WNBA labor talks stretch past 2:30 a.m. with no CBA deal reached yet

The WNBA and its players’ union had another marathon negotiating session that lasted into the early morning hours Monday as they try to reach a deal on new collective bargaining agreement.

The WNBA and its players’ union had another marathon negotiating session that lasted into the early morning hours Monday as they try to reach a deal on new collective bargaining agreement.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert had said Friday night that the two sides need to get a deal done by Monday to potentially avoid disruptions to the upcoming season.

“Can things be 24 to 48 hours later than maybe a date that we put on a piece of paper just to get everybody understanding there is a basketball calendar here? Can things be 24 to 48 hours (later)? Sure,” Engelbert said. “But not much more before you start to look at, you know, can we open training camp up, you know, that kind of stuff.”

The two sides will get together again later Monday for a seventh consecutive day of talks. It’s been a long week of discussions with the WNBA and union making face-to-face for more than 72 hours since the first in-person bargaining session Tuesday.

Sunday’s session started around noon EDT and union executive council members Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier and Alysha Clark were the first to leave at 2 a.m. Nneka Ogwumike and union leadership were still in the building as well as Engelbert and her negotiating team that included Connecticut Sun president Jen Rizzotti.