With the ongoing CBA negotiations between the WNBA and the WNBPA, the league and the players’ union have agreed to a 30-day extension after failing to reach an agreement on October 31. But as players begin to explore the business side of the sport, Sophie Cunningham just discovered how the system truly works.

In her latest appearance on the Show Me Something podcast, Sophie Cunningham & West Wilson, the Indiana Fever star revealed that she was unaware of the collective bargaining process until recently, after being asked about her thoughts on the extension.

“I actually learned a lot because we’ve been having CBA calls. It’s actually very intriguing. I love the business side of things. But when you don’t know, you don’t know,” she admitted. “So I thought that if we didn’t have a agreement by the 31st, then it was a lockout. But that’s not true! If both sides are continuing to negotiate and trying to come up with something, then you’re still not in a lockout. But once one side kind of stops or like just ‘meh,’ that’s when the lockout happens.”

The extension means the league remains operational (at least for now) as both sides continue to work towards an agreement that keeps both parties happy. “But it’s been very fascinating, the ins and outs of the negotiation conversations,” Sophie Cunningham added. “What they’re doing, what they’re not doing. What we’re doing, what we’re not doing. It’s been kind of cool just to like sit back and listen.”

The WNBA can only trigger a lockout if talks break down entirely. However, if there had been a lockout, it wouldn’t have gone unchallenged. The players’ union can fight back by filing an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, arguing that the league isn’t bargaining in good faith. And if things really fall apart, players still have one last card to play: dissolve the union and take the league to court under antitrust law. It would be a drastic step that could open the door to lawsuits claiming that certain WNBA rules limit player rights, forcing the league into tougher negotiations.

Nevertheless, the league and the players’ union seem far from reaching an agreement. With players pushing for a revenue-sharing model closer to the NBA’s system, where athletes receive around 50% of league income. The WNBA’s current structure offers fixed-rate increases, which just don’t scale with the league’s growth. On top of pay, players are also pushing for stronger maternity benefits, better retirement plans, and fairer prioritization rules that stop them from losing overseas opportunities.

Why are the stakes high this time?

Unlike the 2019 negotiation, when the league and WNBPA reached a new deal after a 60-day extension, this year’s window is even tighter. Two expansion teams, Portland and Toronto, are waiting for the finalized roster and salary cap rules before they can start building. A major free agency wave is also approaching, with several veterans eyeing new destinations, leaving the entire offseason in limbo.

If talks drag on, everything from expansion drafts to player contracts could face delays, disrupting the 2026 schedule. However, while a lockout or strike still seems unlikely with both sides actively meeting with legal counsel, another extension could create serious timing conflicts. And the WNBA simply can’t afford uncertainty heading into a pivotal year for its growth and expansion plans.

While for Sophie Cunningham, this negotiation period has been an eye-opener into the business side of basketball, the clock continues to tick toward another deadline, and the lessons may soon turn real if talks don’t yield results.