標籤: WNBAs

The latest updates on the ongoing negotiations between the WNBA and its players point to a strike starting very soon.

NBA All-Star weekend is in the rearview, and there was one notable omission from this year’s event: the inclusion of WNBA stars. Typically, all women’s leagues owned by the NBA have a presence on All-Star weekend. But that didn’t happen this month as the WNBA is in the middle of negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement. An agreement that appears no closer to completion.

Even during the 2025 WNBA season, there were strong rumors that a strike or lockout was very possible. With interest in the league reaching new heights over the past two seasons, players want increased wages and feel they deserve it. However, league owners want to be cautious about the recent surge and do not want to overextend their financial capabilities if the recent growth cannot sustain itself.

Talks have been going on for several months, but little progress has been made and it could soon pass the point where the season could be delayed. According to a recent report from Front Office Sports, “If a deal is not reached within the first two weeks of February, the season will be delayed.”

More evidence emerges that WNBA strike is coming

The new season is scheduled to begin on May 8, and the league still has the expansion draft, free agency and the 2026 WNBA Draft for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire on the offseason to-do list before the new season begins.

Adding to the idea that a players’ strike is imminent is the fact that it was actually rumored to be announced this weekend. FOS reported, “There was a rumor throughout the weekend that there would be a demonstration by WNBA players in Los Angeles to press for a better deal or declare a strike. But the weekend ended without any such event.”

There could be no better evidence that players are under the impression that a strike is going to happen than two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart agreeing to a deal with Turkish club Fenerbahçe. The impending free agent will begin playing in Türkiye a few weeks before the upcoming WNBA season begins. If she thought a CBA agreement was not far off, it would be highly unlikely that she would sign such an agreement.

The league’s most recent offer is reportedly still less than 15% of total league revenue and includes a salary cap hit of $5.65 million.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos