The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement is set to expire Oct. 31. If the league and players don’t reach a new deal by then, a work stoppage could begin.

Hailey Van Lith had an exceptional college basketball career playing for three schools and now is on the roster of WNBA's Chicago Sky.

The WNBA is celebrating the halfway mark of the 2025 season this weekend in Indianapolis, but looming labor issues could dampen spirits. The big picture: The WNBA is the hottest brand in pro sports. Owners who in the early aughts struggled to find investors for their distressed assets are now clamoring for a piece of a rapidly expanding pie.

In a poll published Thursday by Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman of The Athletic, a plurality of players voted the Sky as the worst-run organization in the league. With 40.7% of votes received, Chicago beat out the Connecticut Sun (29.6%), Los Angeles Sparks (14.8%) and Dallas Wings (7.4%).

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese missed her first game of the season against the Atlanta Dream with a leg injury on Wednesday at Wintrust Arena.

So, for which franchises do players most want to compete? And what do they think about a host of topics around the league, like who is the league’s best player, where should expansion head, who is the face of the league and what issues are important in the next collective bargaining agreement?

The first-place Minnesota Lynx (18-4) are on the road on Monday night to take on the Chicago Sky (7-13) in WNBA action.

Los Angeles Sparks's Kelsey Plum poses on the orange carpet for WNBA All Star basketball events (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston, elegant in a long, dark gown and heels, echoed the sentiment.