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The Langham Standoff: WNBA CBA Talks Enter Uncharted Territory
The WNBA-imposed March 10 negotiation deadline came and went — now what?
When you get more time for an assignment, it’s usually a good thing. The WNBA and WNBPA have more time for their assignment, but this doesn’t seem good, and it certainly came as a surprise to a lot of people.
In issue 098 of the Women’s Basketball Roundup, we discussed the WNBA’s deadline the league set. WNBA leaders stated a new CBA needed to be agreed to by then in order to prevent the 2026 schedule being negatively impacted. The date served as a guiding light of sorts as the sides picked up the pace and tried to get things back on track.
March 10 came and went with no deal, but the WNBA and WNBPA spoke of progress being made.
But the deadline, you ask? Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports provided more on that:
As the date has approached, it’s become less fixed and more fluid in large part because both parties did not agree to it being a rigid deadline. The WNBPA has not felt beholden to reach an agreement by March 10, according to multiple sources, and has maintained its stance that it will continue pushing for a transformational deal—particularly in the financial model.”
Well I’ll be darned.
The league and Players’ Association have been meeting for marathon sessions inside the Langham Hotel in Manhattan.
On the outside, our fearless reporter friends have braved the trickiness of false New York spring to keep up with the negotiations and report on any news that may trickle out of the high stakes proceedings
Day 3 of marathon WNBA CBA talks: Nearly nine hours of meetings down, hot drinks/caffeine in hand in case of another long night
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T23:42:05.323Z
After three days of in-person sessions, the league has started to make some movement. However, one fundamental issue remains. Per Front Office Sports, the WNBA is offering “a higher salary cap but the same revenue-sharing system.”
As Erica L. Ayala and Professor David Berri discussed in an exclusive interview for Black Rosie Media, that’s a non-starter.
It’s great that the WNBA and WNBPA are still negotiating. They understand the importance of getting a deal done and a season on the books. While there’s been progress, there needs to be a lot more.
The money is there, now it’s just a matter of the league doing right by players.
🏀 ROAD TO THE FIBA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP!
USA, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Belgium remain undefeated in Qualifiers
Image via FIBA.
The FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournaments are officially underway, and we’ve seen familiar faces shine for their home countries.
In the France portion of qualifiers, Dominique Malonga is building on her time in Unrivaled and has led France to a 2-0 record in the group stage.
Dom scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds in just 19 minutes as France won 115-66 over the Philippines. Malonga continues to be a sensation and her highlights have awed basketball fans around the globe
In the Turkey region, Ezi Magbegor has been a force in the frontcourt for Australia. The 2024 Olympics bronze medalist helped the Opals rally from a nine point fourth quarter deficit to rally past a tough Japan team, 81-71.
Australia had a much easier time of it against Argentina as Magbegor’s 16/7/2/3/1 helped lead them to a comfortable 91-65 victory. The games represent a chance for Ezi to shine on the global stage after a somewhat disappointing 2025 with the Seattle Storm. As one of the best defenders in basketball, Magbegor can be a force every time she’s on the court. Another great outing will remind fans of why she’s such a special player.
In the China qualifiers, a young big is looking to find her way. Brazil is 1-1 in the group stage, but Kamilla Cardoso has been a shining light. Although she didn’t have a huge impact in their loss to Emma Meesseman and Belgium, games like that can be valuable learning lessons as she looks to enter the upper echelon of frontcourt players in the world.
The Belgian team is one of the best in the world and a threat to win the World Cup this fall in Germany. These qualifiers serve as a great opportunity for them to see where they are as a team before the stakes rise this fall and give them a first hand look at the competition.
With the games being broadcast on TNT Sports, basketball fans get to span the globe. There’s so much amazing talent out there and fans having more access helps grow the game and showcase the skills of the players.
It’s a long way to Germany, but we’re off to a great start.