Caitlin Clark Questions Why WNBA CBA Talks Aren’t Settled Yet
Women's basketball fans don't need to be reminded that the WNBA league office and the players' association are still at an impasse when it comes to Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations.
Both sides have been going back and forth for about 18 months and have agreed on everything except the most important matter, which is revenue share. The most recent reporting indicated that if no deal were struck by March 10, it would become likely that the 2026 WNBA season (which is supposed to begin on May 8) would not begin on time, given what must happen between a ratified CBA and the regular season's beginning.
If there's one WNBA player whose voice might matter the most, it's Indiana Fever superstar guard Caitlin Clark, if only because she's the league's biggest star by far and one of the most popular athletes in American sports right now.
Clark spoke about the CBA during a Team USA training camp back in December, but hasn't spoken publicly since then.
While her keeping quiet has raised some eyebrows, Front Office Sports' WNBA insider Annie Costabile explained why this makes sense during her March 3 appearance on "Yahoo Sports Daily", saying, "So, I get what you're saying in the sense of, 'Caitlin is the face of the league, she has power, when she speaks, people listen.' That's very valid. But she's also a very calculated person when she does speak.
"I think the people leading these negotiations are not necessarily asking that of her. And so, if you're Caitlin, is it your job to supersede player leadership? I don't think that is a tactic that seems like one Caitlin would ever take on," Costabile continued.
"The people leading these negotiations are not necessarily asking that of her."@AnnieCostabile weighs in on whether Caitlin Clark should have been more vocal in WNBA CBA talks 🗣️
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 3, 2026
(via Yahoo Sports Daily) pic.twitter.com/sDzGlwJoTG
Caitlin Clark Voices Frustration Over WNBA CBA Negotiations
Costabile also noted that Clark will likely address negotiations during the Team USA camp this weekend, ahead of the FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament. And that's exactly what she did, which was conveyed in a March 7 article from Costabile.
“I don’t understand why we don’t just get in a room and iron it out and shake hands. That’s how business is. You look each other in the eye, you shake hands, you respect both sides. For me, that’s what I would love to see," Clark was quoted as saying in the article.
New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart shared a similar sentiment, saying, “I think that would be great for us all to sit in a room until we really get it done. If that means sitting in there for hours and hours at a time, let’s do it. That’s for the better of the player. While a situation like that has never happened before, there’s a first time for everything.”
The WNBPA submitted a counterproposal to the WNBA on Friday evening.
— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) March 8, 2026
Saturday at USAB training camp Breanna Stewart and Caitlin Clark both shared their thoughts on what they believe could help get a deal across the finish line. https://t.co/dL4Wk9qYRy
Perhaps Clark's increasing sense of urgency can spur both sides to a deal in the coming days. But it's becoming increasingly unlikely.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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