Negotiations are supposed to be a two-way street. But in the current standoff between the WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) and the league’s owners, traffic has stopped completely.

According to a scathing new report, the relationship between the two sides has deteriorated from a debate into something far more dismissive: mockery. The WNBA owners haven’t just rejected the players’ latest contract proposal; they have stopped responding entirely.

Why? Because, according to league sources, they view the players’ demands not as a serious starting point for negotiation, but as a “delusional” ultimatum that ignores 28 years of financial reality.

The 30% “Gross” Mistake

At the heart of the conflict is a single word: Gross.

The players are demanding 30% of gross revenue. In business terms, this means they want a cut of every dollar that enters the league’s bank account before a single bill is paid. Before the lights are turned on in the arena, before the charter flights are booked, and before the marketing staff is paid, the players want their third.

The owners, many of whom are billionaires who treat their teams as passion projects, view this as financial suicide. Under this proposal, if the league brings in $300 million but has $250 million in operating costs, the players would take $90 million off the top. The result? The league would instantly be $40 million in the red.

“That’s not a business model,” the analysis argues. “That’s a liquidation plan.”

The owners have countered with an offer of 70% of net revenue—meaning players get the lion’s share of the profits after expenses are covered. This is a standard business arrangement. But the players have reportedly rejected this out of hand, resubmitting their “gross revenue” demand effectively unchanged.

The “Nagging” Strategy

The report compares the players’ strategy to a child asking for a toy, being told no, and then asking again five minutes later expecting a different answer.

“That’s not negotiating; that’s nagging,” the video commentary asserts.

By sending the same proposal twice, the players have signaled they aren’t willing to compromise. In response, the owners have essentially put the players in “time out.” They aren’t offering counter-proposals because they believe the gap between reality and the players’ requests is too wide to bridge with standard diplomacy.

The Caitlin Clark Delusion

Fueling the players’ confidence is the massive spike in attention the league received in 2024. Viewership tripled, attendance soared, and merchandise sold out. The players believe this proves the league has finally arrived and that the money is flowing.

But the owners have access to the granular data, and it tells a different story.

The growth wasn’t league-wide; it was “Clark-centric.” Games featuring Caitlin Clark averaged 1.8 million viewers. Games without her? Just 650,000. The surge in revenue is largely tied to one specific phenomenon, yet the union is negotiating as if every team is suddenly the Los Angeles Lakers.

The owners know that if Clark gets injured or retires, those numbers could crash back to earth. They aren’t willing to sign a long-term deal that guarantees massive payouts based on a potentially temporary bubble.

The Housing Entitlement

Another sticking point is housing. The players want the league to pay for year-round housing for everyone, regardless of salary.

The counter-argument is harsh but practical: No other major US sports league does this. LeBron James buys his own house. Patrick Mahomes pays his own rent. The NWSL is phasing out player housing. The expectation is that professionals making six-figure salaries (which many WNBA players now do, especially with endorsements) should be able to handle their own living arrangements.

The owners have offered a targeted solution: housing assistance for players on lower, non-guaranteed contracts. It’s a safety net for those who need it. But the union wants it as a universal entitlement, further alienating the owners who see it as an unnecessary expense for wealthy athletes.

The Clock is Ticking

The 2026 season is scheduled to tip off in May—less than 100 days away. Before then, the league needs to hold a draft, sign free agents, and prepare for expansion. None of this can happen without a CBA.

The players seem to be betting that the owners will panic and cave as the deadline approaches. But the video argues the opposite: The owners can afford to wait. They are billionaires. The players, whose career earnings windows are short, cannot afford a lost season.

The “status quo” is currently in effect, meaning the old rules still apply. But if the players strike, the checks stop coming.

A Hard Lesson in Leverage

The tragedy of this standoff is that the players do have more leverage than ever before. The league is growing. They should get paid more. But by overplaying their hand with demands that ignore the fact that the NBA still subsidizes the WNBA to the tune of $12 million a year, they risk blowing their opportunity.

Negotiation requires reading the room. Right now, the WNBA players are shouting at a wall, and the owners are simply walking out of the room. If the union doesn’t pivot to a strategy based on math rather than “vibes,” the historic gains of the Caitlin Clark era could be lost in a boardroom standoff that nobody wins.

Do you think the players are being greedy or fair? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!