Latest news with #Breanna Stewart
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA players call initial labor talks with league a ‘wasted opportunity'
INDIANAPOLIS — It had been nearly 20 hours since dozens of WNBA players engaged in 'spirited' exchanges and debates with league officials while discussing matters pertaining to ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations ahead of the All-Star festivities. But after having the time to decompress and reflect, the overwhelming sentiment among players Friday was that the pivotal meeting yielded little to no progress. 'To be frank, it was a wasted opportunity,' Women's National Basketball Players Association vice president Breanna Stewart said. 'We could have really kind of gotten into a deeper dive of everything but it was a lot of fluff that we couldn't get past. And it sucks because situations like that aren't going to happen again because players are playing for different teams in different leagues and this is the only time to have a group together.' The union's executive committee met again 30 minutes before Thursday's negotiations to make sure they had their priorities in order. More than 40 players attended, marking the largest turnout in union history for CBA talks. At one point, the room ran out of chairs for players. The WNBPA believes the record turnout was one of the best ways to send a 'strong message' on how serious the collective is about the new CBA. But what transpired over the next couple of hours in the hotel conference room was not exactly what players had expected. Stewart said it appeared some members on the opposite side of the bargaining table were 'shocked' by how passionately players feel about certain issues, especially revenue sharing. Seattle Storm All-Star Gabby Williams felt the league official 'found a very strategic way to spin everything' and compared them to politicians when players raised questions and concerns. 'I don't think they were aware of how much we did understand of their proposal,' Williams said. 'They thought … that they could just impress us with some fancy numbers and some fancy language and not think that we would actually understand what this meant for us as far as revenue sharing and everything. So I think they heard that we're not to be bamboozled.' Paige Bueckers, this year's No. 1 pick, summed up the meeting by saying it went 'not well.' 'Frustrated' and 'hurt' were other words players used to describe how they felt about it. The WNBPA said it sent proposals as early as February to the league but didn't receive an official counter until last month. The delay was maddening, but the WNBA's proposal was even more upsetting. While players have been calling for a better revenue-sharing model, where players' salaries reflect the league's growth each year, the league's first offer showed just how far apart each side is. 'We were disappointed, for sure, in what they came back with,' WNBPA vice president Napheesa Collier said. 'It was just nowhere near what we asked for. Or even in the same conversation. We asked for something, they came back with something totally different.' The WNBA hasn't issued an official statement on Thursday's meeting. Cathy Engelbert is slated to meet with reporters ahead of Saturday's All-Star Game. While revenue sharing and increased salaries remain the most pinnacle issues for the union, there are many more things that need to be discussed, including but not limited to player amenities, pension, housing stipends and benefits for mothers. With an extended season, there are also questions regarding league prioritization rules that some players, especially international talents, including Williams, have concerns about. The league repeatedly told the union, 'We hear you' throughout Thursday's meeting. But players don't want to just be heard. They want action. '[WNBPA president] Nneka [Ogwumike] did a really great job of making sure [and] Napheesa [Collier] made it abundantly clear, like, 'This is what we are trying to do, so hear that,' ' Fever star Kelsey Mitchell said. 'They stood on business. And it's important to have those kind of leaders supporting the movement because we just want what we deserve.' There's so much ground that still needs to be covered, but a lot of conversations were left 'unfinished' in the meeting, Stewart said. 'There's a lot to be figured out,' Stewart added. The clock is ticking. The current CBA, which was signed in January 2020, expires Oct. 31. While both parties were hoping to avoid a work stoppage, it's a real possibility given how little headway has been made — so much so that Collier said players are preparing for one. '[A work stoppage] is not what anybody wants. But at the end of the day, we have to stand firm,' Collier said. 'We're not going to be moving on certain topics and so, hopefully, the league comes back quickly so that we can have more dialogue, more conversations and we can get the ball rolling.' There's not another in-person meeting on the schedule yet and Stewart said it's unlikely one would happen before the season ends given the WNBA's game schedule, which added to players' frustrations about how little was accomplished. Stewart said a virtual meeting would be the 'next best thing,' though it's still not ideal. Union executives are expected to meet with league officials again 'soon,' but WNBPA executive director Terri Michael Jackson didn't share any details. While the league and players association may remain at odds as of now, both are committed to creating a fair and transformational CBA that makes sense for all parties involved. 'Both sides want to get this done,' Stewart said. 'But at the same time, we need to have a little bit more of a sense of urgency because if we don't have it figured out by end of season, then we have bigger problems and things to worry about.'
