Today, the WNBA and WNBPA are holding what is being described as a “pivotal” meeting in New York, with players present for an in-person collective bargaining agreement (CBA) session for the first time since October.
According to reporting from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Alexa Philippou, the meeting could determine if a new agreement is soon reached—or if players decide to initiate a strike.
Shelburne and Philippou additionally relate that somewhat divided perspectives have emerged within the WNBPA’s seven-member executive committee.
One camp is committed to seizing this opportunity “to fundamentally alter the league’s revenue sharing model,” insisting that “players shouldn’t compromise further until they feel comfortable with the new system.” The other camp, while understanding that “there are still some matters to be negotiated,” believes “the players have already gained significant ground and are closer to a deal.”
The seven members of the WNBPA’s executive committee are: Nneka Ogwumike (president), Kelsey Plum (first vice president), Elizabeth Williams (secretary), Brianna Turner (treasurer), Alysha Clark (vice president), Napheesa Collier (vice president) and Breanna Stewart (vice president).
As previously reported, Ogwumike, Plum and Collier will be in attendance on Monday, while Stewart will participate remotely, as her Unrivaled club, Mist BC, has a game on Monday night in Miami. Williams currently is playing for Galatasaray in Turkey. Both Turner and Clark are playing in Athletes Unlimited, which begins on Wednesday in Nashville.
The reporting from Shelburne and Philippou gives no indication as to which members of the executive committee fall into the respective camps.
In a recent conversation with SB Nation’s Noa Dalzell, Ogwumike emphasized that “there are things that we are not compromising on,” while likewise asserting that the players “still also understand the aspect of negotiating in good faith.”
Ogwumike further underscored that what is in the deal, not when the deal gets done, is most important, stating:
Ideally, this would have gotten done a little bit earlier, but we want a good deal, rather than one that’s done in a fashion that suits a schedule. And so we’re looking forward to being able to come out of this proud of what we’ve negotiated, proud of the process, while also looking forward to having a season. Our players want to play, we want to play, but we also want to be valued on the court—and that’s something that we’re negotiating for today.
According to Shelburne and Philippou, all committee members are “eager to hear directly from owners instead of having layers of middlemen and lawyers separating the sides.”
