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The WNBA will meet with representatives from the players’ union Monday, a conversation that many hope will conclude with a new Collective Bargaining Agreement signed between the two parties. The update comes after weeks of speculation that the league is not taking the latest proposal from the players seriously.
It also comes after two pretty major events in the world of women’s sports: Unrivaled hosted a wildly successful two-day travel event in Philadelphia that broke attendance records, and soccer star Trinity Rodman signed a landmark $2 million deal that will keep her in the NWSL for a few more years.
Unrivaled’s successful Philadelphia event could challenge the WNBA
Unrivaled brought in more fans to their double header in Philly than have attended any women’s pro basketball game — ever. The league also made the decision to host the event in a city that doesn’t have a WNBA team, and these two factors definitely support the idea that the league is a lot more secure than some recent headlines may have suggested. Though Unrivaled has contended with lower viewership numbers so far this season, the success of this week’s event makes it clear that fans are happy to show up.
Trinity Rodman’s new contract might have an impact on the WNBA
Rodman’s deal is, on the surface, not directly relevant to the WNBA. But Rodman was in her own labor dispute with the NWSL, and at times it appeared she may go choose to play soccer overseas. Rodman was approached by several teams from abroad who offered her significant money to wear their jerseys instead, but she was clear that staying in the U.S. was her goal. Ultimately, things worked out in her favor.
That’s a lesson that can definitely be applied to what’s going on between the WNBA and the players right now. While Rodman’s fight was individual, the WNBPA is collectively fighting for something very similar: adequate and appropriate pay, resources, and support for the current roster of players and those who will join in the future. Just as Rodman held her ground and continued to push for the deal she believed she deserved, the members of the WNBPA have made it clear that they want to do the same.
The NWSL and the WNBA are structured differently, so a deal in one league can’t directly be applicable to a deal in another, but the core requirement is the same: the league and its players need to work together to get a new deal signed.
