The WNBA Players Association's current collective bargaining negotiations offer a masterclass in organizational power—specifically, how groups can leverage unity and timing to reshape negotiation dynamics that have historically favored the other side.
WNBA Players Association president Nneka Ogwumike recently addressed the league's CBA discussions, noting that while the WNBA is bringing in more money than ever from sponsors, ticket sales, and an 11-year media rights deal worth around $200 million per year starting in 2026, player salaries haven't increased drastically in recent years.
The players opted out of their current agreement in October, with negotiations now targeting a deal that reflects the league's explosive growth.
At RED BEAR, we define organizational power as "the ability to influence negotiation outcomes based on one's role within a company and how that role is positioned within the organizational structure—including both formal authority and informal access to decision makers."
The WNBA players are demonstrating both dimensions of this power:
External Organizational Power: The league's record-breaking viewership, merchandise sales, and massive media deal create market perception of value that strengthens the players' position. The players aren't just asking for more money—they're pointing to concrete evidence of their contribution to the league's success.
Internal Organizational Power: Ogwumike emphasized the players' unity: "I'm appreciative to our player body, our player reps and the women that are speaking out about this, and our board of advisors and PA staff and what they're doing for us to be able to get to a successful, collaborative negotiation with the league."
While gender isn't the primary negotiation factor here, it adds context to the organizational power play. As WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson noted, "With the benefit of hindsight, when you read the earlier CBAs, one of the takeaways is that the players were forced to feel grateful just to have a league. I believe we moved past that mindset in 2020."
This shift from gratitude to expectation represents a fundamental change in negotiation posture—one that applies across industries where groups have historically accepted less favorable terms.
The players are using several RED BEAR principles effectively:
Timing: They're negotiating from a position of strength, with the league experiencing unprecedented growth.
Information Management: Ogwumike stated, "We have women out here who know the business. And we understand where our league has been and where it's going. And, we're prepared."
Coalition Building: Rather than individual negotiations, they're leveraging collective action to maximize their organizational power.
As Ogwumike put it: "Everybody wants to go to the same place. Everyone just has a different idea of how we get there. But it definitely starts with valuing the players in a way that makes sense for what we're doing out here."
This reflects a key negotiation truth: successful outcomes often depend less on individual tactics and more on how effectively you can align your position with broader organizational strength and market realities.
The WNBA players' approach demonstrates that organizational power—whether you're representing a sports league, a professional association, or a corporate team—becomes most effective when it combines internal unity with external market validation. Their negotiation isn't just about basketball salaries; it's about leveraging collective strength to reshape industry standards.
For any negotiator facing a larger, more established counterpart, the WNBA players' strategy offers a clear playbook: know your value, align your organization, and negotiate from the strength of demonstrated results rather than potential promises.