WNBA Proposes Revenue Sharing Agreement to Players, Sparking Tensions in Negotiations
The WNBA has presented a revenue-sharing proposal without a cap to the players, generating a forceful response from the union, according to a statement issued on Wednesday. The league called the union’s statement “frustrating and counterproductive,” intensifying public conversations between both parties as they negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. This exchange of statements occurs at a crucial moment, where negotiations revolve around the salary model and income distribution. The players’ union had previously expressed its concerns about the league’s proposal, questioning whether the system will be linked to specific growth indicators.The union also criticized the league’s intention to label any part of its proposal as “untapped”, arguing that this calls into question the league’s leadership, transparency, and accountability. In response, the league denied the union’s accusations.The league tries to “buy time, gloss over a situation and reinstate a system that is not linked to any part of the business and intentionally undervalues the players”.
Statement from the players’ union
The league stated that its proposals include a revenue-sharing component that would increase player compensation as league revenue increases, with no upper limit. The WNBA expressed its frustration at what it considers “misrepresentations” by the union and accused the association of not presenting a viable economic proposal or participating meaningfully in many of the terms proposed by the league. The current collective agreement, signed in January 2020, expires on October 31st. However, the failure to meet that deadline does not automatically imply a lockout. The league and the union could agree on an extension to have more time to reach an agreement, as has happened in previous negotiations.It is incorrect and surprising that the Players Association claims that the WNBA has not offered a revenue-sharing model without a cap that is directly linked to the league’s performance.
WNBA Statement
