An tentative agreement on a new CBA reached last week
between the WNBA and the players' union fell apart and the
WNBA has postponed next Tuesday's WNBA Draft. Several
points of disagreement came up on Wednesday, and a WNBPA
official told that WASHINGTON POST that the league "has made
some new demands, including the right to expand the 32-game
season without increasing the salaries, random drug testing
and no increase in the rookie-wage scale" during the
proposed four-year CBA. Another "point of dispute" is
whether rookies will be allowed to receive the special
personal services contracts, which are worth "in the
neighborhood of $250,000 a year" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/23).
But WNBA President Val Ackerman said that the WNBPA is
"trying to renegotiate the rookie minimum salary, player
bonuses and the rookie scale and reduce the number of player
appearances." Ackerman, on the union's new proposal: "To us
it was a repugnant concept. ... It was disturbing as
important as it is in a league as young as ours and so
dependent on community and fan support" (Barbara Kingsley,
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 4/23). In N.Y., Lena Williams
writes that union officials "claimed" the two sides agreed
on 12 player appearances during the season, but the WNBA
says that the figure "only applies to appearances for league
sponsors" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/23). WNBPA Dir of Operations Pam
Wheeler said that the WNBA is asking former ABLers "to come
in as rookies," meaning they wouldn't be able to negotiate
an individual salary. No more formal talks have been
scheduled between the two sides (O.C. REGISTER, 4/23).
While ratification of the deal was expected by the WNBPA,
Bruce Levy Associates VP Erica McKeon said that "when the
players looked at what the deal really meant, it changed a
lot of minds" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 4/23).
ARE ALL THE TOP PLAYERS ON THE SAME PAGE? Comets G
Cynthia Cooper: "I don't understand why we can't get this
thing done. We have people negotiating for us who just
don't get it. ... We can't afford to have these problems.
We have to be willing to sacrifice certain things" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 4/23). Comets F Sheryl Swoopes told KRIV-Fox TV:
"I don't think we're in a position right now to say if we
don't come to these agreements, then we are just not going
to play. Our season is in three months. We can't afford to
miss a month" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/23).
SEASON IN PERIL: Ackerman, on whether the start of the
season will be delayed: "That won't happen. We either start
on time or it won't start at all" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/23).
Ackerman: "We are not going to start late like the NBA.
It's either all or nothing. Our league cannot afford a
lockout. That is not an option" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 4/23).
