The WNBA and its players’ union are down to the wire, scheduling an emergency meeting on the very day their self-imposed deadline for a new CBA expires.

The CBA back and forth has now officially gone on for too long. March 10th, the league’s own self-imposed deadline, is here, and there is still no agreement in sight. So what happens now? A strike? According to Kelsey Plum, that is an outcome the WNBA and its players simply cannot afford.

The situation now, according to Annie Costabile, is that an 11th-hour meeting has been scheduled. And as a matter of fact, proposals, which are not public, have been exchanged between both sides in recent days.

And this meeting cannot come soon enough. The CBA dispute has now dragged on for over 17 months, which makes it the most prolonged and public labor dispute in WNBA history. The previous agreement technically expired on January 9th, 2026, after two short-term extensions that kept buying both sides more time. Yet despite those extensions, a resolution has remained elusive. 

And the stalling has already taken its toll. Over 100 players are currently free agents, unable to sign new contracts until there’s a determined salary cap. The expansion drafts for the two new WNBA teams, the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo, cannot happen until the CBA defines the rules governing them. And the rookie draft, currently scheduled for April 13th, 2026, is also under threat if negotiations drag on any further. 

Perhaps this newly scheduled meeting is the one that finally yields something positive. Caitlin Clark said clearly that these negotiations require give and take from both sides. Breanna Stewart went further, saying she’s willing to sit in a room for as long as it takes to get a deal done. Hopefully, both parties walk into this newly scheduled meeting with that same energy and make the reasonable compromises needed, because the WNBA community has been waiting long enough to exhale.

Fans React to Insider’s CBA Meeting Update

Laying this CBA issue to rest once and for all is the relief fans have been desperately waiting for. And perhaps the two sides can finally bring that relief when they sit down one more time to negotiate.

Reacting to Costabile’s update, fans, who have been watching these back-and-forth exchanges with growing frustration, did not hide their feelings. One simply said, “Let’s get this done! I’m ready for some basketball,” while another joined in to say, “I’m waiting to renew my subscription. Get a deal done.”

Of course, not everyone is holding their breath. Negotiations have gone sideways for months, so it’s natural not to invest in optimism just yet. One fan, keeping his expectations in check, stated: “Very low hopes for this meeting because the WNBPA wants a strike.” Another fan, maintaining an entirely different position, said: “A strike is the best way to put pressure on the WNBA.” 

And there lies the divide. While most fans are desperate for a resolution, others believe the players’ strongest leverage is the very outcome everyone fears. The reality, however, is that a strike would hurt everyone: the players, the WNBA, and the fans who have spent the last two years helping build women’s basketball into something bigger than it has ever been.