Rival leagues, charter flights and T-shirts: 11 moments that led to WNBA labor strife

Three months after the end of the 2025 WNBA season, the WNBA and Women's National Basketball Players Association remain at an impasse as they work toward a new collective bargaining agreement.

The Jan. 9 deadline came and went without a deal, or another (third) CBA extension. The 2026 season isn't slated to begin until May, but with the previous agreement expiring, the possibility of a work stoppage looms.

The distance between both parties was plenty apparent at last week's deadline. In a statement, the WNBPA accused the WNBA of "fail[ing] to meet us at the table with the same spirit and seriousness" and "jeopardizing the livelihoods of players and the trust and investment of fans, all in the name of preserving regressive provisions that no longer belong in women's basketball." On deadline day, a large inflatable rat, long a symbol of labor protest, was displayed in front of the NBA Store in New York.

The league countered that it "recognize[s] the importance of building upon that momentum" and that "our priority is a deal that significantly increases player salaries, enhances the overall player experience, and supports the long-term growth of the league for current and future generations of players and fans."

How did we get here? It started way before negotiations intensified over the past six months. ESPN traces the key events and developments leading to the high-stakes negotiations and current stalemate between the WNBA and WNBPA.

January 2020: WNBA, WNBPA agree to 'groundbreaking' CBA

The league and players' union announced on Jan. 14, 2020, that they'd agreed to a "groundbreaking" and "landmark" collective bargaining agreement, the fifth in league history. The deal delivered significant salary increases, a more liberal free agency system, travel improvements, more robust family planning elements and more.

Prioritization, a new system requiring players to put the WNBA first ahead of overseas commitments, was also introduced; when it went into full effect in 2023, players could be suspended from the WNBA season if they arrived late to training camp. It wasn't popular among players but was agreed to in an effort to negotiate increased salaries. Women's basketball players have competed overseas during the WNBA offseason since the league's inception, and with the start of Unrivaled and Project B, conversations over how to balance the WNBA season with those of other leagues continue to this day.

June 2020: WNBA announces bubble season

After the 2020 season was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced plans to hold a 22-game regular season, plus playoffs, in a "bubble" at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert later called the prospect of not having a season "existential," but the league managed to pull it off relatively smoothly.

The 2020 season was a prime example of WNBA players' commitment to solidarity and activism: In the wake of a national conversation around police brutality, the players launched a social justice platform to honor the Black Lives Matter movement and Say Her Name campaign. Then during the season, they organized support for Raphael Warnock, the Democratic opponent of then-Atlanta Dream owner and U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler, who had expressed her objection to the players' social justice activism. Warnock ultimately defeated Loeffler, helping flip the Senate from a Republican majority, and Loeffler sold the Dream in February 2021. Like other leagues, the WNBA canceled its games on Aug. 26 and 27 after Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

It was also the moment, several players reflected more recently, when the first signs of tension between players and Engelbert emerged. "We had to push her on all the activism we did in the bubble," former WNBPA executive committee member Layshia Clarendon told ESPN.

February 2022: Capital raise announced

A capital raise featuring new investors and existing WNBA and NBA owners brought in $75 million that was used to supercharge the WNBA's business growth, including better marketing and more innovation. At the time, it was billed as the largest capital raise for a women's sports property, but in turn the WNBA gave up a 16% equity stake, muddying the waters of its ownership structure (42% of the league is owned by WNBA owners, 42% by NBA owners and 16% by that investor group).

Some critics have since called out Engelbert for undervaluing the league at the time of the deal, but hindsight is 20/20: At the time, the league needed the cash and the sport was still a few years away from exploding in popularity.

March 2022: Liberty fined for illicit chartering

Reports surfaced in early March 2022 that the New York Liberty were fined $500,000 for chartering flights to away games during the second half of the 2021 WNBA season and for other violations of league rules, including an unsanctioned team trip to Napa, California. At the time, chartering was not permitted except for specific circumstances, as the league feared it would create a competitive advantage for wealthier owners.

