As ongoing collective bargaining negotiations happen between the WNBA and the WNBPA, we learned last week that the WNBA turned a profit for the first time in its history.
According to ESPN’s Katie Barnes, the WNBA actually made enough money in 2025 revenue to trigger revenue sharing that was agreed upon in the previous CBA. The number is $8 million. That’s how much the WNBA made in profits, and half of that can now be shared among WNBA players.
As of Feb. 17, the WNBPA was asking for 27.5% of the revenue made across the life of the agreement. So, with a profitable season on the books, it begs one to ask: What’s with the WNBA’s trepidation?
The WNBA is now a safe bet
It has been highlighted several times over the last couple of years in this column that the WNBA’s popularity is no aberration. The league has finally paired its star power with equal amounts of marketing. From brand deals and more women working in sports media, the landscape is such that it will continue to elevate the game. So, if the WNBA has finally made money with the likes of Angel Reese, Caitlin Clarke and A’ja Wilson making headlines, it’s safe to say that profits will continue. Coming down the pike, we still have the likes of Juju Watkins and Audi Crooks. The WNBA will continue to be in immensely good hands. There are no signs that suggest that the league will be in peril over the next 15 years.
Is this all just a matter of ownership groups not wanting to give up too much on the revenue that they’re already beginning to see? Do they just want to get the ball rolling on breaking even with their investment faster? Both things can be true here, but that doesn’t and shouldn’t disqualify WNBA players from reaping the benefits of the product that they are the heartbeat of.
Maybe this is simply the nature of labor negotiations — but trust and believe that the WNBPA doesn’t seem to be folding much, and they shouldn’t have to. As of Feb. 27, 10 days after their previous submission, the WNBPA amended their revenue-sharing ask. According to ESPN, they’re now seeking 26% of the revenue made over the lifetime of the agreement. This is down from the aforementioned 27.5% that was alluded to earlier. It was reported in the same piece that this can amount to almost $100 million in reduction for the players with this addendum.
The gauntlet has been laid
It’s clear that one side of these negotiations truly wants this upcoming WNBA season to happen. It’s imperative that the WNBA understands the moment that they’re in and takes stock of the landscape. Unrivaled is here, and they’re selling out arenas across the country. Now in Brooklyn, NY, this week at Barclays Center for their semi- finals, the people have taken notice. If the WNBA heads toward a lockout, it’s completely plausible to see Unrivaled potentially create a five-on-five format for their league. The WNBA can either want to be the preeminent women’s basketball league in the world or give this flashy new brand a tangible shot at creating more history.
We’ve got company
With Unrivaled being such a progressive brand in how it compensates its players, and the insurances that they provide, they’re helping move the needle in the right direction. A WNBA league lockout is more of a win for the players than otherwise. It’s simply time for them to be assertive in a way that affords them their desires for their futures.
Entering what will absolutely be the most profitable period for this 30-year-old league, it’s a shame that the conversations around it, stem from ownership groups not wanting to invest more into their most valuable commodities: their players. It’s time for a change, and I think the owners will be forced to wake up.