Women’s basketball fans are getting ready to enjoy the second season of the Unrivaled league. While the players are excited about the action on the court, there’s something else weighing heavily on their minds.
The ongoing CBA talks between the WNBA and the WNBPA have everyone wondering what’s going to happen next. Now, Breanna Stewart, who serves as vice president of the WNBPA, has stepped forward with a bold message that’s getting a lot of attention.
Breanna Stewart Has a New Message for the WNBA
Stewart made it clear that the players aren’t planning to have a lockout this Saturday. It is unless the league forces anything. But at the same time, she also shared some good news, as she stated that she’s hopeful that everything will get sorted out by Feb. 1.
“We’ll continue to negotiate in good faith. It doesn’t mean that on Saturday we’re going to have a lockout, unless the league does something that we’re not prepared for. That’s not going to happen.”
“Hopefully, everything can be done by February 1. Even if we agree we still have to wait for the contracts to be written. So there’s a lot to be thinking about. It’s not just like, oh, you’re done now, it’ll work. If we can get by February 1, we’ll all be in a good place,” said Stewart.
This whole CBA situation started back in late 2024. If we see it was right after the 2024 Finals wrapped up that the WNBPA made a big decision to opt out of their current agreement and that choice kicked off negotiations for a brand new deal that would start after the 2025 season ends. What do the players want? Better salaries, a bigger piece of the league’s revenue, and improved benefits overall.
Things really got intense during the 2025 season. It was especially at the All-Star Game in Indianapolis last July when players couldn’t stay quiet anymore about their frustrations. If we see, Caitlin Clark spoke openly about the huge gaps in what players earn. Other players showed up wearing protest shirts that sent a powerful message: “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” It was impossible to ignore what they were saying.
Originally, everyone thought a deal would be finished by Oct. 31, 2025. That day arrived, but no agreement was reached. Then they moved the deadline to Nov. 30. Again, nothing happened. Both sides eventually agreed to extend negotiations for six more weeks and set Jan. 9Â as the new target date.
Among the biggest issues still causing problems are how much players should earn and how revenue gets divided up.
The WNBA’s most recent offer suggested giving players somewhere between 50% and 70% of the league’s net revenues. But the union wants something different. If we see they’re pushing for a guaranteed percentage of gross revenue instead, which would mean a bigger and more predictable share for the players.
Stewart also made it clear that calling for a strike isn’t something the players want to do right away. But she didn’t rule it out completely either. Now, according to her, if the negotiations keep going nowhere, that option stays on the table.
How these talks play out in the coming weeks will decide everything about the upcoming season.
