West Coast wellness franchise Bay Club extends hand to WNBA athletes amid free agency woes

The GIST: As predicted earlier this week, the WNBA and WNBPA have agreed to a moratorium on free agency transactions as the two sides continue to iron out a new CBA. In the meantime, free agents are left in the lurch when it comes to training in offseason facilities — but universities and companies are closing the gap.

• The WNBPA has partnered with facilities to create Player Hubs, which allow players to access facilities if a work stoppage occurs. Luxurious wellness club franchise Bay Club has offered its 29 facilities in support of WNBA players — and to align its brand with the WNBPA’s athlete-centric message. Let it all work out.

The hubs: The WNBPA’s Player Hubs are primarily on the West Coast with three universities — Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UNLV — offering their training grounds. And with Bay Club, athletes will be able to train at any of its 29 locations across California, Oregon, and Washington.

• Players on the East Coast can access the WNBPA headquarters and Exos Performance Lab, which works with athletic brands to test products.

The why: While fellow professional athlete unions and media outlets have voiced support for the WNBPA and its current sticking points, it remains a calculated risk for brands to take a stance between the league and its players amid tense negotiations. But this move allows Bay Club to demonstrate support of women athletes and potentially win over fans — without alienating the league.

The takeaway: A suspended WNBA doesn’t just have implications for the league and its athletes: More brands than ever have their fates tied to what happens in the next few months. Bay Club found an authentic way to rally around athletes through a partnership that is reacting in real time.

• We’ve seen brands benefit from openly challenging gendered pay gaps in sports, as well as brands having the power to solve some of the WNBPA’s concerns, like Delta’s support of chartered flights for teams. Fly high.