The New York Liberty pose for a photo with the championship trophy after defeating the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
One day after the WNBA ended its most successful season with the New York Liberty winning their first title, the league’s players’ association announced Monday it will opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement.
In a season of record attendance and television ratings that already have started to drive up revenue streams, union leaders opted to leave behind a deal that was set to expire in 2027. The players had until Nov. 1 to opt out.
The league struck an understanding tone to the union’s decision that risks a work stoppage following next season.
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“With the historic 2024 WNBA season now in the books, we look forward to working together with the players and the WNBPA on a new CBA that is fair for all and lays the foundation for growth and success for years to come,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.
At the forefront of a new CBA is expected to be a rise in player salaries, even as the WNBA was projected to lose $40 million while new eyes gravitated to the league. Estimates indicate the NBA owns approximately 60 percent of the WNBA.
On the horizon is the start of a new 11-year media rights deal with three television partners — Disney, Amazon Prime and NBC — that is expected to bring in $200 million per season, or $2.2 billion total.
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The new deal will bring in far more than the $60 million per season the current one did. And that revenue increase does not consider an increase in each team’s advertising revenue potential, or additional regular-season and playoff games.
The WNBA regular season will soon increase to 44 games from its current 40, while the WNBA Finals will grow from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven in 2025.
The WNBA’s popularity has soared this season with the arrival of players like Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever, Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky and Cameron Brink of the Los Angeles Sparks, who saw her season end prematurely with a knee injury.
Those young players were added to established stars like A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu of the Liberty and Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun, among others. Wilson was named MVP for the third time in her career.
According to an ESPN report, players also hope state-of-the art practice facilities that have been built by the Liberty, Aces, Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury become the norm around the league. –Field Level Media