Is the WNBA heading into a lockout?
MJ Jorge, Staff Writer
As the WNBA Finals came to a close, the league celebrated a season of immense growth. Not only in terms of growing viewership, but also in terms of in-game attendance, overall fandom and the addition of three new expansion teams expected to be introduced within the next few years. Game 1 of the WNBA finals this year was the most-watched game since its inaugural season in 1997. It was up 62 per cent from last season’s matchups between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx.
However, the WNBA is heading into a potential lockout due to the players and the league not coming to an agreement on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The deadline for agreement is Oct. 31, but WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) have been at a divide all season long.
The deal needs to be done as soon as possible as a lockout would put the 2026-2027 season at risk and just a few months ago, the WNBA announced two more expansion teams that are set to begin in 2026 (Toronto Tempo, Portland Fire). WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike told ESPN that she hopes the league doesn’t go into a lockout, but also expresses that the deal has to be right for the players.
“That’s not something we’re advocating for,” Ogwumike said. “We just want to make sure that this is a deal that’s done the right way and using whatever time it takes for us to be able to have both sides agree on something.”
From the players perspective, the biggest thing that they are advocating for is an increase in revenue share. According to sports economist David Berri, he estimated that in 2025, the WNBA players received less than seven per cent of their basketball-related income (BRI). BRI accounts for most of the league’s revenue, yet the current CBA does not guarantee that players receive a set share—he players only receive additional revenue sharing if the league hits certain revenue benchmarks.
Comparatively, the NBA has a 50/50 share of the revenue, but the WNBPA is looking for an increase in revenue share for now, as well as pensions for both active and former WNBA players just like the NBA players.
Minnesota Lynx superstar and WNBPA Vice President Napheesa Collier addressed the state of the league when it comes to officiating, leadership and the current CBA negotiations at her exit press conference after being eliminated in the playoffs, expressing where the state of the league is.
“We have the best league in the world, we have the best fans in the world,” Collier said. “But we have the worst leadership in the world. Year after year, the only thing that remains consistent is the lack of accountability from our leaders.”
The WNBA expanded to a season high 44 games for the 2025 season. Collier also talked about how inconsistent the officiating has been.
“The league talks about sustainability, this is about sustainability,” Collier said. “How are you going to protect your players? How are you going to make sure that we have the best products on the floor night after night, when it’s so inconsistent and people are getting hurt left and right?”
Recently, multiple players, including phenom Caitlin Clark, have expressed their support in Collier’s comments and hope that the league is listening to the necessary changes the players are looking for.
With the deadline looming, a longtime senior executive told ESPN that players may be out on Engelbert getting a deal done.
“This is an inflection point for the league, there is a root cause, and its lack of transparency, lack of trust in the league and the relationship between the players in the league. You can get transparency overnight. But trust is not built overnight, and Engelbert has lost it. She can’t regain it,” she said. Engelbert held a press conference a few days after to address Collier’s comments, the state of the league, officiating and current CBA negotiations.
Engelbert firstly addressed Collier’s comment about players not feeling appreciated or prioritised more in the league.
“If the players in the W don’t feel appreciated and valued by the league, then we have to do better and I have to do better,” Engelbert said. “No one should ever doubt how deeply I feel about this league, this game and every single player who makes the WNBA what it is.”
Engelbert also talked about the officiating and the constant inconsistency mentioned by the players.
“Referess and their work serve the game,” Engelbert said. “I think it’s pretty clear we’re misaligned on what our stakeholders want and there are no greater stakeholders than our players.”
Engelbert emphasised that the league will look to improve officiating next season, barring there is no lockout. Engelbert also brought up “sustainability,” stating that the WNBA wants what’s fair for both sides so that the “long-term viability of the league” continues to be intact.
Engelbert expressed a desire to align with the players’ desires and feels hopeful and optimistic that she can regain the trust of the players.
“There’s so many things that we can do together and I hope that the players see that,” Engelbert said. “I feel confident that we can repair any loss of trust.”
Collier was supposed to meet with Engelbert this week following her statements about Engelbert, but declined to meet with her as Engelbert dismissed Collier’s remarks, choosing to avoid addressing them entirely. The deadline for the new CBA’s negotiations is Oct. 31, and if no deal is reached, the league is set to head into a lockout.
