WNBA Proposal: Historic Salaries and Increased Revenue Sharing
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has presented a new collective bargaining proposal that promises to revolutionize the salary landscape for its players. The initiative includes a revenue-sharing scheme and a maximum salary cap exceeding $1.1 million, available to multiple players per team, with annual increases. WNBA officials briefed the board on the details of the proposal during meetings this week. According to a source, the league’s minimum salary would exceed $220,000, with an average exceeding $460,000. These figures would come into effect in the first year of the agreement for more than 180 players, and are expected to increase over the term of the collective agreement, according to the source. The current collective bargaining agreement was scheduled to expire on October 31, but the WNBA and the players’ union agreed to extend negotiations until November 30. This extension grants more time to negotiate an agreement that would represent a significant change in player salaries.The players exercised their right to opt out of renewing the collective bargaining agreement last year, hoping to obtain, among other things, a greater distribution of revenue, higher salaries, better benefits, and a more flexible salary cap. When the last collective bargaining agreement expired in 2019, both parties agreed to a 60-day extension, with an agreement finally ratified in January 2020.The plan is a highly lucrative package that offers substantial increases compared to previous years and is designed to quickly conclude negotiations.
Source: Person familiar with the WNBA proposal
