Plum: WNBA's CBA offer is 'win,' but talks go on

Key Highlights

• The WNBPA has asked for a system where players receive 30% of gross revenue (before deducting expenses), while the league has offered a system where the players receive 70% of net revenue (after deducting expenses). The players' union has bristled at the league's offer as it amounts to less than 15% of gross revenue, while the league has called the WNBPA's proposals "unrealistic" and claimed they would amount to hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Plum said that getting the league to agree to a revenue sharing system for the first time -- where players' salaries will grow as both league and team revenue grows -- is something "we fought really hard for," and that the WNBPA can continue to negotiate the expense credits the league would get."You can continue to negotiate without striking," Plum said. The WNBPA player body authorized the seven-player executive committee, of which Plum is part, to authorize a strike "when necessary" in December. The possibility of a strike has lingered since and remains a prominent question with the WNBA regular season scheduled to start May 8.
• Meanwhile, the league gave the WNBPA a target date of March 10 to have a term sheet completed, or else the season schedule could be impacted."I've always been someone that's focused on the gain, not the gap." Plum said.
• "And to be honest, I think if you look at where we've come from, shoot, since I came into the league until now, and now that we're in a revenue share, it's a tremendous win."Obviously, we're going to continue to negotiate.
• I can't emphasize that enough.
• Like we're not just settling.