The WNBA and its gamers affiliation has agreed to a different extension to shut out the weekend because the labor drama continues.
Thanksgiving leftovers within the WNBA included a bittersweet dish.
The league ended this vacation weekend by asserting an extension of its present collective bargaining settlement with its gamers affiliation, this one extending by means of Jan. 9. A press release from the league mentions both celebration can terminate the extension with 48 hours’ discover and “are persevering with to work towards a brand new settlement.”
That is the newest timeline push on the CBA talks: the present settlement was initially set to run out in 2027 earlier than the WNBA Gamers Affiliation triggered an early opt-out. The brand new expiration date was Oct. 30, however the two sides agreed to a month’s extension regardless of the tip of this previous season being considerably marred by a chilly conflict between gamers and league administration.
Opposite to well-liked perception, the CBA’s expiration wouldn’t mechanically set off a piece stoppage, which might solely be triggered by a participant strike or administration lockout. As an alternative, the league and gamers would proceed to function underneath the rules of the expired CBA and proceed negotiating.
Whereas the dearth of official stoppage could be considered as an excellent signal, issues are about to get a bit uncomfortable on the league calendar: the extension probably solely additional delays plans for the 2025-26 enlargement draft(s), because the rosters for each the incoming Portland Fireplace and Toronto Tempo stay clean past their head coaches. This week will mark the one-year anniversary of the Golden State Valkyries forming their very own inaugural roster.
Sources informed ESPN that the league has been proposed a 21-day extension. Two sides are nonetheless discussing size of the extension, which expires at midnight tonight. https://t.co/8YZrAEg10D
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) December 1, 2025
Progress towards a brand new CBA, in accordance with experiences, has additionally been comparatively skinny: one reported proposal from the league would’ve given gamers a most wage in seven figures, however Alexa Philippou of ESPN reported that “the WNBPA didn’t see this proposal as shifting issues ahead.” Even this newest extension gave the impression to be some extent of rivalry of kinds: Ramona Shelburne, additionally of ESPN, reported that the league proposed extensions of three and 6 weeks however that the WNBPA’s suggestion was however 24 hours.
Amidst the relative transaction freeze, different types of girls’s basketball have snuck into the headlines: Mission B, a world league promising seven-figure salaries, has lured well-liked stars resembling Sophie Cunningham, Jonquel Jones, Jewell Loyd, Nneka Ogwumike, and Alyssa Thomas.
The newest WNBA CBA extension, satirically, ends 4 days after the second season of Unequalled, the home three-on-three league co-founded by lead WNBPA negotiators Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, suggestions off.
The continued extensions are maybe productive procrastination, particularly after the earlier month’s verbal showdown between the league and several other of its main faces. However with main occasions beginning to drift towards jeopardy, the dearth of official progress is considerably alarming.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
