Adam Silver’s optimism has met with a fierce rebuttal. “I remain optimistic we’ll get something done,”  Silver said ahead of the Knicks’ NBA Cup win over the Spurs while expressing interest in mediating the negotiations. The situation seemed to be progressing after the  WNBA reportedly added roughly 15% revenue sharing in its offer.  

In addition, average salaries were projected to be at least $500,000, with a total compensation of $1.2 million for maximum players in the first year of the agreement. The WNBA subtracted the housing and some other benefits. That offer was also fiercely rejected.

The WNBPA leadership now holds the power to pull the strike trigger if necessary.

“Our membership has authorized the WNBPA’s Executive Committee to call a strike when necessary,” announced the WNBPA (via Alexa Philippou). A lockout will lead to damage for the league and the players. If the 2026 season is cancelled or postponed, all stakeholders risk losing the momentum they have gained in the past two years.

However, there is no need to panic just yet, as the players clarified that this was not a formal announcement of a strike but a signal of unity.

“The players’ vote is neither a call for an immediate strike nor an intention to pursue one. Rather, it is an emphatic affirmation of the players’ confidence in their leadership and their unwavering solidarity against ongoing efforts to divide, conquer, and undervalue them,” the statement said. As ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported, 98% of players voted yes, with 93% of the union participating in the vote.

Let’s take this for what it is. It’s an escalation in the negotiation tactics. A public announcement that they are ready to strike at any moment piles up the pressure on the league.

It forces them to revise their offer and align it more towards what the players want. Namely, a reinstatement of team housing, a 29% revenue share (according to the Athletic) in the first year, increasing to 34% by the final year of the CBA, among other demands. 

The current deadline is still 3 weeks away. Therefore, the players have given the league sufficient time to return to the table with a better offer. There is precedent for the league sweetening the offer, as initially they weren’t ready to change the revenue-sharing component, but they gave in later on.

It gives players more confidence that the league will eventually offer them an even better deal. However, Project B and Unrivaled have an important role to play in this move. 

Project B And Unrivaled Power WNBA Players’ Leverage

The emergence of Unrivaled and Project B has undoubtedly impacted the WNBA and its approach to these CBA negotiations. “They (Unrivaled) definitely lit a fire under the W for sure,” DiJonai Carrington recently said.

Unrivaled is entering its second season and expanding its roster with two new teams. It’s offering players more salary than what they earn under the current CBA (average $220,000 last year). However, while being an offseason league, the league views it as a “competitor” according to Carrington.

If Unrivaled was viewed as a competition, the reaction to Project B could have been even more severe. According to Front Office Sports, Project B is “offering seven-figure salaries starting at $2 million annually, with their earnings for multiyear deals reaching eight figures. In addition, players will receive equity in the league.”

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It’s a 5-v-5 global competition. While not clashing with the season, that detail likely wouldn’t prevent players from using it as leverage. 

With the likes of WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike and Sophie Cunningham, among others, joining, the league’s credibility has improved. While the league hasn’t begun, it has made enough noise to possibly scare the WNBA. Both leagues offer players an alternative to the WNBA, thereby increasing confidence in the negotiations.