Former WNBA star warns players against ‘troublesome’ CBA stance

WNBA players should avoid using “troublesome” language as they navigate the ongoing CBA negotiations the league, Rebecca Lobo warned during an appearance on the “A Touch More” podcast this week. While speaking with hosts Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, Lobo admitted that she hasn’t completely loved the way players have advocated for themselves and their union goals.

“Some of the rhetoric I’ve heard from their side has been a little bit troublesome,” she said. “When a deal is presented that’s over a million max salary and revenue share, it’s called a ‘slap in the face.’ Just use different words. And I’m worried the players might be getting to a point where they’re losing some of the support from the public. And I think that’s been a big part of this all along.”

Lobo emphasized that it’s more than acceptable for players to accept or reject any element they want, but that the language and phrasing they’ve used has given her pause.

“And I think some of it has just been the language and the verbiage and that sort of the thing that we’ve heard from the players’ association,” she added. “I think the players just need to be a little bit more careful with how they’re articulating things. Because if you’re working whatever job, a max salary of $1.2 million, average salary of $500,000, if you don’t think it’s fair that’s fine, but don’t call it a slap in the face.”

The latest CBA extension expired January 9

The conversation between the players and the league is ongoing after the latest CBA extension expired on January 9. Both parties have indicated they intend to continue to negotiate in good faith, and have also expressed that they believe a resolution will come.

Players have repeatedly argued for a salary cap that exceeds the one proposed by the league. The WNBA and the WNBPA agreed to a moratorium for league business, which essentially means free agency and the expansion drafts for the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo are on pause until a new CBA is signed.

The WNBA is also in a period of status quo since the lapse in January. This broadly means that there are specific procedural elements that will need to continue as they have been written and previously agreed upon.

Under the terms of the 2020 CBA, free agency would have begun January 11 with qualifying offers and core designations on the table. It’s since been decided that carrying out league business without a new CBA — which will likely include different salary cap amounts and a new salary structure — would render such negotiations difficult (if not impossible) to navigate.