The WNBA and WNBPA are giving another shot to the CBA negotiations. Cathy Engelbert hinted at a possible extension, and WNBA-WNBPA agreed to a 30-day extension on Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.
Sophie Cunningham was one of the critics slamming the delay, and now, with the extension has a different view on the topic. But it’s not without frustration, as the Fever forward was also hoping for an early solution.
And that would have allowed teams and players to get on with the free agency and drafts. In her latest podcast episode, the 29-year-old star talked about the CBA negotiations.
Sophie Cunningham Frustrated Over CBA Discussions
The WNBA’s postseason had multiple news stories surrounding the games, but headlines focused primarily on the CBA negotiations, as the fate of the league depended on their conclusion. From the start of the season, the WNBPA was aggressive on its demands, and now, after the deadline date, they had to agree to an extension to reach the agreement.
Napheesa Collier led the WNBPA charge against CBA inequity, emphasizing the revenue-sharing model. All this was new and exciting for the Fever forward, who mentioned that she loved the business side of the game. But she also expressed frustration with the ‘ongoing’ process.
Cunningham said, “I actually learned a lot because we have been having CBA calls. I know it’s actually very intriguing. Like, I love the business side of things, but when you don’t know, you don’t know. So I thought that if we didn’t have an agreement by the 31st, then it was a lockout, but that’s not true. So you can if both sides are continuing to negotiate and trying to come up with something, then you’re still not in a lockout.”
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She added that if either side stops listening to the other party, it would be a lockout. But she was actively involved in the business side, and negotiations with both parties’ dos and don’ts are still going on in the meetings.
But in the end, she agreed that she learnt a lot from the meetings and also that she is maturing by being part of the negotiations. The last part was important as Cunningham heavily criticized the WNBA commissioner in her earlier episodes.
Sophie Cunningham Admits Having Harsh Stance On Cathy Engelbert Clash
The ‘heated moment’ came when Napheesa Collier talked about Cathy Engelbert’s stand on Caitlin Clark’s earnings. The former Missouri player called the WNBA commissioner a delusional leader and added that the people know her because of CC. While the star made those comments on her ‘Show Me Something’ podcast, in the next episode, only she regretted her ‘wordings’.
“I think that — I’m not going back on what I said, but I might have been a little harsh on how I said it. But you know what? It’s also me. I can admit when I’m wrong. Just think what I said was valid and a lot of people agree with it, but maybe how I said it could’ve been better,” Cunningham said.
While the player mentioned that she is maturing, her apologetic stance in the earlier episode might just be the first step toward the same.