The WNBA has been in contract limbo for months now. Fans are getting anxious. Recently, player Kelsey Plum shared some potentially good news. She revealed that the WNBA and the WNBPA are set to meet face-to-face on Feb. 2.
Plum seemed optimistic that sitting down together in person might actually help solve this whole mess. Now, Caitlin Clark herself has weighed in on what she really thinks about the league’s future.
Caitlin Clark Is Optimistic About the Outcome of the CBA Talks With the WNBA
Clark made an interesting debut Sunday night off the basketball court. During the Los Angeles Lakers vs. the New York Knicks pre-game broadcast at Madison Square Garden, the WNBA star served as a broadcaster. She appeared on NBC Sports for the first episode of “Basketball Night in America.”
At one point during the broadcast, Clark was asked by co-host Maria Taylor what she would like to see happen in the WNBA in the near future. The Fever star didn’t dance around the issue.
“Well. Honestly, I don’t think it’s just a big moment for the WNBA. I think all of women’s sports, this is one of the biggest moments we’ve ever had. I feel very confident that we’re going to get something done.”
“And that’s because we’re in this moment because of the product we put on the floor, so we need to continue to do that. And I know everybody’s working really hard; there’s a meeting tomorrow that’s really important. And I truly do believe we’re going to get something done here in the next couple of weeks,” Clark said during the segment.
Taylor also asked Clark about the changes the league is currently going through and how she views this transition period. Once again, Clark answered without hesitation.
“I mean, it is incredible. I remember my first WNBA game. When I was a young girl, I went to the Minnesota Lynx when they had their dynasty with Maya Moore, and they were playing the Seattle Storm, and now basically any arena you go to is sold out. We are upto 14 now and hopefully getting to 18 in the next couple of years.
“So business is growing, and that is a really good thing. We just gotta be in the moment. The talent is getting better and better. You see that college-level coming into the professional games. I feel very fortunate and hopefully have a long career ahead of me as well,” Clark added during the segment.
Caitlin Clark is confident the WNBA will reach a new CBA within the next few weeks pic.twitter.com/peJ80KyMZr
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) February 1, 2026
The current situation began unfolding in late 2024. It was when the WNBPA chose to opt out of its existing agreement. That decision officially opened the door for negotiations on an entirely new deal. That deal was supposed to take effect after the 2025 season. From the start, players were clear about their priorities. They wanted higher salaries, a larger share of league revenue, and better benefits overall.
At first, many expected an agreement to be reached by the end of October, but that deadline passed without a deal. A second target date in late November also passed. Eventually, both sides agreed to extend talks again. Then, January 9 was set as another key date.
Around that time, reports suggested that future salaries could rise significantly, with average pay potentially exceeding $500,000 by 2026 and minimum salaries climbing well above $200,000. There was also discussion of raising the salary cap to around $5 million, with room to grow as the league’s finances expand.
After the January meetings, negotiations slowed. It was reported that both sides agreed to pause discussions temporarily under a moratorium. This allowed time for reflection before returning to the table, and now it remains to be seen how tomorrow’s meeting between the WNBPA and the WNBA will go.
