“We Mean Business”: Liberty Star Natasha Cloud Opens Up on CBA Negotiations Days After All-Star T-Shirt Protest

WNBA All-Star players made a collective statement for fair pay during warmups before the 2025 All-Star Game in Indianapolis. Players on both Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier's teams wore black T-shirts reading "Pay us what you owe us," directly calling on the WNBA to increase salaries, which they consider meagre even for top players.

The protest stems from players receiving only a small percentage of the league's revenue. With the WNBA experiencing rising popularity, increased ticket and jersey sales, and higher TV ratings, players believe they deserve a larger share of the generated income. New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud, the Skills Challenge winner, expressed pride in this unified action amid ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations.

Cloud clarified that players aren't demanding NBA-level salaries but fair compensation reflecting the WNBA's current revenue generation. She highlighted player unity, noting that 40 players met with league commissioner Cathy Engelbert during the recent CBA talks. However, no significant progress was made, which players found unacceptable.

Cloud emphasized the players' understanding of their value and contribution to the league's success, stating, "We understand our value, our worth, and how we make this thing go." She stressed their determination in negotiations, declaring, "We mean business. We’re all on the same page," and that they won't be pushed around.

Cloud framed the fight as essential not just for current players but for future generations, aiming to ensure fair pay becomes standard so the next wave of players ("the 144" roster spots) won't face the same battle. She reiterated the demand for revenue sharing from both the league and team levels, concluding, "We need revenue share... And we’re going to continue to push that."

While players appear resolute in securing a better deal in the next CBA, the article notes that pressure is mounting from players while owners and the commissioner don't seem overly concerned yet. It expresses hope that a lockout, common in other sports over similar disputes, can be avoided, but acknowledges that Cloud and the players seem prepared to stand firm.