With the CBA extension deadline all set to expire, the silence at the negotiating table has become impossible to ignore, as the divide between the WNBA and the WNBPA continues to grow. And on top of that, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert could keep a major league decision on hold.

The WNBA plans to add two new teams for the 2026 season, and expansion fever is running high. But according to reports from In Case You Missed It with Khristina Williams, Engelbert has made it clear that the expansion draft will not proceed until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is finalized, leaving the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire in limbo.

For Williams, this update comes from Erin Drake, the legal counsel and senior advisor for the WNBPA, who also confirmed that the state of negotiations between the league and union has been quiet in recent weeks.

“We haven’t heard or received a counterproposal from the league in two weeks, so the same negotiations has been surprisingly quiet for today’s deadline,” she said. “This agreement will expire after two extensions and 15 months of being at the table trying to get this done in confidence that this could get done. It’s gonna end.”

Once the deadline expires, the players’ union and the WNBA will enter a “status quo” period while the negotiations will continue, as confirmed by Vice-President Breanna Stewart. The status quo period means that there would be no strike or a lockout from either side, and “business (will continue) as usual”. However, this also means that there will be no progress on key league decisions like the expansion draft.

During their conversation, Drake emphasized the significance of this in-between period: “Neither side is prevented from initiating a work stoppage, and that’s a pretty big deal. That’s a big deal in any labor negotiation and certainly in any contract.”

The freeze on the expansion draft is just one symptom of a larger tension between them. At the heart of the standoff are fundamental disagreements over compensation, working conditions, and the overall direction of the WNBA.

Why can’t the players and Cathy Engelbert meet eye-to-eye?

For the past year, the players have been demanding a revenue that is shared and compensation that they deemed to be fair. But their expectations and what the league is offering don’t even come close.

The WNBA’s latest proposal would have increased the maximum player salary to above $1.3 million, with average pay exceeding $530,000 and minimums over $250,000. While on paper, these numbers represent a significant rise, the WNBPA has stood its ground and claimed that they still fall short, reflecting the true value players bring to the league.

The players have proposed taking 30% of gross revenue, arguing that it is they who are the primary drivers behind the league’s growth. So as the WNBA grows, so should their pay.

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“The players know the difference between doing business and creating clickbait,” WNBPA Executive Director Terri Jackson said. “They are focused on the system… They want a meaningful share of the revenue they are creating; they do not want to be paid last with only a fraction of the dollars left over.”

The players are also pushing for improvements beyond just paychecks, including better travel conditions, consistent charter flights, stronger health and retirement benefits, and enhanced family-planning and pregnancy policies. With the way things are going, both these entities are far from reaching an agreement.

As a result, major league decisions tied to the CBA, like the expansion draft and free agency, remain in limbo, and without an agreement, they will be delayed until both sides can come to terms.