Will the WNBA and Players’ Union Reach an Agreement In Time?

It’s gut-check time for the WNBA and its players, as less than a week remains until the current collective bargaining agreement expires. After catching up on the latest coaching hires in Dallas and Seattle, Zena, Sabreena, and Ben set the stage for the CBA deadline, explaining why the players opted out, what issues are at play, and how tensions have risen. Then, Sabreena and Ben speak with Erin D. Drake, senior advisor and legal counsel for the players’ union, the WNBPA, for a peek behind the curtains on negotiations – discussing where things currently stand, and what pathways exist if a deal is not reached by Friday.  We’re putting together a couple of mailbag episodes! Got thoughts or questions about the CBA? Curious about college hoops? Send them our way — we want to hear from you! Email us at NoOffseason@theathletic.com No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/ 00:00 Intro 01:32 How might Jose Fernandez’s coaching style fit with Paige Bueckers? 04:27 Why did Dallas choose Jose Fernandez as their head coach? 09:48 Seattle Storm hires Sonia Raman as head coach 13:26 The coaching career of Sonia Raman 15:04 What’s going on with Dominique Malonga’s contract dispute with Fenerbahçe? 17:43 Why did the players decide to opt out of the current CBA? 19:46 An overview of the key issues in the CBA negotiations 23:43 WNBA proposals vs. players’ goals  26:53 What might occur if no CBA deal is made? 34:24 How the WNBPA and WNBA negotiations reached this point 36:26 Why has there been so little urgency to reach a deal? 37:55 What’s the main hurdle preventing a new deal? 40:18 Why the revenue sharing model makes sense 42:04 The WNBA’s stance on reaching a new agreement 47:41 How engaged have the players been during negotiations? 51:47 Is there a possibility of extending the CBA negotiations? 53:04 Benefits and drawbacks of extending the CBA 55:22 How prepared are WNBA players for a potential work stoppage?  REFERENCES:  https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6746614/2025/10/24/wnba-players-letter-union-zohran-mamdani/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6747951/2025/10/24/sonia-raman-coach-seattle-storm-wnba/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6748534/2025/10/27/wnba-offseason-mailbag-cba-free-agency/ #wnba #cba #ncaawbb __ Follow and listen to the audio podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/no-offseason-the-athletic-womens-basketball-show/id1699815468 Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at NoOffseason@TheAthletic.com Show Links: -YouTube: @No-Offseason -Instagram: @tanooffseason [https://www.instagram.com/tanooffseason] -TikTok: @no_offseason [https://www.tiktok.com/@no_offseason] Credits: -Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita -Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman -Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm -Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings -Produced by Taneka Burrell -Executive Produced by Andrea B. Scott and Cassius Flemming Thumbnail: Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports Hub: https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-sports/?guccounter=1 Full Episodes Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm7txmok7cpMB3YlgkwrT2E0 Shorts Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm72uhBjsd24rsh5teZtgUpS