WNBA lockout looms with pay talks deadlocked

THE Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) is hurtling toward a potential lockout or strike with pay talks deadlocked ahead of Sunday’s deadline over the players’ push for a bigger share of the league’s explosive growth in revenue.

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The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was due to expire on Oct. 31, but has been extended to Nov. 30. However, a deal appears increasingly unlikely, raising the prospect of a work stoppage that could disrupt the 2026 season.

“They'll probably do another extension, yet if we get to the New Year without an agreement a strike becomes a realistic option,” Daniel Kelly II, an associate dean and professor at New York University who specializes in sports law, said in an interview on Wednesday.

“Historically, that has led to the best deal for players. For the NBA, the 50-50 deal came after the strike in 2011-12. It almost seems like you have to push to the edge to get the deal you want,” he added.