By pushing the envelope in this way, Liberty owner Joe Tsai signaled that newer, wealthier WNBA owners (i.e. the "billionaire" owners) were willing and able to invest more into their franchises -- and that those who did not (the so-called "millionaire" owners) would have to find ways to keep up. Whether the league is catering more to its ownership ceiling or its ownership floor remains a point of contention for stakeholders.

April 2023: Aces kick-start facilities race

Fresh off their first WNBA championship, the Las Vegas Aces unveiled a 64,000 square-foot practice facility and headquarters in Henderson, Nevada, the first dedicated team facility in league history. The initiative kicked off a leaguewide facilities race as other franchises sought to keep up with what Las Vegas had established as the new standard for player training and amenities.

Three years later, the vast majority of teams have either opened or announced plans to build their own facilities, and all expansion franchises had to commit to building them. Implementing minimum standards for practice and game facilities was articulated as a priority for players when they would later opt out of the CBA.

October 2023: New wave of WNBA expansion begins

The league introduced its first expansion team in 15 years when it announced Golden State would launch a WNBA franchise beginning in 2025. That set off a wave of expansion for a league that had been sitting at 12 teams since 2010. Within a year, new teams in Toronto and Portland -- both to debut in 2026 -- were announced. Then in June 2025, Engelbert took a victory lap when she unveiled upcoming franchises in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030), good for a historic 18 teams by 2030. Golden State, Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia are all owned and operated by their city's respective NBA ownership groups, though Toronto and Portland also have NBA ties.

In the two years since Golden State was awarded a team, expansion fees rose from $50 million to $250 million, and even more recently, the Connecticut Sun received offers north of $300 million as they explored selling the team -- altogether signifying the surging value of WNBA franchises.

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Caitlin Clark: Points made in Collier's statement were 'very valid'

Caitlin Clark details why Napheesa Collier's statement highlights a key moment in WNBA history and the league must capitalize on it.

April 2024: Caitlin Clark drafted into WNBA, spotlight intensifies

Fresh off a record-breaking senior season at Iowa, Clark was drafted No. 1 in 2024 by the Indiana Fever, bringing one of the biggest names in all of sports onto the WNBA stage. Clark was a hit from the moment she entered the league, with her draft night coverage recording an average of 2.45 million viewers.

Weeks later, the league announced it was transitioning to a full-time chartering program at the beginning of the 2024 season, committing $50 million over the next two years. Though made in the wake of Clark's arrival, the decision addressed years of player health and safety concerns. Chartering would no longer have to be collectively bargained, and instead the players and league would seek to simply codify it in the next CBA.

The fanfare Clark received from college carried over to the WNBA, which saw a historic year in attendance, viewership and other key metrics. While Clark was the driving force of the sport's rise in popularity, other college stars, such as fellow 2024 draftee Angel Reese and more recently 2025 No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers, also brought significant followings to the WNBA. Over time, it became clear Clark was a sort of rising tide that helped lift all boats. The epic WNBA Finals in 2024 -- between the Liberty and Minnesota Lynx -- were the most viewed in 25 years.

But the league's newfound growth and attention featured growing pains. Among the major flashpoints, Engelbert came under fire and eventually apologized for failing to condemn in an interview racist and misogynistic rhetoric from fans surrounding the Clark-Reese rivalry. "This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model," WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson said in a statement. "This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked. It demands immediate action, and frankly, should have been addressed long ago."

July 2024: WNBA secures 'monumental' media deal

The WNBA agreed to an 11-year media rights deal valued at $2.2 billion (or $200 million per year) with Disney, Amazon Prime Video and NBCUniversal. Future agreements with additional partners were expected to bring the league's overall media deals closer to $3 billion, six times more than the total of the current deal. The league and its partners also agreed to review and potentially reevaluate the rights fees to ensure appropriate value after three years.

Though Engelbert called the deal "monumental" at the time, Jackson expressed concern over whether the NBA properly valued the WNBA in negotiations. "We look forward to learning how the NBA arrived at a $200 million valuation," Jackson said in a statement. "There is no excuse to undervalue the WNBA again."