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Unrivaled Gives Top College Stars NIL Deals on WNBA's Big Weekend
As the WNBA's collective bargaining talks stall three months before the Oct. 31 deadline to get a new deal done, many of its likely future draft picks are helping market Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 women's pro basketball league entering its second season next winter. Lauren Betts (UCLA), Azzi Fudd (UConn) and Olivia Miles (TCU)—potentially the top three WNBA draft selections in 2026—are among the 14 college athletes who have signed marketing deals with Unrivaled ahead of its second season. The list also includes USC star JuJu Watkins and Flau'jae Johnson (LSU), both of whom already had equity in the league. More from WNBA Players Walk Away 'Frustrated' After CBA Talks Stall WNBA Players Getting Share of Expansion Fees Would Be Unique WNBA National Viewership Up Despite Clark's Injury Absences Unrivaled announced the NIL deals during the WNBA's 2025 All-Star weekend. The agreements come with no commitments for the signees to play in the startup venture founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. Unrivaled's monetary value for players is an ongoing point of discussion in the WNBA, because it has become a model for better pay. The 3-on-3 league's average salary of $220,000 is near the WNBA's max base salary. Many of the WNBA's top players participated in Unrivaled's first season, and it has now tied its name to many of the nation's best college athletes. Unrivaled-linked players set to join the WNBA in the coming years could enjoy the fruits of the Women's National Basketball Players Association's ongoing labor fight, which includes pushes for higher salaries and a greater share of leaguewide revenues. That is if the union achieves the 'transformational' deal it seeks. A WNBA work stoppage would be detrimental for the momentum of the league and its players—especially as fan engagement remains near an all-time high. Those involved in Unrivaled at least have some level of personal protection in the event of continued labor unrest, as many of them received equity as part of their deals to join the Miami-based venture. Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers, who participated in a well-attended CBA meeting in Indianapolis on Thursday, is among the WNBA players with equity in Unrivaled. The former UConn star will receive a check next year regardless of if the WNBA has a new CBA. News of Bueckers' lucrative three-year deal with Unrivaled leaked a day prior to the WNBA Draft in April, and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was forced to address it during her annual draft press conference. The Wings guard's first-year Unrivaled salary reportedly exceeds what she'll make in her first four years in the WNBA combined. The six-team winter league, played across 10 weeks between January and March, has long stated that it was designed to be additive to the WNBA. It strives to be a domestic option for players who want to avoid competing overseas to supplement their income. But as WNBA owners invest more into their teams and training facilities, some are asking for prioritization of the W over alt leagues such as Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited. Seattle Storm star Gabby Williams vocalized her frustration on the matter to reporters on Friday afternoon. 'It's very clear that the league wants to push away all other leagues,' Williams said. 'It would make sense if they were paying us more here but it's not the case even with the new proposals.' Collier, a vice president on the WNBPA executive committee, recently pushed back on critics who view her role leading CBA negotiations and being a co-founder of Unrivaled as a conflict of interest. The Minnesota Lynx star said Unrivaled only benefits the WNBA as it grows the profile and fandom surrounding its biggest stars. Unrivaled has infiltrated WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis by setting up its own pop-up activation featuring game day fan experiences, player appearances and merch drops. It's the latest move for the league to grow its presence beyond its Miami homebase. The new crop of college players, including Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame) and Madison Booker (Texas), backing the league will only help build that name recognition as the labor fight in the WNBA continues. Best of Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025? Browns Officially Get Public Money for New Stadium in Ohio Budget WNBA Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From Golden State to Atlanta
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Caitlin Clark and WNBA stars make stunning protest against their pay before All-Star game
Caitlin Clark and her fellow WNBA players wore T-shirts telling league bosses to 'pay us what you owe us' as talks over a new collective bargaining agreement stalled during All-Star week. Negotiations have been ongoing between the WNBA and Women's National Basketball Players Association during All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis but they have failed to reach a deal and erase the friction between the two sides. In fact, many WNBA players were disappointed in the lack of progress of an in- person session conducted Thursday. The negotiations certainly didn't narrow the gap between the two sides. 'I think (Thursday's) meeting was good for the fact that we could be in the same room as the league and the Board of Governors,' said Liberty star Breanna Stewart, a union vice president. 'But, I think, to be frank, it was a wasted opportunity.' The dispute began when the players union announced after the 2024 season that they would opt out of the CBA on Oct. 31, 2025. With television revenues on the rise - largely due to the presence of Clark - the players want a larger piece of the financial pie. 'Rev sharing is truly transformational,' Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum told reporters. 'We want a piece of the entire pie. Not a piece of part of the pie. We're a resilient group. We know the unity it takes to be able to get the outcome desired.' Chicago Sky second-year forward Angel Reese termed the negotiations as 'disrespectful.' 'Obviously, women's basketball is skyrocketing,' Reese told reporters. 'And it's important for us to get what we want now, not just now, but for the future as well. ... 'It was an eye-opener for me ... hearing the language of things, not things that I was happy to hear. It was disrespectful -- the proposal that we were sent back.' The deadline to reach a new agreement is just three-and-a-half months away. 'We're on a time crunch. No one wants a lockout,' said Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, another vice president of the WNBPA. 'But at the end of the day, we have to stand firm, and we're not going to be moved on certain topics. So hopefully the league comes back quickly so that we can get have more dialog, more conversations and can get the ball rolling.' Collier and Stewart were co-founders of Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league that debuted last offseason. The fact that both players are part of the WNBPA negotiating party while having significant financial investments in a rival league would appear to be a conflict of interest, though Collier has fought back against that narrative. That also is part of the discussions as the WNBA wants its league to be prioritized among the players, some of whom play overseas. Players point out that Unrivaled's pay scale was better for most players than what they receive in WNBA salary. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert described the negotiations as 'very constructive dialog.' Engelbert said she remains optimistic that a deal with get done. More to follow.
