WNBA: Labor Crisis, Charter Flights and “Pay Us” Jerseys

Three months before the end of the 2025 WNBA season, negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) remain stalled.The deadline of January 9th passed without an agreement or an extension of the agreement, which generates uncertainty for the 2026 season, which will begin in May. The possibility of a labor interruption is latent, given that the previous agreement expired.The distance between both parties was evident on the deadline last week. The WNBPA accused the WNBA of not negotiating with the necessary seriousness, putting at risk the players’ income and the fans’ trust. To protest, a giant inflatable rat was displayed in front of the NBA store in New York, a symbol of labor protest.The league responded that its priority is an agreement that significantly increases the salaries of the players, improves their experience and supports the long-term growth of the league for current and future generations.

A Tour of the Key Milestones

The current negotiations are based on events that occurred before they escalated in the last six months. We review the key moments that led to the current situation.

January 2020: “Revolutionary” Agreement

In January 2020, the WNBA and the WNBPA announced a “revolutionary” collective agreement, the fifth in the league’s history. This agreement included significant salary increases, a more flexible free agency system, improvements in travel, and more options for family planning.The “prioritization” system was also introduced, which required players to prioritize the WNBA over their overseas commitments. Starting in 2023, players could be suspended if they were late to training camp. Although it was not popular among the players, it was agreed upon to negotiate salary increases.

WNBA players supported the Black Lives Matter movement and the Say Her Name campaign during the 2020 season.

June 2020: The season in the “bubble”

After the 2020 season was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced a 22-game regular season, plus playoffs, in a “bubble” at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The 2020 season was an example of the players’ commitment to solidarity and activism.The players launched a social justice platform to honor the Black Lives Matter movement and the Say Her Name campaign. They also supported Raphael Warnock, Democratic opponent of then-Atlanta Dream owner and U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler, who opposed the players’ social activism. Warnock ultimately defeated Loeffler, and Loeffler sold the Dream in February 2021.This moment also marked the first tensions between the players and commissioner Cathy Engelbert, according to several players.

February 2022: Capital Investment

A capital investment of $75 million was announced, with new investors and the current owners of the WNBA and NBA. This investment was used to boost the growth of the WNBA business, including better marketing and innovation.Although it was the largest investment for a women’s sport at the time, the WNBA ceded a 16% stake, which raised doubts about its ownership structure.

March 2022: Fine to the Liberty

The New York Liberty were fined $500,000 for chartering flights for away games and other violations. At the time, charter flights were not permitted except in specific circumstances.Liberty owner Joe Tsai indicated that the new and wealthier WNBA owners were willing to invest more in their franchises.

April 2023: The installation race begins

Las Vegas Aces inaugurated a 64,000-square-foot training facility and headquarters in Henderson, Nevada, the first facility dedicated to a team in league history. This kicked off a facility race across the league, with other franchises seeking to match the new standard set by Las Vegas.Three years later, the vast majority of teams have opened or announced plans to build their own facilities, and all expansion franchises were required to commit to building them. Setting minimum standards for practice and game facilities was a priority for the players when they subsequently chose not to renew the collective bargaining agreement.

October 2023: New WNBA expansion

The league announced the addition of a franchise in Golden State for 2025, the first in 15 years. This triggered a wave of expansion for a league that had remained at 12 teams since 2010. In a year, new teams were announced in Toronto and Portland for 2026.In June 2025, franchises were announced in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030), reaching a historic total of 18 teams by 2030. Expansion fees increased from $50 million to $250 million, and bids for the Connecticut Sun exceeded $300 million, demonstrating the growing value of WNBA franchises.

Caitlin Clark: Collier’s points are very valid.

April 2024: Caitlin Clark in the WNBA

Caitlin Clark, after a record-breaking season at Iowa, was selected at number 1 by the Indiana Fever. Her arrival generated a great impact, with an average of 2.45 million viewers on draft night.The league announced a full-time charter flight program, committing $50 million over the next two years. Although it was made after Clark’s arrival, the decision addressed players’ concerns about health and safety.Clark’s popularity fueled a historic year in attendance, viewership, and other key metrics. Other college stars also contributed, and the 2024 WNBA Finals were the most-watched in 25 years.However, the league’s growth also brought difficulties. Engelbert was criticized and apologized for not condemning the racist and misogynistic rhetoric of fans towards the Clark-Reese rivalry.WNBPA Executive Director Terri Jackson stated that this type of toxic fanaticism should not be tolerated or ignored, and that immediate action is needed.

