#57 – Playing the Long Game: What the WNBA Got Right About Deals That Work When You Win

Negotiation forces a tough question: are we fighting over slices – or building something bigger together? Most deals don't fail because of bad intentions. They fail because the structure only works for one side. This week on S4N, Gene uses the WNBA's new collective bargaining agreement to zero in on a core business challenge: how do you build a revenue-sharing deal that actually aligns incentives instead of creating friction? One side wants a bigger share of the upside. The other needs to manage risk and keep the business viable. If you've ever negotiated comp, a partnership, a client deal, or even an internal budget, you've felt this tension. This episode gets into what actually moves things forward – and how to stop dividing value, and instead think about how to structure it. When the structure is right, success scales for both sides. When it isn't, your deal doesn't hold up, and you find yourself right back at the negotiating table (or in court).  Because the goal isn't just to close the deal – it's to build one that works when things start going right. Remember: negotiation is life.