Unrivaled viewership decline reignites WNBA CBA stalemate
MJ Jorge, Staff Writer
After an inaugural year with high viewership ratings, Unrivaled has begun its second season, but is experiencing an early decline in TV viewership.
The league was co-founded by Minnesota Lynx star and WNBAPA vice president Napheesa Collier and her husband.
This league was created to give WNBA players a real ownership stake and an opportunity to play when the season ends. Historically, WNBA players have travelled to overseas during the league’s offseason, but Unrivaled allows players to stay closer to home.
The 3×3 basketball league averaged 103,000 viewers across TNT and truTV through week three of the season as of Jan. 26, down 44 per cent from the first three weeks of the introductory season at 185,000, the same time last year.
Among the many concerns emerging with the viewership drop are the decline’s effect on the ongoing negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in the WNBA.
The agreement deadline has been extended since the season ended in October.
WNBAPA representatives and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert are at a stalemate about an agreement. They conducted their first in-person meeting a few days ago.
The meeting lasted three hours, and both sides made progress, but the players still expressed frustration at not having an agreement.
WNBPA vice president Breanna Stewart said that the league isn’t prioritising the main thing.
“Personally, I want to be in the room talking about the real stuff happening,” Stewart told ESPN.
These meetings get so sidetracked by the language, verbiage, and context. We’re missing the point.
About 40 players attended the Monday meeting, along with Engelbert and over a dozen owners and league executives.
While there have been “some areas of agreement” in Collier’s January interview regarding child care, maternity leave, and travel, both sides remain far apart on salary and revenue share.
With the league’s significant growth over the last few years, a lockout may happen if both sides don’t have a deal.
The WNBA draft is scheduled for April 13. Training camp also starts later that month, as the league announced the full schedule for this upcoming season.
The regular season begins on May 8 with the Las Vegas Aces looking to defend their title.
The league will also add two expansion teams, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo. The players are hopeful that a deal can be finalised before the season.
