Even after wrapping up the season on a high note, the WNBA is still in a tricky spot. The league and the WNBPA remain far apart in negotiations for the new CBA. Fans had hoped for progress during the WNBA All-Star Weekend, when both sides were scheduled for a face-to-face meeting, but no deal was reached, and tensions have only grown since. Now, with Adam Silver’s offer and the WNBPA’s subtle response, the debate has exploded online.

It has been a little over three months since the All-Star weekend talks, and while there have been some updates, none have been encouraging. Napheesa Collier’s comments during her exit interviews briefly sparked hope for progress in the negotiations, but that quickly faded amid outrage and a canceled meeting. Now, WNBA fans have another reason to be upset. The latest backlash comes in response to comments made by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, sparking renewed debate across social media.

During his media availability before the NBA Opening Night, Adam Silver was asked about the WNBA players’ demand for a revenue-sharing model. To this, Adam replied, “I think share isn’t the right way to look at it because there’s so much more revenue in the NBA. They [WNBA players] are gonna get a big increase in this cycle of collective bargaining, and they deserve it.” While he may have made the statement with the intention of guiding the WNBA players in the best way possible, it certainly hasn’t come off as that.

Responding to him, the WNBPA’s Instagram page added a story with the caption, “Don’t want to share, @adamsilvernba?” This story is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the fans’ outrage over his statements. His comments discouraging the WNBA players from demanding a revenue-based model are even more confusing, considering that the NBA follows the same model and the players are paid 50% of the total revenue the league generates.

Reacting to his comments, WNBA fans were rightly outraged, and they made their thoughts known on social media.

Fans’ reaction to Adam Silver’s comments about the WNBA CBA

“We’re never getting a new CBA….” A fan reacted with the thoughts that most of us have around the basketball world. Even though the negotiations started well before the season even began, there has been no resolution to this. Now, we are dangerously close to a situation of a lockdown happening, which can significantly hamper the league’s momentum that has been on the rise for the last two seasons. 

Another fan had a strong and passionate reaction to Adam Silver’s comments and said, “The NBA and WNBA are a disgrace to the players of the W. I hope all the players stand firm.” The comments are as true as they come, as there has been a blatant lack of intent from the WNBA in making a deal. A number of players have called out the league and its lack of urgency in finding a solution that makes everybody happy. 

But the good thing for the WNBA is that the players are all together. No matter what team they play for, they know that right now, they are in the same boat. 

One of the fans reacting to Adam Silver’s comments was a WNBA analyst. Sara Jane Gamelli. She commented, “This is really interesting stuff from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Revenue share is absolutely an issue + increased salaries. ‘Share isn’t the right way to look at it.’” In his comments, Adam Silver explained that revenue sharing is possible in the NBA because of the vast revenue it creates. 

Compared to the WNBA, that figure is a much smaller one, which makes it tricky to incorporate a revenue-based model. However, the WNBPA is still adamant about this. One of their main reasons for asking is to get some more clarity about the league’s finances.

Another fan commented, saying, “Have never seen an outside commissioner comment so frequently on another league’s CBA negotiations. You know, the same league that claims year after year not to be a subsidiary of the NBA.” While it is indeed true that Adam Silver is not holding any formal roles in the WNBA, he is heavily involved in the league. Part of the reason is that the NBA owns 42% of the WNBPA. There is also a prevailing opinion among the experts that Cathy Engelbert also informally reports to him. 

Another fan passionately shows their support to the WNBA players and said, “And this is exactly why they still own 42% of the league and refuse to give it up. The W has been consistently turning a profit, the commissioner’s done solid work, yet he’s still pulling strings behind the scenes. That’s the real issue and the root of the turmoil.” While the passion and overall sentiment are truly appreciated, the fact is that the WNBA is yet to turn a profit.

Even after all the records that were broken last year, the league’s finances still ended up $40 million in the red. Sure, there is going to be more influx of cash in the coming years, but as things stand right now, the WNBA has yet to make a profit. For this revenue to increase, the WNBA needs to have seasons like the last two years consistently so that it can get a steady stream of income. Once that is achieved, there can be no excuses for anyone to deny the players a bigger piece of the pie.