The WNBA is on the clock.
The players union set a tone of urgency Tuesday by posting a simple graphic on its social media pages — a clock counting down to a potential work stoppage on Nov. 1.
For months the Women’s National Basketball Players Association had publicly signaled that it saw a work stoppage as only a last resort while negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement with the league. But that changed last month. The union made an initial offer in February, and the league’s counterproposal in June forced players across the WNBA — including on the Chicago Sky — to prepare for the possibility of a stoppage.
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“There’s so much at stake right now,” Sky forward Michaela Onyenwere said. “We need to put pressure on the league. If that means sitting out, we’re ready for it. It’s empowering in the way that we have a voice to make a change in our league.”
The current CBA is set to expire Oct. 31. If the league and players don’t reach an agreement by then, a work stoppage could begin.
While that wouldn’t have an immediate effect on games — the latest the WNBA Finals would end is Oct. 19 — a stoppage would freeze teams’ ability to execute signings, trades and the expansion draft, with the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo scheduled to join the league in 2026. And if it continued into April, when teams report for preseason training, it could delay the start of the next season.
League and union officials will sit down Thursday for another round of in-person negotiations in Indianapolis, where the entire WNBA will be converging for All-Star weekend. Players anticipate the content — and tone — of that meeting will set expectations for the likelihood of a work stoppage.
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“Hopefully these conversations get a little better,” Sky guard Rachel Banham said. “Hopefully there’s a little bit more of a sense of urgency on their behalf. I hope everyone gets to the right place. I think we all want the same thing at the end of the day. We’ve just got to find a way to get there.”
The WNBPA’s tone has shifted over the last four months, mostly as a result of last month’s negotiations with the league. Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally described the league’s counterproposal as a “slap in the face,” while New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart said the league “ignored everything we said.”
Banham echoed the sentiment that the league refused to listen to players’ demands. The steep divide comes down, not surprisingly, to one area: compensation.
Players are fighting for a variety of increased investment in the new CBA, including standards for practice facilities and charter flights, increased roster sizes and improved retirement benefits. But the bulk of the negotiations are focused on the money.
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The minimum rookie salary for 2025 is $66,079, with a veteran minimum of $78,831. WNBA salaries are capped at $249,244 annually for a supermax deal, while the salary cap for a team’s entire roster is roughly $1.5 million. The union hasn’t hinted at its preferred numbers for minimums and maximums, but players ardently agree they wish to see salaries reflect the league’s increased revenue over the last five years.
Photos: Atlanta Dream 86, Chicago Sky 49 at Wintrust Arena
This reflects a broader sentiment across the union. Players are excited about the state of the WNBA. The addition of five expansion teams by 2030 will bring in a total of $1.25 billion in expansion fees. The new media-rights deal is worth a reported $200 million per year from 2026 to 2036. Teams are packing major arenas. Business is soaring — yet player compensation remains static.
“If you compare that to the numbers that we’re getting paid, it just doesn’t make sense financially for us to be growing in this area but not growing in another,” Onyenwere said.
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For rookies such as Sky forward Maddy Westbeld, this season has been an education in organization. Westbeld said she felt “naive” about the realities of union organizing when she first joined the league. But after regular consultations with veterans such as Banham and Elizabeth Williams, she’s beginning to see her place in the union.
Although veterans shoulder the burden of most union organizing, younger players such as Westbeld and second-year Sky forward Angel Reese have been encouraged to participate in collective action in upcoming months.
“Education is power,” Westbeld said. “This period is about making sure we’re all united. If I have a role to play, I’m going to speak up. Even though I’m a rookie, my voice needs to be heard. We can’t be afraid.”
The next step will occur with Thursday’s meeting in Indianapolis.
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“It can be kind of scary because it is our jobs, it’s our livelihood and we want to play,” Banham said. “But it’s also exciting because we’re standing up for ourselves. We’re really trying to fight for what we know we deserve and we haven’t gotten for many, many years.
“I think we’re at the place now where we really, truly deserve this money. We’re doing it for the people who fought for it in the past. We’re not going to back down.”
