The WNBA's current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is set to expire Friday and it appears the league and players association remain far apart on a new deal.
According to a new report from ESPN's Alexa Philippou, the WNBA has offered players a 30-day extension to continue negotiations for a new CBA ahead of the current deal's expiration on Oct. 31. The WNBPA chose to opt out of the current CBA last year, which set the stage for the two sides to work toward a new deal this offseason to avoid a work stoppage.
The extension offer comes at a time of contention between the league and its players, which was ignited by Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier's public criticism of commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA's inconsistent officiating in her end of season press conference. Philippou noted that both sides agreed to a 60-day extension in the last round of CBA talks in 2020, but the extension may not be a given this time. She wrote in ESPN that a league source mentioned the players might be willing to consider an extension "under the right circumstances" but they feel "those circumstances do not yet exist."
The Athletic's Ben Pickman reported Tuesday that the league submitted its most recent proposal on Oct. 1 but the player's union did not respond until Monday. An end of October deadline marked a line in the sand for the stalled talks, but it appears we won't have a new agreement by Friday, with the potential for more time to reach a deal before a possible lockout or strike.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as WNBA Offers Players Association Extension on New CBA Deal Amid Stalled Talks.