By Amy Tennery
INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) -The Women’s National Basketball Players Association and the WNBA appeared no closer to finding common ground on a labor agreement on Thursday, as negotiations continued amid fears over a potential work stoppage.
The two sides, including more than 40 players, met on Thursday ahead of the All-Star Game this weekend in Indianapolis amid reports of serious discord between players and the league in their labor negotiations.
“The WNBA’s response to our proposals fails to address the priorities we’ve voiced from the day we opted out,” the WNBPA said in a statement.
The union called for “a transformational CBA (collective bargaining agreement) that delivers our rightful share of the business that we’ve built, improves working conditions, and ensures the success we create lifts both today’s players and the generations that follow.”
The WNBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The current CBA was hailed as a landmark moment for women’s sports in 2020, when the league and players reached their agreement, with increased pay, improved travel and a host of new maternity benefits.
But rapid growth in the WNBA has transformed the league, with an 11-year, $2.2 billion media rights deal kicking in with the 2026 season, and players opted to ditch the deal before it was set to expire in 2027.
A work stoppage could be catastrophic for the league, which is set to debut two new teams in Portland and Toronto next year, and it said last month three more teams would debut in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia in 2028, 2029 and 2030, respectively.
“We’ve told the league and teams exactly why their proposal falls so short,” the union said. “This business is booming – media rights, ratings, revenue, team valuations, expansion fees, attendance, and ticket sales – are all up in historic fashion.”
The WNBA has enjoyed tremendous momentum with surging TV viewership and attendance, as last year’s playoffs generated the best ratings in 25 years, and a host of young stars, including the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark, have brought in new fans.
This weekend’s All-Star Game festivities in Indianapolis were expected to draw unprecedented interest, and banners featuring the top-flight league’s star players were plastered across the city’s bustling downtown.
“Short-changing the working women who make this business possible stalls growth,” the WNBPA said, reiterating its commitment to return to negotiations.
“The only thing more unsustainable than the current system is pretending it can go on forever.”
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Indianapolis; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
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