The burning issue of the WNBA has caught the attention of the household league of America. After weeks and months of demands that call for revenue sharing between the players and the WNBA have fallen on deaf ears, the NFLPA has come out strongly in support of the developing league that has seen immense growth in the last couple of years.

“The NFLPA stands in solidarity with @TheWNBPA and its fight for a collective bargaining agreement that reflects the players’ undeniable impact on the league’s growth. It’s time for fair compensation, proper working conditions, and a future that puts players first,” the official NFLPA account wrote.

That support echoes a growing frustration that started within the WNBA itself over poor pay, even for stars who bring revenue to the league. According to YouGov data, Caitlin Clark is the third most popular basketball player in the country, behind only LeBron James and Steph Curry, so the stark difference in how the two sides of basketball players are treated raises eyebrows.

WNBPA vice president Napheesa Collier even went a step ahead, taking a dig at the league commissioner, saying, “The amount of money that Caitlin Clark has made the league is insane, and she’s getting 0% of it because we have no rev share. She gets less than $80,000 a year, and she’s bringing in, like, hundreds of millions of dollars. It’s insane.”

While Caitlin Clark’s rise highlights the pay gap, most WNBA players remain underpaid compared to their impact on the league. So, showing solidarity, the NFLPA issued a strong statement supporting the WNBPA in its ongoing CBA negotiations. That show of support is part of a continued partnership between the two unions. The NFLPA and WNBPA, along with four other players’ associations, launched a joint mental health awareness campaign in 2023.

The NFLPA also voiced similar support last year when WNBA players pushed for improved travel conditions. At the time, the NFLPA’s medical advisor at the time Thom Mayer, said, “There is a very important reason why NFL players travel the way they do: we insist on the highest standards of health and safety, and we are looking to do even more in this area. We support the WNBPA in their push for improved travel standards, which are vital to their health and performance.”

That contributed to a major success as WNBA athletes received full-time charter flights with the league investing $50 million over 2025-26. In hindsight, that was even of a game-changer move than people thought at the time. With the dense 2025 schedule, injuries skyrocketed. It could have been worse without comfortable travel for the players.

Cross-union solidarity gives players added leverage at the table. In addition, NFL fans who are not that educated on the situation will be compelled to dive into it, adding pressure on Adam Silver and Cathy Engelbert to bend over the players’ demands. As Satou Sabally said, “Once it comes to organizations, then I do think that the public power can be used to your strength.” But even as player unions across sports rally behind the WNBPA, negotiations at the league’s table have taken a more tense turn.

WNBPA employs a risky tactic in the heated CBA negotiations

The final date to confirm a new CBA was initially set to be October 31. However, the two sides are nowhere close to agreeing to a deal, then they were almost a year ago. It was practically assumed that the deadline would be extended. “While I hope we make the October 31st deadline, and that is a real deadline from that perspective, we have extended deadlines in the past,” Cathy Engelbert had said. It turns out the WNBPA is stalling to confirm that extension. 

As per ESPN, the league offered a 30-day extension to sit and negotiate the CBA. The latest proposal came on October 1, but the union responded only weeks later, on October 27, effectively stalling progress.

According to Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, under the right circumstances, the players might be willing to consider an extension. However, ‘those circumstances do not yet exist,’ according to Costabile. The WNBPA is essentially dangling the threat of a lockout over the league to compel them to agree to their terms. It is a risky move and could worsen the situation further. 

“I fail to understand the harm in extending the window regardless of circumstances,” Robin Lundberg of Sports Illustrated wrote, “The players are clearly using a lockout as leverage, but must be careful not to overplay their hand.” The WNBPA’s lawyer, Erin Drake, had practically confirmed an extension by saying, “I pray, I believe in miracles. I’m not hopeful that (agreeing to a deal by Friday) is going to come to fruition.” A lockout in action will hurt both sides, so realistically, the league wouldn’t bend to such tactics.