July 2024: “Monumental” Media Agreement

The WNBA signed an 11-year media rights deal for $2.2 billion with Disney, Amazon Prime Video, and NBCUniversal. Additional deals with other partners were expected to raise the league’s media deals to nearly $3 billion, six times more than the current deal.

Although Engelbert called the deal “monumental”, Jackson expressed her concern about whether the NBA adequately valued the WNBA in the negotiations. Jackson stated that they expected to know how the NBA arrived at a valuation of $200 million, and that there was no excuse to undervalue the WNBA again.

October 2024: The players withdraw from the collective agreement

A day after the 2024 Finals concluded with New York’s victory, the WNBPA announced that it was withdrawing from the collective bargaining agreement, seeking “a business model that reflects the true value of the players, including higher salaries, better working conditions, expanded health benefits, and investments needed for long-term growth”.The measure meant that both sides would have approximately one year to negotiate a new agreement.

The president of Unrivaled does not rule out a future partnership with the WNBA.

January 2025: Unrivaled Launch

Thirty-six of the best WNBA players signed to play in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart to offer players a playing option during the off-season.The league, which was played in a single location in Miami last winter, offered on-site childcare. Salaries averaged six figures, and players were offered participation in the league and 50% of the revenue.Stewart and Collier, along with other league players and Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell, have said they don’t see Unrivaled as competition for the WNBA. They point to the difference in format and the January to March schedule. Stewart and Collier have also rejected the idea that they have a conflict of interest by being co-founders of Unrivaled and, at the same time, serving as vice presidents of the WNBPA executive committee.Collier has said several times that, if anything, her role in Unrivaled makes her more suited to serve as vice president. In an interview with ESPN last week, Collier said that leagues like Unrivaled and “other opportunities give us more influence to make [the WNBA] do the right thing and pay us what we are owed.”In November 2025, WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike became the first player to join Project B, a new professional women’s basketball league that plans to play in Europe and Asia starting in November 2026.Project B officials said the league will be made up of 66 players, including Alyssa Thomas, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Mitchell, Jonquel Jones and Sophie Cunningham, among the WNBA players who have announced they will play in Project B, who will receive higher salaries than those currently offered by the WNBA and Unrivaled.

Brittney Sykes made a statement after the 2025 All-Star Game.

July 2025: “Pay us what you owe us”

When the players took to the court for the warm-ups before the All-Star game in Indianapolis, they wore black t-shirts with the phrase “Pay us what we are owed” in white text.The demonstration occurred just two days after more than 40 players met with the league in an anticipated round of collective bargaining negotiations. It was reported that it was the largest participation of players in a meeting of this type, but the players noted that the meeting did not produce the desired progress.After the All-Star game, as Engelbert presented Collier with the MVP trophy, the sold-out crowd chanted “Pay them!”. Brittney Sykes stood behind Engelbert with a sign that read “Pay the players”. The results of the game became irrelevant.

September 2025: The Controversy with Engelbert

On September 30, four days after Collier suffered a torn ligament in her left ankle and two days after her team, the Minnesota Lynx, were eliminated from the WNBA semifinals, the forward lashed out at the league leaders and accused Engelbert of being “negligent” in her management.In a four-minute statement, Collier alleged that Engelbert told her in a private conversation that superstar Caitlin Clark and other prominent young women “should be on their knees” grateful for the platform the league has given them. Players across the league backed Collier.Three days later, during Engelbert’s annual press conference at the WNBA Finals, the commissioner denied her statements about Clark and said there were “many inaccuracies” in Collier’s statement. Engelbert said she was disheartened to hear that Collier, as well as other players across the league, do not believe that she and the league have their best interests at heart.Engelbert promised to “do better” and work to repair relationships and rebuild the trust he had lost. When asked if he expected to be the commissioner beyond the current collective bargaining negotiations amid calls for his resignation, Engelbert said: “I have never been a person who gives up… I have never shied away from difficult situations.”Engelbert said that she and Collier agreed to meet in the second week of October, but Collier canceled the meeting after Engelbert’s press conference. Three months after her exit interview, Collier, speaking during the preseason press availability for Unrivaled, said that “nothing has changed” at the league level while the WNBA and the players’ union continue to work on ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations.