The WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, has indicated several times that the new collective bargaining agreement will be “transformer.”
But Engelbert remained mom when asked on Monday about what specific would be a “fair” agreement in the eyes of the league.
The National Association of Women’s Basketball Players has been very clear about what its main priorities are for the New Deal, since the current collective bargaining agreement will expire after the 2025 season.
Players are fighting for higher salaries, a new economic model and improved benefits.
But Engelbert spent the opportunity to say where the league is.
“We are not going to negotiate in the media, we will negotiate with players throughout the negotiating table, so I am not going to comment on details that are not bone bone bone Offers of offers of offers of offers of offers.
Engelbert said the WNBA coughed more than $ 20 million to supply charter flights to all teams for the first time this season.
The League comes a record season with the commitment of fans and television audience. But Engelbert said growth has to continue.
“We have had some years of great growth … but we must continue to be able to finance the things that the players are asking, that we also want for them,” said Engelbert. “Everyone because players to earn more money, that will happen. We will do something transformative but again, nothing that exactly reports today we are not so far in negotiations to inform any detail.”
Engelbert said the negotiations remain on. She said the “Recently” players union sent a proposal to the League and the two parties plan to meet at the negotiating table in the near future.
“I am very optimistic that we will do something,” said Engelbert, “and it will be transformative.”
Engelbert went to several other Hot-Button themes duration of its availability of 22 minutes on Monday night:
In details of the unmatched contract of Paige Bueckers
On the eve of the WNBA Draft, Top Pick Bueckers signed a three -year contract with unmatched that will pay him more in the first year than his entire rookie contract with the WNBA.
Bueckers will be paid $ 78,831 for its first WNBA season and $ 348,198 in the course of four seasons.
It was Nieuws that Bueckers signed a several year agreement with unmatched, but rather than her
Engelbert did not address the Bueckers salary specifically when asked. She said she was “really proud” of what Neaphesa Collier and Breanna Stewart have done with unmatched and had supported the league, even attending some games in February.
“We will have, by [the] Time that we have finished with 16 teams, some 190 players that we must take care of, so I know it is much easier to make 30 in one place, “said Engelbert.” What the WNBA sacrifices are a great platform for our players around its corporate partners around activation. … I think today, not a sporting event where you don’t see an advertising place with a WNBA player. I think it’s great, be it State or Nike.
“We support and we are delighted with the impulse that we have left the NCAA season that has no rival, but certainly excited with the audience we have and the impulse we have and the capital that arrives in our league also and the investments of our owners.”
Expanding
Engelbert said the WNBA is “still on the way” to expand to 16 franchises by 2028.
Engelbert had no more details about the expansion and its timeline. She said WNBA is still evaluating potential markets with the help of an external banker.
“Simply evaluating that it is more than one, frankly,” said Engelbert. “So we have to build all that, you will not want to be the quality of the game that is already going to 16. We are adding 33% of additional list points by adding 48 points on the list to a league of 144, so we are in the evaluation process.”
The WNBA added the Golden State Valkyries as its 13th franchise this season, and Portland and Toronto are expected to join the League in 2026.
Potential destinations for the 16th League franchise include Denver, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Nashville.
Endo players abuse
Engelbert said that the League has increased its efforts this low season to combat hatred aimed at players and league staff after several high -profile incidents caused the players to feel insecure last season.
Engelbert said that the WNBA has adopted a four -pointed approach to combat hate that includes monitoring social networks, enforcing fans’ behavior standards in sands, improving security measures and continuing with aviable mental health doctors for players.
Engelbert also mentioned that the WNBA has a working group that will continue to monitor the problem in the future.
“There is no room for hate,” said Engelbert, who also said that the advances of AI will help the league to address cyber harassment. “I think there is only a continuous drainage for all of us, the players, the staff, the staff of our teams … Only the inaccuracy continued for people who write things on social networks and our players are digital natives.