The WNBA-WNBPA CBA discussions might have reached a new low. One thing that everyone must agree on is that the players’ association remained united, as the players trusted their chairperson. The WNBPA also ensured that every detail would reach its members, keeping everyone in the discussions.
Breanna Stewart even issued a cautious warning to the players for making career decisions amid the stalled CBA. But, according to an ESPN broadcaster, the WNBPA made one big mistake in its ‘united’ effort.
ESPN Broadcaster On WNBA Players’ Mistake
Rebecca Lobo saw every era of the WNBA as the league grew in front of the legend. She is still close to the league, working as a broadcaster for WNBA shows.
Recently, she appeared on the A Touch More podcast, where she shared her views on the CBA discussions. At one point, she said, “Some of the rhetoric I’ve heard from their side has been a little bit troublesome. When a deal is presented that’s over a million [dollar] max salary and revenue share, it’s called a ‘slap in the face.’ Like, just use different words. And I’m worried the players might be getting to a point where they might be losing some of the support from the public. And I think that has been a big part of this all along.”
Rebecca Lobo ‘worried’ WNBA players are losing fan support in CBA talks https://t.co/VdNI1723sW pic.twitter.com/4w6b7lBmUt
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 16, 2026
While the players’ union criticized the league with some harsh words and looked to put forward their points, Lobo made a valid point about ‘losing fan support’. As the third extension expired, WNBA fans are debating who to blame for stalled CBA talks, which is not at all a good sign.
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Though the fans are really feeling the pressure, the players are not ready to back down on their demands, and they even issued a statement hours before the recent extension expiration.
WNBA Players Standing Firm On Key Demands
In the official statement, WNBPA once again criticized the league for ‘running the clock’ and failing to meet the association at the table with the seriousness they expected. According to their statement, the league is clearly doing the opposite of what they should have been doing to see the deal through.
Reminding their ‘non-negotiable’ demands, the players’ association wrote, “This agreement must include a salary system tied to a meaningful share of the revenue that would not exist without player labor, mandate professional working conditions, and require protections that honor the players who built this league and set the next generation up for success. Make no mistake. Pay equity is not optional and progress is long overdue.”
The WNBPAs latest statement re: CBA expiration pic.twitter.com/immuk5EZC6
— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) January 10, 2026
While Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark spoke about compromise to get the deal, the WNBPA’s approach is rather strict.