It began with a single sentence — not shouted, not rehearsed, but spoken casually in the middle of a podcast. And yet, within hours, it was being replayed, quoted, and dissected by sports reporters across the country:

“If they don’t give us what we want, we’re sitting out.”

Those words — delivered by Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese — weren’t framed as a threat. But they landed like one.

And for a league still basking in the glow of its most commercially successful season in decades, they may have marked the beginning of a new, more complicated chapter.

Because if Reese’s comments prove anything, it’s that the WNBA’s next era won’t be defined just by ratings or revenue. It will be defined by resistance.

From Breakout Season to Breaking Point

In her rookie year, Angel Reese helped rewrite the narrative around women’s basketball.

She was bold. She was unapologetic. And, along with Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark, she ushered in a historic surge in viewership, merchandise sales, and media visibility for the WNBA. Together, they transformed rookie season headlines into something much bigger: a national conversation about the league’s future.

By the end of the 2024 season, numbers backed up the buzz.

Over 2.3 million fans attended WNBA games — the highest total in over two decades. Television viewership averaged 657,000 per game, a 24-year high. Networks scrambled to secure coverage rights. Celebrities filled courtside seats. For the first time in years, the WNBA felt like a league not just with talent — but with traction.

Then came the numbers behind the numbers.

Angel Reese, one of the central faces of that resurgence, made a base salary of $75,000.

It wasn’t just a startling contrast. It was a reality check.

And now, the league’s rising stars are speaking openly about the cost of that imbalance — not just in dollars, but in trust.

The Podcast That Sparked the Storm

The comments came during an episode of Unapologetically Angel, Reese’s personal podcast. In a conversation with Dallas Wings guard Dijonai Carrington, the topic of league negotiations came up — and neither player held back.

“I need to be in the [players’ union] meetings,” Reese said. “Because I’m hearing that if [the league] doesn’t give us what we want, we’re sitting out.”

Carrington nodded in agreement. “A strike is definitely a possibility,” she added.

The tone was casual. The delivery was unforced. But the impact was immediate.

Because for the first time since the WNBA Players Association officially opted out of its collective bargaining agreement last October, fans had a clear indication of what might come next: a work stoppage.

What the Opt-Out Really Means

When the players’ union triggered its CBA opt-out in October 2024, it was more than a procedural move. It was a signal. A warning shot. And a declaration that the terms of the current deal — ratified in 2020 — were no longer adequate in the face of the league’s rapid growth.

Since that time, player concerns have only sharpened. At the top of the list: revenue sharing.

Under the current model, players receive a significantly smaller percentage of league revenue than their NBA counterparts. In the NBA, players and owners split revenue 50-50. In the WNBA, the split isn’t even close.

Stars like Kelsey Plum have publicly criticized the gap, calling for a system that more fairly reflects the league’s financial growth — especially in light of its newly announced $2.2 billion media rights deal, secured with Disney, Amazon Prime Video, and NBCUniversal.

That deal, spanning eleven years, represents the largest financial commitment in WNBA history.

But for many players, it’s not enough for the league to grow — if those playing the games don’t grow with it.

Beyond the Numbers: What’s at Stake

For players like Angel Reese, the frustration isn’t just about salary. It’s about respect. And the structure.

When the league’s most visible faces are earning less than six figures in base pay — even as ticket prices climb and sponsors line up — it sends a message that the spotlight is allowed, but equity isn’t.

“I love this league,” Reese said earlier this year. “But we have to stop pretending we’re being treated equally when we’re not.”

Her comments aren’t unique.

Multiple players have echoed the sentiment in recent months, pointing not only to salaries, but to inconsistent travel standards, lack of access to charter flights, limited family planning support, and the strain of year-round play in international leagues to make ends meet.

The league has made strides — expanding marketing deals, increasing prize money, improving travel accommodations for top games — but according to the players, it’s not enough. Not anymore.

Why Now?

The timing of the tension is no accident.

The WNBA’s rising popularity has placed it at a critical crossroads: does it evolve fast enough to meet the demands of its moment, or does it cling to outdated models in fear of moving too fast?

Players are making it clear — patience has run thin.

Reese’s statement, though offhand, tapped into a sentiment that’s been building quietly for years. And in this new media environment — with athletes controlling their narratives through podcasts, social platforms, and direct access to fans — that sentiment has become impossible to ignore.

The Strike Question: Real or Rhetorical?

To be clear, no official strike has been announced. No formal demand has been issued. But the WNBA Players Association has confirmed that negotiations are ongoing — and that the league’s new financial realities must be reflected in any future agreement.

And Reese’s voice, while just one, carries weight — because she represents a new generation of players who aren’t afraid to speak plainly.

This isn’t just about leverage. It’s about legacy.

And according to sources familiar with the negotiations, the league office is aware that another year under the old CBA may be tolerable — but a long-term impasse won’t be.

The 2025 season will proceed under the existing terms. But the window to finalize a new CBA before the 2026 campaign is already shrinking. And with each passing week, the pressure grows.

A League at the Crossroads

The stakes are enormous.

A player strike — even a limited one — would halt the league’s momentum at a time when its growth is finally being recognized. Sponsors would hesitate. Fans would be disappointed. And television partners would reconsider their bets.

But a failure to act would send an even more damaging message.

Because if the WNBA can’t meet the moment — and deliver a deal that honors the talent and visibility its players have created — it risks more than a labor dispute. It risks losing the trust of the very athletes who made this boom possible.

What Happens Next?

The WNBA has not publicly responded to Reese’s comments. The league office declined to comment for this story. But sources indicate that CBA negotiations are expected to intensify in the coming months, with a potential new agreement to be announced before the end of 2025.

In the meantime, players will keep speaking. Fans will keep watching. And the balance of power — for the first time in a long time — may be shifting.

Final Thoughts: This Isn’t Just About Money

When Angel Reese said, “If they don’t give us what we want, we’re sitting out,” she wasn’t just making noise. She was issuing a signal — one that speaks to a broader frustration, not only in the WNBA but across women’s sports.

The question isn’t whether players want more.
It’s whether the league is ready to admit they deserve it.

The WNBA’s future doesn’t rest on one negotiation.

But it may hinge on whether the people in power are finally willing to listen — before their silence costs them everything.