Urgency mounts as WNBA negotiations near deadline. An insider reveals the true stakes behind Adam Silver's eleventh-hour warning.
The WNBA’s collective bargaining negotiations have entered a critical phase, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is no longer masking the urgency.
Speaking during his annual All-Star Weekend press conference, Silver delivered a pointed message regarding the stalled talks between the league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA).
“We’re getting awfully close to the 11th hour,” Silver said, referencing the narrowing timeline to finalize a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
However, the previous CBA expired on Jan. 9, and negotiations since then have produced little visible progress. The players are seeking a significantly larger share of league revenue, reportedly proposing 30% of gross revenue, while team owners maintain that franchises are still operating at a loss and have countered with figures that do not exceed 15%.
Silver acknowledged the tension but emphasized the broader context. The WNBA is entering its 30th season amid unprecedented growth in viewership, sponsorship revenue, and player visibility.
“It’s unfortunate where we find ourselves right now,” Silver said. “We’re coming off tremendous momentum in the WNBA… All arrows are pointing up.”
Yet momentum alone will not solve the calendar challenges ahead. Training camps are scheduled to open in roughly two months. The league must also conduct both an expansion draft and the annual collegiate draft, complete free agency, and integrate two new franchises — the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo — into the ecosystem.
“I’m not ready to set a drop-dead date,” Silver added. “But as I look at the calendar and the amount that we need to get done… we are awfully close to the 11th hour now when it comes to bargaining.”
Veteran sportscaster Robin Lundberg on his YouTube channel offered a blunt assessment of Silver’s tone.
“You heard the NBA commissioner. The 11th hour of urgency. Unfortunate. That’s not messaging from somebody who’s happy about this,” Lundberg said.
According to Lundberg, the phrasing itself stood out. Silver is widely regarded as measured and diplomatic — far from the “iron fist” style of his predecessor, David Stern. For him to publicly invoke the 11th-hour signals mounting frustration.
“You can’t get that read from him because that’s just not his personality,” Lundberg added. “It’s time to get the ink to the paper. Get that signed, and stop messing around.”
Historically, labor agreements across professional sports have often been finalized under deadline pressure. Silver acknowledged as much, noting that collective bargaining cycles tend to conclude late in the process.
Still, the practical constraints this time are more complicated. Expansion logistics, legal formalities, and roster construction all require time once an agreement is reached.
Meanwhile, the WNBPA has already voted, by a reported 98% margin, to authorize a strike if necessary.
Silver insisted communication has increased in recent weeks and expressed hope that a resolution is near. But the underlying reality is clear: without an agreement soon, the league risks delaying a season that was expected to build on record-breaking momentum.
With the WNBA at a commercial inflection point, the stakes extend beyond scheduling. The outcome of these negotiations could define the league’s financial structure and labor framework for years to come — provided both sides reach common ground before the clock runs out.