Mercury forward Satou Sabally calls league’s initial CBA proposal ‘a slap in the face’

The WNBA players union and league officials are preparing for their first in-person collective bargaining agreement negotiations since December, scheduled for Thursday in Indianapolis ahead of All-Star weekend. Both sides have exchanged initial proposals but remain significantly apart in early discussions.

Phoenix Mercury forward and union representative Satou Sabally characterized the league's proposal as "a slap in the face." Key negotiation points include demands for increased salaries, revenue sharing, and expanded roster sizes. The current CBA expires after this season, with nearly all non-rookie scale players becoming free agents seeking substantial pay raises.

Union president Nneka Ogwumike expressed optimism that the face-to-face meeting with the full players' executive council would facilitate progress, noting in-person discussions often prove more efficient than remote communications. The negotiations occur amid unprecedented WNBA growth, including rising attendance, viewership, and a new $2.2 billion media rights deal starting next season. The league also plans expansion to 18 teams by 2030, with each new franchise paying a $250 million entry fee.

Ogwumike criticized the league's resistance to sharing expansion fee revenue with players, stating: "It doesn't make a lot of sense." She revealed the union submitted its proposal in February but didn't receive the league's counter until last month—a delay she found surprising, suggesting the league misunderstood the players' initial offer.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert acknowledged at April's draft that the union's proposal lacked comprehensiveness but projected confidence in reaching a "transformational" agreement, emphasizing such negotiations "take time."