The WNBA and WNBPA agreed Thursday to a 30-day extension of the present collective bargaining settlement by way of Nov. 30, sources confirmed.
The present CBA was set to run out Friday, a situation that might have opened the door to a attainable strike by gamers or lockout initiated by house owners.
ESPN reported Tuesday that the WNBA had provided the gamers’ affiliation the extension of the CBA. The extension follows an analogous path to the newest spherical of CBA negotiations after the 2019 season, when the 2 sides agreed to a 60-day extension earlier than agreeing to a brand new deal in January 2020.
There have been a number of conferences this week between the WNBA and WNBPA as a part of negotiations, which have centered on how the league’s wage cap is decided. The WNBA has proposed sizable will increase to the league’s minimal and most salaries, reflecting elevated income generated by the WNBA because the final CBA was signed.
Although the league’s proposal maintains income targets that might enable gamers to share in future development, the wage cap would stay fastened through the deal if these targets aren’t met. The WNBPA has countered with presents that might tie the wage cap to basketball-related earnings, much like the best way the NBA, NFL and NHL have lengthy operated.
The NWSL additionally adopted a mannequin that shares income in its most up-to-date CBA, signed final 12 months.
The 2 sides have traded sharp phrases over that disconnect.
Final week, NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s feedback on the “TODAY Present” that WNBA gamers will get a “large improve” in salaries, whereas pointing to “absolute numbers” as the best way to measure that development, versus the share of income. The league has mentioned that “the gamers’ affiliation has but to supply a viable financial proposal and has repeatedly refused to have interaction in any significant approach on a lot of our proposal phrases,” and that it has provided an uncapped revenue-sharing mannequin that’s immediately tied to the league’s efficiency.
The union has countered these claims, saying the league has “run out the clock, put lipstick on a pig and retread a system that is not tied to any a part of the enterprise and deliberately undervalues the gamers. The truth that the league now needs to name any a part of its proposal ‘uncapped’ is exactly why its management, transparency and accountability are being challenged proper now.”
The Athletic was the primary to report the information of the 30-day extension.
ESPN’s Alexa Philippou contributed to this story.