Some negotiations stall quietly. Others threaten to shake an entire league calendar. The one ongoing between the WNBA and the WNBPA is trending toward the latter. And amid all of this uncertainty, there is Sophie Cunningham, who isn’t mincing words.

On the latest episode of Show Me Something, the Indiana Fever star sounded the alarm not just on the league’s proposal, but on what could unfold if a new collective bargaining agreement isn’t finalized in time.

“They didn’t respond to our proposals for 6 weeks. They’re putting all the pressure on us, yet they’re not even moving on things that we need them to move on. They are changing every little thing possible except for our top freaking things. Our biggest thing that they haven’t even touched on is revenue share whatsoever. Revenue share is like the main thing that we need you to touch on, and you’re not doing it.”

Sophie Cunningham argued that while the league publicly emphasizes urgency, they aren’t trying to meet the players halfway, as the union is still waiting on meaningful movement around their top priority: revenue share. But beyond stalled proposals, Sophie Cunningham pointed to something even more chaotic: the looming expansion draft for the incoming Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo.

“It all is very determined on the CBA,” Sophie Cunningham explained. “And normally, you can like protect six players; you can do all that thing. But I think that was the last CBA. So I guess where it kind of stands now is – one – need a CBA, two – I think teams can protect up to five players. But all that looks different because are you gonna have core players? Are you gonna have people who are protect, like it’s so dependent on CBA, that’s why it’s going to be legit a sh*t show because you have an expansion draft.”

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“You have the draft out of college right after March Madness, and then everyone’s a free agent. So it’s not like people are restricted, no, like our whole league is free. So it’s going to be a lot. And that’s why March 10th, unless the league has a miracle, I don’t see it.”

And the concern isn’t exaggerated.

Front offices across the WNBA are preparing for an expansion draft involving the incoming Fire and the Tempo, and reports indicate teams may only be able to protect five players instead of six, creating tougher roster decisions.

At the same time, the WNBA Draft is set for April, and roughly 80% of the league is expected to hit unrestricted free agency under the new agreement. Without clarity on revenue share, core designations, and salary structure, expansion plans, free agency, and roster protections are all hanging in the balance.

Revenue Share Remains the Breaking Point

After the players’ union opted out of the 2020 CBA in October 2024, negotiations entered a new phase. However, deadlines passed without resolution. But the March 10th one carries heavier consequences; failure to strike a deal now could disrupt the planned May 8 start of the 2026 season.

At the center of the stalemate is revenue distribution.

We know that under the existing framework, players receive less than 10% of overall league revenue. The union’s latest proposal reportedly seeks 25% of gross revenue in the first year of a new agreement, with gradual increases over time.

But the league leadership has structured its offer differently. They have proposed building around net revenue and also that players receive a significant percentage of those figures. In gross terms, that falls at less than 15%, way below what the union is demanding.

While the league and the players have consistently claimed to put these negotiations to an end and move forward, the numbers have yet to align. And until they do, the broader calendar remains dependent on a finalized agreement.

At the end of the day, Sophie Cunningham was simply being honest about how confusing and stressful this moment feels for players. With expansion coming and the CBA still unsettled, there’s a lot of uncertainty hanging in the air.