The WNBA-imposed deadline for reaching a new CBA came
and passed on Saturday without the league and union reaching
an agreement. The two sides met for two hours yesterday and
more discussions are scheduled for today. WNBPA Dir of
Communications Dan Wasserman: "Some progress was made, but
there are still some significant issues that remain to be
solved" (AP, 4/12). WNBPA Dir Pam Wheeler: "We're very
optimistic that we'll get a deal done because we're not that
far apart on the issues." In Houston, W.H. Stickney wrote
that both sides have "reached an agreement in principle" on
year-round health coverage, a players advisory panel and the
guaranteeing of contracts after a certain date (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 4/10). In N.Y., Lena Williams wrote that the
WNBA "has balked" at the union's "demand for a percentage of
team merchandise sales." The league also doesn't want
"restrictions" placed on the number of former ABLers it can
recruit, though the WNBPA has "indicated a willingness to be
flexible on the allotment." Williams, on "some dissention"
within the WNBPA ranks: "Some of the W.N.B.A.'s elite
players -- those with lucrative guaranteed contracts and
endorsement opportunities -- have shown that their
allegiance is with the league" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/10).
COULD IT BE LIGHTS OUT? In Philadelphia, Mel Greenberg
wrote on "speculation" that arose during the NCAA Women's
Final Four that NBA owners "would pull the plug on the
league if an agreement was not reached," though some
"believe that NBA Commissioner David Stern would argue in
favor of continuing" the WNBA (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/10).
IS LEAGUE BEING FAIR? In N.Y., Harvey Araton wrote that
"the league's idea of bargaining has thus far been in the
form of one offer, take it or leave it." Araton wrote that
the current salary structure for the WNBA "is not promoting
women's sports as much as it is convincing people that the
wrong league won. ... The time has come to ask: Are the
women to be real players with legitimate jobs, or marketing
pawns, symbols of synergy, in the expansive universe of
powerful men like David Stern" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/11).
