WNBA: CBA Negotiations Unresolved, but Conversations Continue
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and the league failed to reach an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) or an extension of the previous one before the Friday deadline at 11:59 p.m. ET. Despite this, both parties plan to continue negotiating amid a critical impasse, with the aim of reaching a transformative agreement. With the CBA expired, the league and the players’ union are also debating a moratorium proposal that would halt the initial stages of free agency. In these stages, teams would seek to offer qualifying offers and core designations to players. The idea of a moratorium was raised by the league a few days ago, but it was formalized on Friday night. The union is now reviewing the proposal. WNBA teams were informed this week that they should prepare to extend qualifying offers and core designations under the expired agreement. This would mean that teams could legally offer these options starting Sunday and until January 20th. It is widely expected that players will not want to sign contracts while a new salary system with significant increases in compensation is negotiated. Almost all veterans in the league are free agents this offseason, anticipating a new CBA. With the previous agreement expired, both parties enter a period called “statu quo”, where the working conditions of the old CBA are maintained and both parties can continue negotiating. However, the expiration of the old agreement opens the possibility of a labor interruption, either a strike by the players or a lockout by the owners.The two sides remain distant on several key issues, especially regarding how a revenue-sharing system should be.Despite demonstrating our willingness to compromise to reach an agreement, the WNBA and its teams have not met us at the table with the same spirit and seriousness.
WNBPA Statement
The league has proposed a system in which players would receive, on average, 70% of net revenue during the term of the agreement. This would include an unlimited revenue sharing component, an increase in maximum salaries above $1.3 million and reaching almost $2 million during the term of the agreement, average salaries above $530,000 and increasing to more than $780,000 during the term of the agreement, and minimum salaries of more than $250,000 in the first year. The salary cap would be $5 million in the first year, not including revenue sharing payments, and would increase in line with revenue growth in subsequent years. In 2025, the WNBA supermax was $249,244, the average salary was $120,000, the minimum was $66,079, and the salary cap was $1,507,100. According to a document shared with the players, the WNBPA proposed a compensation system in late November with a projected salary cap of approximately $12.5 million in 2026, more than eight times the 2025 cap. That November 28 proposal included an average player salary of approximately $1 million and a maximum player salary of $2.5 million. Sources close to the negotiations indicated that, in recent weeks, the union has proposed a salary cap closer to $10.5 million as part of a system in which the players would receive around 30% of the gross income.As the league is experiencing a crucial moment of unprecedented popularity and growth, we recognize the importance of capitalizing on that momentum. Our priority is an agreement that significantly increases player salaries, improves the overall player experience, and supports the long-term growth of the league for current and future generations of players and fans.
WNBA Statement
