“WNBA: Stop Playing Games.” That was the WNBPA’s message on social media right after the league dropped the 2026 schedule. The league said the early release was on purpose to help teams, sponsors, broadcast partners, and fans plan ahead. But players clearly were not on board.

Rachel DeMita on her YouTube channel highlighted how players like A’ja Wilson and Azurá Stevens were not happy about the schedule being released.

“Some WNBA players were actually commenting on social media. Like, Azurá Stevens commented under an Instagram post that said the WNBA releases 2026 season schedule amid CBA negotiations, and she just commented a bunch of question marks,” DeMita said. 

She continued, “Then A’ja Wilson also posted on Threads. She said, ‘Me looking at the schedule release,’ and then it’s a clip from a movie with a guy banging the table. It kind of seems like the players are a little bit confused as to why the WNBA released the schedule, or they are not as excited as fans are.”

It makes sense why players like A’ja Wilson and Azurá Stevens were confused by the announcement. The 2026 schedule has the season running from Friday, May 8, to Thursday, September 24. Season length has been a hot topic in CBA negotiations as the league tries to expand, add teams, and pump out more content for media partners. But for now, the CBA still limits the regular season to 44 games, and that’s what teams will get in 2026.

Yes, the season begins one week earlier, and the playoffs are slated for September 27, aligning closely with last year’s timeline. The league had reportedly explored extending the season into November, which would overlap with Unrivaled and Project B, but that scenario appears off the table for now. With no new CBA signed, the league was obligated to adhere to the previous agreement.

But the players are naturally not happy with the announcement, and it is completely valid given that both sides are still far apart in negotiations. Two extensions have already passed, and now there’s a moratorium in place that pauses league business. That means no early free agency moves, no qualifying offers, no core designations, nothing.

And as long as the league remains in this status quo period, players like A’ja Wilson are not going to care about anything the league announces. Which brings us to the elephant in the room…

What Exactly Are A’ja Wilson and Co. Holding Out For?

There’s actually no guarantee the season even happens until the CBA talks are done. Both sides are still miles apart, and that is genuinely concerning. The latest proposal would put players at roughly 70% of net revenue based on current projections, climbing from 65% to 80% over the life of the deal.

But none of it is explicitly guaranteed. The league’s net-revenue formula doesn’t promise owners a profit, which means teams could still eat the losses if revenues dip or costs spike,  even if those costs are out of their control, as per Sportico.

“Our priority is a deal that significantly increases player salaries, enhances the overall player experience, and supports the long-term growth of the league for current and future generations of players and fans,” the league said in a statement earlier this month.

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A’ja Wilson and co have countered with their own proposal, asking for a system that pays them 30 percent of gross revenue. It’s a much simpler system to administer than the current model, even if it lacks the sophistication seen in other leagues. In this setup, the remaining 70% would stay with the league to cover expenses rather than deducting costs first.

But so far, the league has not reached out to them about it, and the clock keeps ticking. At the end of the day, schedule releases don’t matter if players don’t get what they want. If that happens, names like Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, and Napheesa Collier could easily end up signing full-time deals with Unrivaled or Project B. And honestly, that is a terrifying scenario for the league.