As interest in the league continues to grow, players are starting to push for a higher share of basketball-related income.

The players' union and the WNBA met for crucial CBA negotiations in Indianapolis on Thursday. While some progress was made, the union feels it was a 'missed opportunity.'

Each of the three newest expansion teams joins the league paying a record $250 million expansion fee. The new Golden State expansion team has been an immediate success and is now worth over $500 million, according to Sportico, after paying just a $50 million expansion fee to enter the league. That’s a WNBA-record valuation, and the union knows it.

A record number of players attended Thursday’s meeting between the WNBA and WNBPA, with further negotiations coming soon.

The first in-person meeting the league and union since December lasted for a couple of hours and ended with no resolution on the CBA.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is optimistic that the league and players union will come to a new collective bargaining agreement at some point.

The league sits at the precipice of a pivotal financial fork in the road in the form of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. The WNBA and its players boast enviable momentum and a great product. They can’t afford to squander those favorable conditions with squabbling and a work stoppage in 2026.

The WNBA players union and the league are no closer to a new collective bargaining agreement a day before All-Star weekend and a national showcase.