The WNBPA’s executive committee affirmed it remains “united” on delivering a “transformational” collective bargaining agreement, the union said in a statement Wednesday.
“In every CBA negotiation, the goal of the league and teams is to divide the players,” the union said in the statement. The statement comes less than 24 hours following a report detailing executive committee’s first vice president Kelsey Plum and vice president Breanna Stewart’s letter to executive director Terri Jackson expressing the “lack of adequate player involvement in the process.”
“These negotiations are no different,” the union continued in the statement. “We remain united and focused on delivering a transformational CBA for all members of this Union, and are committed to negotiating for as long as it takes.”
Along with the statement, the union revealed that 84% of players voted against accepting the league’s offer of 50% net revenue share, which the union stated is less than 15% of gross revenue for the players.
“Our Union’s nearly unanimous vote in December to authorize us to call a strike, if and when necessary, was not taken lightly. It was made with complete faith and trust in ourselves and our negotiating committee, led by Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson and President Nneka Ogwumike, to represent all players as we work to build a W that truly puts players first. Nothing has changed,” the union said. “That decision, and the results of our recent player survey, reaffirm that the current league proposal is not worth taking.
“Despite our differences and tough moments, we must make crystal clear that we are focused, we are resolute, and we are together. We want to play basketball in 2026. We want to be in front of our fans playing the game that we love. We will not stop fighting. There is no WNBA without the players.”
Wednesday’s WNBPA statement was made in unison.
It’s reportedly unclear, though, if other executive committee members besides Plum and Stewart — president Nneka Ogwumike, vice president Alysha Clark, vice president Napheesa Collier, secretary Elizabeth Williams and treasurer Brianna Turner — were informed of Monday’s letter to Jackson was being sent nor if they agreed with Stewart and Plum’s views on union leadership.
In that letter, Plum and Stewart expressed frustration on how concerns have been received by the players’ association, and that the dynamic between union administrators and players “has begun to create unnecessary divisions at a time in which a united front and informed player body are essential to achieve maximum leverage.”
The duo wrote to Jackson that “we are frustrated that we have not made more progress as we near the March 10 deadline,” Stewart and Plum wrote before saying, “and we believe this is a result of a breakdown in communication between you and the Executive Committee and players more broadly.”
Last month, the league told its teams and the union a start date will be impacted if a deal isn’t reached by the March 10 deadline.
