WNBA Proposes Collective Bargaining Agreement with Significant Salary Increase
The WNBA has presented a new collective bargaining proposal that promises a radical change in the remuneration of its players. This proposal includes a revenue sharing and a maximum salary that will exceed $1.1 million, available to multiple players per team, with annual increases.
WNBA officials updated the board of directors on the details of the proposal during meetings this week. According to sources close to the negotiations, the league’s minimum salary would also experience an increase, exceeding $220,000, with an average exceeding $460,000.
These salary increases would come into effect in the first year of the agreement for more than 180 players, and are expected to continue to increase during the term of the collective agreement.
The current collective agreement expired on October 31, but the WNBA and the players’ union agreed to extend negotiations until November 30, allowing more time to reach an agreement that could be revolutionary for players in terms of salary.
The league’s proposal, described by sources close to the matter, is presented as a highly lucrative package, designed to provide substantial increases compared to previous years and facilitate a prompt conclusion of the negotiations.
The players exercised their right to terminate the collective agreement last year, hoping to obtain, among other things, a greater distribution of income, higher salaries, better benefits, and a more flexible salary cap. When the last collective agreement expired in 2019, both parties agreed to a 60-day extension, with an agreement finally ratified in January 2020.
