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WNBA star Kelsey Plum has spoken out on the potential strike as the league and players’ union negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement after 16 months of talks
Kelsey Plum has featured for the Phantom in Unrivaled during the WNBA offseason(Image: Getty Images)
Kelsey Plum emphasized “players want to play” as the possibility of a WNBA lockout looms before the upcoming season.
For the past 16 months, the WNBA and the players’ union have been negotiating proposals to determine what’s fair for both sides. The latest proposal from the WNBPA calls for 27.5 percent of gross revenue throughout the agreement’s duration, along with the WNBA providing housing for its players, among other demands.
Yet, the league determined the WNBPA’s proposal wouldn’t support the WNBA’s long-term financial stability and made this clear in a recent statement. This development follows NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s recent remarks that the “11th hour” of negotiations is drawing near. It comes after Unrivaled fans launched a three-word chant at the WNBA amid the threat of strike action.
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According to the WNBA, the latest proposal would lead to the league losing $460 million throughout the agreement’s lifespan. Whilst both sides have agreed on a revenue-sharing framework, they haven’t finalized its specifics; the league’s proposal featured a $5.65 million salary cap that would increase annually based on revenue growth, with average player salaries projected to reach $540,000 in 2026 and $780,000 by 2031.
The WNBA also stated that its proposals included two extra roster positions, removed marijuana testing, provided charter flight travel, and addressed other concerns. Both parties convened last week, aiming to reach an agreement quickly, as the chances of a postponed season opener grow with each day that passes, reports the Mirror US.
There’s a sense of optimism among some players. As the WNBPA first vice president, Plum is a significant voice on this issue, and she spoke about the ongoing negotiations.
“I want to play, and players want to play,” Plum stated. “Obviously, we’re going to continue to negotiate and do everything we possibly can to get this done in a timely fashion. But obviously a strike would be the worst thing for both sides.”
She further noted: “Because we are in a revenue [share system], so no revenue, no revenue to share.”
Kelsey Plum is a vice president for the players’ association in talks with the WNBA(Image: Getty Images)
The 2026 WNBA season is shrouded in uncertainty. The union has yet to respond to the league’s latest proposal, which includes a team salary cap of $5.65 million and team housing for all players – but only for 2026.
Silver emphasized the importance of both parties coming together to reach an agreement. During All-Star Weekend, he told reporters: “Let me begin by saying I think it’s unfortunate where we find ourselves right now, both from the team standpoint and from the players.
“I feel like in the last few years in particular, the league has turned a corner in terms of fan interest, commercial success, and popularity of players.”
He continued: “I’m not ready to set a drop-dead date. But I will say, as I look at the calendar and the amount that we need to get done really over the next two months. What I’d love to accomplish is sort of putting pressure on everybody and saying, ‘OK, I’ve been through so many cycles of collective bargaining, and often things tend to get done at the 11th hour. We are awfully close to the 11th now when it comes to bargaining.'”.
“But again, I think we need to now move toward the next level sense of urgency and not lose momentum in terms of the amazing amount of progress we’ve seen in women’s basketball.”
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