We’re still unsure whether the 2026 WNBA season will take place, even though league management has rolled out the official season calendar. Those tensions solely hinge on the basis (or lack thereof) of the league and the WNBPA finding common ground in its CBA negotiations. ESPN, however, seems all set for the upcoming season, as reflected in its latest broadcasting decision. And fans worried about the recent CBA counterproposal cannot help but roll their eyes.

“ESPN today announced the upcoming launch of Women’s Sports Sundays – a first-of-its-kind, weekly primetime programming franchise that places women’s sports at the center of the summer sports calendar,” ESPN’s official statement read. “More than a programming block, Women’s Sports Sundays represents a bold commitment to incomparable competition, consistency and storytelling, establishing women’s sports as the main event on Sunday nights.”

Spanning nine consecutive weeks and 12 games, the programming network has announced a premium viewing experience that invites both longtime fans and newcomers into a “reimagined” summer primetime tradition. The official announcement also revealed that the best-in-class would anchor and panel the studio programming, storytelling, digital, and social coverage.

Now, after a boom in WNBA viewership over the last two years, fans and players alike were expecting a better premium package. Fans wanted a better, hassle-free viewing experience, while players wanted to be better compensated for their services. Nonetheless, Cathy Engelbert and the WNBPA still haven’t agreed to a deal, and everybody was quick to re-highlight that in the comments section. One cannot help but think that we’re on the verge of a lockout.

Fans taken aback by ESPN update amid CBA discussions barely progressing…

The fans took to the comments to highlight the obvious issue that seems no closer to a solution.

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“@WNBAComms & @WNBAPA need to get that CBA signed,” a fan pleaded.

The CBA negotiations are just simply moving. That’d be the best way to phrase it. The league is ready to offer 70% of net revenue (after expenses are deducted) and a $5.65 million salary cap, as outlined in its offer earlier this month. But the players want 25% of gross revenue in the first year of the deal, with a salary cap below $9.5 million. Last season, the supermax paycheck was under $250,000, and the league’s latest proposal tips the max over $1 million.

A fan chuckled, commenting, “With the WNBA going on strike lol.”

“Interesting decision before knowing whether the WNBA will have a lockout or not,” another observer wrote.

The new ESPN program will feature top-tier WNBA and NWSL games. For those wondering about the market fit, Unrivaled’s record-breaking Philadelphia Tour Stop attracted 21,490 people, underscoring the market’s growing size for women’s basketball.

There were rumors that players were planning to put more pressure on the WNBA following a recent players-only core meeting. Even though Adam Silver has chipped in his two cents, saying the league simply cannot afford to lose the momentum it’s gained, the two parties remain far apart on the CBA.

“What happens when the WNBA is on strike? Seems like a pretty foolish decision to make, given the current negotiations. They must be pretty confident that the players won’t be able to hold out long enough,” a fan commented.

The ESPN announcement is a big move, even though we don’t know what the CBA negotiations will yield.

According to reporter Alexa Philippou, the WNBPA’s latest proposal included concessions on revenue sharing, and the players are now asking for an average of 27.5% of gross revenue. The league has reportedly not taken kindly to that.

“The Players Association’s latest proposal remains unrealistic and would cause hundreds of millions of dollars of losses to our teams,” a WNBA spokesperson said in a statement to ESPN and Philippou. “We still need to complete two drafts and free agency before the start of training camp and are running out of time. We believe the WNBA’s proposal would result in a huge win for current players and generations to come.”

One fan, though, summed up everything perfectly, making a bold claim.

“Summer? Isn’t the WNBA still in CBA talks? NCAA women sports ends beginning of summer. What else tennis, golf, soccer? WNBA is the only women’s product that has global interest,” they wrote.

We could see a potential lockout that could cancel the season. The move suggests ESPN is not only hopeful but also confident that a CBA will be met. The players, however, do not appear overly worried about the pace of things. Napheesa Collier said she thinks the negotiations are “trending in the right direction.”

Azura Stevens’ unhinged statements highlight the fatigue the back-and-forth has caused.

“I’m not that upset if the league wants to play around,” Stevens said last month. “If we don’t have a season, I have money. I’m getting paid from Unrivaled, and I have other revenues of income as well. It’s really their loss.”

While the draft lottery is over with the Dallas Wings getting the No. 1 pick again, there still needs to be a two-team expansion draft and a free agency window that’ll be overloaded before players report to their home markets in April. The 2026 season is slated to start on May 8. There’s a lot at stake here.