The WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association have agreed to a 30-day extension to continue negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, The Athletic reported on Thursday, Oct. 30.
The current CBA was set to expire on Oct. 31, but now has a deadline of Nov. 30 to allow more time for an agreement to be reached without a work stoppage.
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However, it comes with a caveat: the players may opt out at any given time if they provide a 48-hour notice.
The WNBPA issued a statement on Oct. 31 confirming both the extension and option to terminate and said, “While we believed negotiations would be further along, the players are more focused, united, and determined than ever to reach an agreement that reflects their value and undeniable impact on the league.”
It’s not the first time there was an extension when negotiating the CBA; the WNBA and WNBPA agreed to a 60-day extension in 2019. A new deal was signed in January 2020.
The WNBPA opted out of the current CBA last year and said it was a “defining moment.”
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Since then, there have been public tensions between both sides throughout the WNBA season. From players wearing shirts demanding better pay at the WNBA All-Star Game to Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier’s statement at the end of the season and ending with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert getting booed in Phoenix after awarding the Las Vegas Aces the WNBA championship, there have been a lot of pivotal moments.
Player compensation and revenue sharing have been among the most contentious topics.
The 30-day extension will likely impact the 2026 WNBA draft lottery, which is typically held before the end of the calendar year. The 2025 draft lottery was held Nov. 17, 2024, and the 2024 edition took place on Dec. 10, 2023. The league must also squeeze in expansion drafts for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire before the year ends. Both are contingent on a new CBA.
There also must be a new CBA prior to free agency, which typically begins in January.
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“Obviously, we need to get a collective bargaining agreement done before we will probably have those expansion drafts, as well as the draft lottery,” Engelbert said on Oct. 3. “So those are the two things we usually do before the calendar year end, leading into the free agency and ultimately the draft in the spring.”
Reach the reporter at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com, as well as @jennarortiz on X.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: WNBA, WNBPA agree to 30-day CBA extension with caveat
