, and also makes sense for the people who follow us and the fans who support us. We’ve seen a lot of growth recently, so we need to see that reflected in how we are compensated to keep providing them with games like this every night.

Nneka Ogwumike

Ogwumike added that she looks forward to any meeting between the WNBPA and the league in the next 25 days. Ogwumike expressed her gratitude for the support the players’ union has received before and during these negotiations. “I am grateful to our player body, our player representatives, and the women who are speaking out about this, and to our advisory board and the PA staff and what they are doing so that we can reach a successful and collaborative negotiation with the league,” Ogwumike concluded.