With WNBA training camps set to open May 13, "about
half the players in the league are unsigned," with "little
progress" being made in the league's labor negotiations,
according to Earl Gustkey of the L.A. TIMES, who wrote that
the "obvious question" is whether the WNBA will be able to
begin its season on time. WNBA spokesperson Mark Pray:
"Given how close we are to training camps opening, time is
getting short." Several sources have the WNBPA and the
league "far apart" on salaries, with the union "said to be
seeking substantial raises -- one source said 40% -- for the
league's lowest-paid players." Another "sticking point" is
that WNBA President Val Ackerman "doesn't want a limit on
signing former ABL players," while the union does (L.A.
TIMES, 3/19). On CBS SportsLine, Clay Kallam wrote that the
WNBPA "wants to limit" the number of ABL players to two per
team. Kallam: "The guess is that the players will wait as
long as they can on the salary issue ... but it appears they
are dead set on limiting the number of ABL players this
summer." Kallam: "Instead of looking out for the good of
the game as a whole ... the WNBPA is far more concerned with
the good of its members" (CBS SportsLine, 3/19).