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WNBA receives letter from House Democratic Caucus over CBA stalemate

The WNBA's CBA battle with its players now has the attention of the House Democratic Caucus. They need to reach a compromise soon.

By Divij Kulkarni

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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The WNBA postseason is almost here, and fans are excited for the most high-stakes portion of the 2025 campaign. However, while the best teams will duke it out to crown the next league champion, there are larger concerns on the horizon beyond who wins it all.

Negotiations between the league and the WNBPA have been largely unfruitful as both parties attempt to reach a compromise for the new CBA. Recent reports suggested that they are still far apart by any metric, though, with the possibility of a lockout looming over proceedings.

RELATED: WNBA and WNBPA reportedly heading for possible lockout as compromise ‘increasingly unlikely’

Considering that the league is continuing to grow at an explosive pace and is set to become vastly more lucrative in the coming decade, a lockout is absolutely the last thing they need. And with the players asking for what they believe they deserve, politicians are now getting involved to help resolve the situation.

"85 members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus and House Democratic Caucus have signed a letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert urging the league to 'bargain in good faith to reach a fair CBA in a timely manner before the October 31 deadline,'" Kareem Copeland reported.

"The letter also states: 'We are concerned about the WNBA’s delayed response, the differing accounts on the status of negotiations, and that the needs of players are not being fully addressed.'"

There is certainly pressure on the league to get a deal done soon, but it's likely to take longer than the October 31 deadline. The WNBA and WNBPA can agree on an extension if they feel like more talks can lead to a solution, but all hell will break loose if that doesn't happen before the next season is slated to begin.

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