WNBA Expansion Sparks Tensions Over CBA Negotiations

NEW YORK, NY — The WNBA continues to grow, announcing the addition of new teams, but tensions are high as players and league officials negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). As the league embraces an excitement boost from rookie Caitlin Clark‘s phenomenal performance last season, three new franchises will join the league by 2030.

On June 30, the WNBA revealed expansion plans that include the Golden State Valkyries commencing play this season, with teams in Portland and Toronto set to launch in 2026. Franchises in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia are slated to debut in the following years. However, these developments come with a backdrop of conflict between the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA).

Satou Sabally, a forward for the Phoenix Mercury and CBA co-chair member, voiced her concerns about the expansion. “We got a proposal from the league, which was honestly a slap in the face,” Sabally said, calling for an increased focus on current players and their needs before increasing the league’s roster size, which currently caps at twelve players.

Sabally’s comments highlight the growing frustrations among players who feel the league is prioritizing expansion over player welfare. “Maybe focus on the teams also that find excuses continuously to lack investment into their players before we focus on adding more,” she added.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has argued that expanding roster sizes is not financially viable at the moment. She states that introducing new teams offers greater opportunities for revenue growth compared to increasing player numbers.

With the CBA negotiations ongoing and a deadline approaching at the end of the 2025 season, the future remains uncertain for both the league and its players. As the tension lingers, players like Sabally emphasize the importance of ensuring existing players are adequately supported before expanding the league further.