I know, I’m sorry, i don’t wanna hear about anymore sports having lockouts but yet here we are. It’s time to admit something to yourselves if you haven’t already. The WNBA is here and it’s here to stay. It’s not just the Caitlin Clark effect either. The Women’s NCAA Tournament numbers were up, as well as Women’s NCAA Softball Tournament. It’s no more denying that women sports is here and is making a splash.

Even women’s sports is bringing in more money than ever now. In 2024, women’s sports as a whole brought in 1.88bn, with projections estimated to be up to 2.35bn for the 2025 seasons.

The WNBA is even projected to break one billion dollars in revenue for the first time in the league’s history. Women’s basketball is also projected to overtake soccer as the top-earning-revenue sports league.

Earlier in the year, the MLB invested over eight-figures into the AUSL (Athletes Unlimited Softball League). A women’s softball league that aims to boost youth engagement in softball and establish its presence as a sustainable organization.

Now why is all that important you may ask? Well it’s time for the owners of the WNBA to pay up, and give the players what they deserve. That’s a pay increase. 

The top contract in the WNBA currently is held by Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces, it is worth 252,450$. That is 507,550$ less than the MLB minimum salary, 587,550 less than a NFL player with no experience can make, and over 1m less than a player with no experience in the NBA makes. Now I’m not saying they deserve Juan Soto contracts (yet). They still have a couple of years to go before they reach that point but, it is time for a pay increase.

But what are the players doing to make these changes, well first off is the new CBA that will be introduced.

On Monday, WNBA league officials and members from the players union sat down and had discussions. Their first in-person talks since last year in December. 

According to Satou Sabally, forward for the Mercury and union rep said “We got a proposal from the league, which was honestly a slap in the face.” 

Increased salaries, roster sizes, and revenue sharing are some of the major issues that the players and Union president Nneka Ogwumike are fighting for.

Ogwumike is seeing her third CBA negotiation and is confident that Thursday’s meeting between both sides will be beneficial for both sides.

The two sides have been having a couple of meetings for the last few months, but this will be the first time that all the players on the executive council will be in attendance.

Ogwumike also mentioned that “when you’re doing things via documents, when you’re doing things via proxy, whether it’s… our union staff and league staff, it’s different. But when you’re sitting at the table, things a lot of times, in my experience, you get done a little bit more efficiently.

As mentioned, the WNBA is expected the surpass 1bn in revenue for the first time, and everything around the WNBA is seeing profit increase. Attendance and viewership is up, and there’s also the new 2.2bn media rights deal that is set to begin next season. The WNBA is also going to be adding 4 expansion teams.

Toronto, San Francisco and Portand have been confirmed, while Detroit, Cleveland and Nashville all have respective bids placed.

Each of those three teams who have been confirmed, having to pay over 250m.

Ogwumike also thought it was interesting that the league has a 250m expansion fee, but there’s no openness to be reflected in the revenue sharing that goes to the players. “It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, but we’re hoping we can get more clarity on that in Indiana”

“We’ll get something done and it’ll be transformational.” Commisioner Cathy Engelbert said at the WNBA Draft in April. “We want to have a fair deal for all, but it has to be within the confines of a sustainable economic model that goes on for 10 years. We’ve had a few good years of growth, but we need to continue to make sure that we can fund the things that the player are asking for, that’s what we want for them too”

Now what if a deal isn’t completed by the end of October. Well some players, including Angel Reese and Naphessa Collier have mentioned that they have considered a walkout.

“From the players perspective, its hard to be able to navigate this during the middle of the season, but also we know how important it is and really getting it done before the end of October and we’re making that effort to do both.” Breanna Stewart, union vice president said about the ongoing CBA negotiations.

Now like i said, they aren’t at a point yet to start handing out Juan Soto contracts just yet, but players deserve pay increases, and a part of the revenue sharing that the owners are currently eating up. The WNBA lockout is about to get ugly if the meetings this week don’t go well in Indy. Breanna Stewart said “We have a big meeting in Indy at All-Star and it’s going to be spicy.”

WNBA players deserve more money, and BSN will be here to cover the whole CBA process! Good luck to the WNBA, its players and the union for a successful CBA that helps everyone at the end of the day.