Players are determined to avoid a lockout with WNBA owners and consider the latest offer from the league “a win” for the WNBPA.
“I want to play, and players want to play,” Kelsey Plum, the WNBPA first vice president, said on Monday before the Unrivaled semifinals are held in New York. “And so obviously we’re going to continue to negotiate and do everything we possibly can to get this done in a timely fashion. But obviously a strike would be the worst thing for both sides, because we are in a revenue (sharing system), so no revenue, no revenue to share.”
The delta between what players have asked the league to share and the revenue percentage the league is offering remains the main sticking point in negotiations, according to multiple reports.
Players sent the league a proposal on Friday that outlined a share of 26% of gross revenue (before expenses) and allowances for housing and travel. The WNBA said the proposal was “unrealistic” and would amount to significant financial losses.
Plum is on a player-led executive panel which is attempting to avoid losing games on the regular-season schedule and a lockout in any form. But the WNBPA was given a deadline of March 10 to agree to a term sheet. The risk in negotiating beyond that date, according to the league, would be lost games — and revenue.
“At this point it’s not really a negotiation any more,” Paige Bueckers said. “I feel like we need to continue to have these conversations and have change actually implemented for us to move forward on our stance. We as players — we don’t want to strike. We want to have a season. I love playing basketball. That’s all I want to do. But again, there’s things that need to be handled. We need to do it as professionals.”
Bueckers, entering her second WNBA season with Dallas, and Britney Griner, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft 13 years ago, shared different perspectives.
Griner, who turns 36 in October, said the progress is significant coming from a past CBA that “didn’t value” players.
The latest league proposal, sent to the player’s association on Sunday, provides a quicker path to a higher max contract. A player who is named All-WNBA First Team or Second Team can receive the max extension on the fourth year of their rookie deal, for example.
Breanna Stewart said neither side has a full proposal without negotiations to make adjustments.
“Both of them are not ready to be voted on. They need to be negotiated either up or down and in a number of ways,” Stewart said.
Natasha Cloud believes players are still getting short shrift on salary. She said a $200,000 increase in salary would be before taxes and housing, which the latest league proposal would eliminate.
“(Mid-range salary players) are still not making enough for housing to be taken off the table,” Cloud said Monday. “I still am focused on our middle (pay range). … I think there’s a lot more that we can do to protect our middle man.”
Plum said talks will continue and noted the progress gained.
“I’ve always been someone that’s focused on the gain, not the gap. And to be honest, I think if you look at where we’ve come from since I came into the league until now, and now that we’re in a revenue share, it’s a tremendous win.
“Obviously, we’re going to continue to negotiate. I can’t emphasize that enough. Like we’re not just settling. I want to be very clear about that. But I’m super proud to be a part of this opportunity to change women’s sports.”
–Field Level Media
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