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WNBA Players Authorize Strike as Stewart and Collier’s Unrivaled Gains Clout

Strike authorization heightens pressure by underscoring the leverage Unrivaled now provides.

Overview

  • The WNBPA said members, in a vote with heavy participation, empowered its executive committee to call a strike in response to stalled CBA talks.
  • Negotiations remain stuck despite a short CBA extension to Jan. 9, with Breanna Stewart saying players have compromised while the league has not budged.
  • Stewart welcomed potential mediation after NBA leaders Adam Silver and Mark Tatum offered to make themselves available to help move talks forward.
  • The WNBA’s push to restrict participation in third‑party leagues is a central sticking point as Unrivaled rises as a domestic alternative.
  • Unrivaled’s co-founders Stewart and Napheesa Collier were named Sports Illustrated’s Innovators of the Year, and the 3×3 league’s expanded second season opens Jan. 5 in Miami with six‑figure minimums, prize money, and a 15% equity pool after averaging 221,000 TV viewers in year one.