The Sky’s pregame media availability ahead of their Sunday afternoon game against the Mercury started in a different direction.

A last-minute change was made regarding which players would be available. Instead of Dana Evans and Alanna Smith, media was notified moments before it began that Elizabeth Williams and Taylor Soule would be coming in. After taking their spots at the podium, the reason for the sudden change was clear: Williams had a message she wanted to share.

Williams, the secretary of the WNBA Players Association, opened the team’s media availability with a five-minute address regarding the league’s travel which players have consistently vocalized is hindering the league’s growth.

“The current rules are bad for the WNBA brand and, more importantly, a real threat to our health and safety,” Williams stated.

Under the current collective bargaining agreement, which was ratified in 2020 and runs expires following the 2027 season, teams are not allowed to use charter travel even if they can individually afford it. This season, as the league has continued to face pressure both from its players and supporters regarding travel, the WNBA has allowed teams to use a pubic chartering service called JSX.

JSX, which has preset routes and times unlike a traditional charter service, is not available in every WNBA city, including Chicago.

This season the league announced changes to its travel to include charter flights for the entire postseason, back-to-back regular season games and the Commissioner’s Cup. Players have expressed on multiple occasions, including Sunday afternoon by Williams, that there is a feeling that the league is precluding more reasonable rules regarding charter travel to maintain leverage at the bargaining table.

Players can choose to opt out of the current CBA following the 2025 season. There’s no guarantee they will at this time, but Williams told the Sun-Times conversations are being held regarding its possibility.

In 2021, the Liberty were fined $500,000 for chartering flights to certain away games. Sports Illustrated reported in 2022 that there were certain owners who feared making charter travel the norm because players would get used to it and, therefore, they would not be able to return to commercial flights, if necessary. Other owners, according to Sports Illustrated’s report, questioned if players would prefer an increase in their salary.

Sunday, Williams relayed a strong message to ownership groups who are not willing or ready to contribute to changing the league’s travel standards.

“We know there is a small group of owners and teams who remain against allowing their teams to fly charter,” Williams said. “We cannot allow this league to be held back by those owners who are unwilling and or financially unable to grow the business.”

Williams said that her conversations with Sky ownership, specifically principal owner Michael Alter, have not included charter travel. They’ve been more focused on moving the team to the city and how they can make the Sky a premier free-agent destination.

Players, Williams said, are really calling on the league to change the rules that prevent individual teams from chartering if they have the means so as not to create a competitive advantage. Players argue that certain teams with individual practice facilities, personal chefs and other amenities standard for professional athletes already provides them with a competitive advantage.

In her ninth season, Williams has become known as one of the league’s most vocal in players’ efforts to have their needs as professional athletes met, as well as in the league’s standard-setting efforts to address human rights issues.

Soule, a rookie, acknowledged players like Williams as the reason she has the needed confidence to also be vocal on issues that matter to her.

“To have a vet like E who takes a stand on things that are important to her is great,” Soule said.

Griner misses game

Brittney Griner did not travel with the Mercury for their two-game road trip to Chicago and Indiana. The team released a statement that Griner is focusing on her mental health and has the team’s full support.

Williams said that she had planned to make a statement before she learned of Griner’s absence.