NEW YORK — WNBA players have exercised their right to terminate their collective bargaining agreement after the 2019 season, cutting the deal short by two years.

The current labor contract started on March 5, 2014, and had been scheduled to run through October 2021 or the day after the last playoff game, whichever was later. The move announced by the players’ union on Thursday ends the deal on Oct. 31, 2019, or the day after the postseason finale.

“We look forward to our upcoming discussions and negotiating a new agreement with the league,” the union said in a statement.

The league has seen growth in many areas since the current CBA went into effect in 2014. Television ratings this season were the league’s best in four years. The WNBA started live streaming games on Twitter and partnered with one-day daily fantasy sites. Players appeared in a video game for the first time.

That hasn’t translated into the league and its owners making money. According to the WNBA, it’s lost a significant amount over the last 22 years, including $12 million last season.

The top salary for a veteran WNBA player is $115,500.

Players association president Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks wrote a story for the Players’ Tribune about why the players opted out.

“This is not just about business. This is deeply personal. This is about the kind of world we want to live in,” Ogwumike wrote. “I am an elite athlete. I am an MVP. I am a daughter. I am a sister. I am a No. 1 draft pick. I am a WNBA player and I am the president of the WNBPA. And I want young female athletes to dream about playing in a vibrant and thriving WNBA.”

Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

Related Stories
Latest Articles