Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark and her WNBA colleagues are edging closer to an offseason walkout after the league’s first collective-bargaining proposal fell far short of their expectations.
For months, whispers of a labor showdown have grown louder with the current CBA set to expire at season’s end. Salary inequity has dogged the league from its inception, but the record-breaking popularity and revenue surge driven by Clark and the 2024 rookie class have finally given players real leverage at the negotiating table.
Front Office Sports reports that the league’s opening offer reached the players’ union last week. A source familiar with the talks said the document barely acknowledged core player demands. Phoenix Mercury forward and WNBPA representative Satou Sabally bluntly labeled the proposal “a slap in the face,” underscoring mounting frustration in the locker rooms.
Average WNBA pay sits near $148,000 per year, yet athletes are seeking sizeable increases, with star salaries climbing into the millions. Their argument is fueled by the league’s fresh 11-year, $2.2 billion media-rights deal and the announcement of three expansion teams, achievements that followed an estimated $200 million in revenue last year.
Despite these wins, executives note that the league has historically lost about $10 million annually since 1996. That financial backdrop shapes ownership’s stance, but with negotiations off to a rocky start, the gap between the two sides appears wider than ever—making a post-season strike by Clark and her peers a very real possibility.
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