NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged the WNBA is experiencing ‘growing pains’ amid player dissatisfaction.
The WNBA players union opted out of the current collective bargaining agreement, which now expires on Oct. 31, 2025.
Players are seeking a larger share of league revenue, especially with a new multi-billion dollar media rights deal starting next season.
Despite the issues, Silver expressed confidence that a new deal will be reached with the players to avoid a work stoppage.
On the heels of several prominent WNBA players criticizing league commissioner Cathy Englebert for a lack of accountability and leadership, NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Monday added his voice to the discussion.
In remarks made Oct. 6 at NBC Sports headquarters, Silver acknowledged the WNBA is experiencing ‘growing pains’ with its unprecedented popularity colliding with rampant player dissatisfaction just ahead of the expiration of its collective bargaining agreement at the end of the month.
‘Cathy Englebert has presided over historic growth in the league, but there’s no question that there’s issues we need to address with our players,’ Silver said. ‘They’re not just economic. There’s relationship issues, as well.
‘I’m confident we can fix those over time, and this league can continue to be on the rocket trajectory that it’s on right now.’
The current CBA was originally set to run through 2027, but the WNBA players union opted out last year, which pushed the expiration date up to Oct. 31, 2025.
With a new 11-year media rights deal — worth an estimated $2.2 billion — set to kick in next season, and two new expansion teams slated to join the league in 2026, players have been pushing for a greater share of the league’s revenue than the 9.3% they currently receive.
By comparison, NBA players receive roughly 50% of their league’s basketball-related income.
Silver didn’t take sides in the dispute, preferring instead to keep the focus on the court, with the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces headed toward Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday night.
‘There’s no question that the WNBA is going through growing pains, and it’s unfortunate that it’s coming just as their most important games in the finals are on right now,’ Silver said. ‘We’ve had two fantastic games so far and want to celebrate the game at the moment. And then we’ve got to sit down with the players and negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.”
The WNBA has experienced rapid growth recently, spurred in part by the 2024 draft class that included Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The league turned in its most-watched regular season in 24 years and recorded its highest attendance in 22 years this past season.
However, that progress could come to an abrupt halt if the league and the players can’t agree on a new CBA, especially if it leads to a work stoppage.
With so much on the line, Silver seemed confident things wouldn’t reach that stage.
“We will get a deal done with the players,’ Silver said emphatically. ‘Lots of work left to be done, but we’ll, of course, get a new collective bargaining deal done.’