October 2024: Players opt out of previous CBA

A day after the 2024 Finals ended with New York clinching the title, the WNBPA announced it had opted out of the then-current CBA, seeking "a business model that reflects [players'] true value, encompassing higher salaries, enhanced professional working conditions, expanded health benefits, and crucial investments needed for long-term growth." The opt-out was long expected given the sport's tremendous growth over the course of the deal, which was set to expire in 2027 and would remain in effect through Oct. 31, 2025. The move meant both sides would have about a year to work toward a new agreement.

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Unrivaled president doesn't rule out future partnership with WNBA

Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell discusses the possibility of league partnering with the WNBA in the future.

January 2025: Unrivaled launches

Thirty-six of the WNBA's top players signed on to play in the inaugural season of Unrivaled -- a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart to provide players with a domestic offseason playing option.

The league, played at one site in Miami last winter, provided on-site child care. Salaries had a six-figure average, and players were offered equity in the league and 50% of revenue shares. It quickly became a talking point players pointed to for what they were fighting for in the new CBA.

Stewart and Collier, as well as other players in the league and Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell (who is married to Collier), have said they don't see Unrivaled as competition with the WNBA. They point to the difference in format as well as the January to March schedule. Stewart and Collier have also pushed back on the notion that they have a conflict of interest as co-founders of Unrivaled while also serving as vice presidents on the WNBPA executive committee. Collier -- who wore a T-shirt with the Unrivaled logo on it during the WNBA All-Star Game draft last July -- has said multiple times that, if anything, her role with Unrivaled makes her more fit to serve as a vice president. In an interview with ESPN last week, Collier said leagues such as Unrivaled and "other opportunities just give us more leverage basically to make [the WNBA] do the right thing and to pay us what we're owed."

In November 2025, WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike became the first player to join Project B, a new professional women's basketball league planning to play in Europe and Asia starting in November 2026.

Project B officials said the league will consist of 66 players -- Alyssa Thomas, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Mitchell, Jonquel Jones and Sophie Cunningham are among the WNBA players who have announced they will play in Project B -- who will receive larger salaries than what is currently offered by the WNBA and Unrivaled. -- Kendra Andrews

July 2025: 'Pay Us What You Owe Us'

When players took the court for pregame warmups at the All-Star Game in Indianapolis, they wore black T-shirts with white text across the front that read "Pay Us What You Owe Us." The demonstration occurred only two days after more than 40 players met with the league in a highly anticipated round of CBA negotiations. It was reportedly the largest player turnout for a meeting of its kind, but players quickly noted the meeting didn't produce nearly enough progress.

After the All-Star game, as Engelbert presented Collier the MVP trophy, the sold-out crowd chanted "Pay them!" Brittney Sykes stood behind Engelbert with a sign that said "Pay the players." The results of the game quickly became irrelevant. -- Andrews

September 2025: The fallout with Engelbert and a public back-and-forth

On Sept. 30, four days after Collier suffered torn ligaments in her left ankle and two days after her Minnesota Lynx were eliminated from the WNBA semifinals, the forward sat at a podium in her exit interview and blasted league leadership and accused Engelbert of being "negligent" in her governance.

In a four-minute statement, Collier alleged that Engelbert told her in a private conversation that superstar Caitlin Clark and other young standouts "should be on their knees" in gratitude for the platform the league has given them. Players around the league backed Collier.

Three days later, during Engelbert's annual news conference at the WNBA Finals, the commissioner denied her statements about Clark and said there were "a lot of inaccuracies" in Collier's statement. Engelbert said she was disheartened to hear that Collier, as well as other players around the league, don't believe that she and the league have their best interests at heart. Engelbert vowed to "do better" and work to repair the relationships and rebuild the trust she had lost.

When asked if she expected to be the commissioner beyond the current CBA negotiations amid calls for her resignation, Engelbert said, "I've never been a quitter ... never shied away from tough situations."

Engelbert said she and Collier had agreed to meet in the second week of October, but Collier canceled the meeting after Engelbert's news conference.

Three months after her exit interview, Collier -- speaking during preseason media availability for Unrivaled -- said "nothing has changed" at the league level as the WNBA and players' union continue to work through ongoing CBA negotiations. -- Andrews