On Monday, Adam Silver, Commissioner of the NBA, was at NBC Sports headquarters when he addressed the growing tensions between WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the Lynx’s Napheesa Collier. His message? He was confident that both sides would reach a new collective bargaining agreement. But in the same breath, he stated that the issue had become personal, and both sides would have to mend the relationship.

In a way, this situation mimics what happened in the NBA in 2011. The league and the union weren’t on the same page regarding the CBA, which led to a lockout that year. Of course, things haven’t escalated to that level for the WNBA, but that seems like a future possibility. To avoid that, both sides might need to meet in the middle. However, the players are determined to demand what they deserve. Just ask Mercury’s Satou Sabally.

“It is very personal because the WNBA wants to forbid us to make a lot of more money than we’re ever going to make here, what it seems like in other leagues,” she said during a practice session held a day before Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. “So, it’s very personal. People have families.

“This is our job. We make more money in China, Russia, and Turkey than here. So, it is very personal, and I don’t see why it shouldn’t become personal.”

The WNBA may not have been a profitable league previously. Silver said in 2018 that the WNBA’s losses were roughly $10 million yearly. But since then, the league has grown. Recent factors like the ‘Caitlin Clark Effect’ have increased game viewership, attendance, and merchandise sales.

Additionally, the 11-year, $2.2 billion media rights deal that Cathy Engelbert brought in will only help further. Hence, the players are looking to take advantage of the expiring CBA deal and negotiate a better pay package. They stand united in speaking about the issue as well as donning the ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us’ T-shirts during the WNBA All-Star game. But it doesn’t end here. The players are putting forth their demands for all the right reasons.

• The NBA shares 49-51% of profits generated from TV deals, ticket and merchandise sales, and licensing with its players.
• The NFL shares 48% of its income with its players.
• NHL is also right there, sharing 50% of the total revenue.
• However, the WNBA shares only 9.3% with the players.

While this fact has been known for quite a while, Napheesa Collier’s comments added a significant dose of fuel to the fire last week. From saying the WNBA has the worst leadership in the world to highlighting Engelbert allegedly saying stuff like ‘only the losers complain about the refs’ and that Caitlin Clark should be ‘thankful’ for the platform the league has given her, Collier put the WNBA commissioner under the spotlight.

Collier stands firm, as demonstrated by her decision to call off an upcoming meeting with the WNBA commissioner. Several WNBA players have supported Collier, including Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. Therefore, the players refuse to budge even as Adam Silver looks to resolve things before the October 31 deadline for the current CBA.

In such situations, knowing who holds the upper hand is hard. Hence, every bit of support towards Napheesa Collier counts. But even after a week, not everyone has publicly shown their support for the 29-year-old.

Rachel A. DeMita highlighted Clark’s teammates’ silence on Napheesa Collier’s remarks

Earlier this week, WNBA analyst Rachel A. DeMita hosted an ‘impromptu’ episode of her ‘Courtside Club’ show. During the segment, she highlighted the list of players who serve as representatives of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA). Amongst them were the Chicago Sky’s Rachel Banham and Ariel Atkins, who had yet to speak up in support of Collier. Also on the list was Aliyah Boston, a surprise since she is Caitlin Clark’s teammate.

“Yes, we have heard players be super vocal, but even if you look at…. okay, New York. Sabrina Ionescu is the voice for the New York team. If we look at the Indiana Fever, it’s Aliyah Boston, and then the alternate is Lexie Hull,” said DeMira.

“Now, Lexie Hull was somebody who came out and supported Phee, and said that she made a lot of good points. Aliyah Boston was someone who kind of skirted around these questions and tried to make light of everything.”

A major reason why Collier’s allegations have garnered attention is that she claimed Engelbert privately told her that Caitlin Clark and other young stars “should be on their knees” in gratitude for the opportunities the league has provided them.

From Sophie Cunningham saying, “The disrespect is just crazy to me,” to Stephanie White accusing them of using Clark as a ‘pawn’, several Indiana Fever personalities have talked about the issue. Even Clark came out in support of Phee. So, for now, we will have to wait and see where this all leads to. What do you think?