WNBA: Record Revenue and Profit Sharing with Players
For the first time in history, the WNBA has generated enough revenue in 2025 to activate profit sharing with its players. This was reported by union leaders to Alofoke Deportes.
The league notified the players’ management at the beginning of this month that the necessary threshold had been reached. As a result, the 13 teams will receive a total of $8 million from the league to distribute among the players, according to the union. The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) has not disclosed specific details about bank statements, the total amount of revenue generated by the league, or the exact threshold needed to trigger profit sharing. The WNBA has not issued comments on these payments. The revenue targets set in the 2020 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) were based on 2019 revenue figures, with a 20% compound increase in subsequent years. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted revenue in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, which seemed to make it difficult to meet the cumulative targets. This union announcement comes amid tense negotiations between the league and the players for a new CBA, where revenue sharing and salaries remain key points.This demonstrates our value and how what we are fighting for makes sense and why we must keep fighting.
Brianna Turner, WNBPA treasurer
On Monday morning, a virtual negotiation session was held with more than 50 WNBA players, league staff, and the league’s labor relations committee. This was the second major meeting between league staff and players this month. The WNBPA will meet with management to discuss next steps, including a response to the league’s proposal sent on Friday.
According to the 2020 CBA, players would receive 50% of shared revenue, defined in the CBA as the amount of revenue above a predetermined threshold, minus 30% for expenses. In 2025, the players’ portion of shared revenue amounted to approximately $16 million, according to the union. Of that amount, $8 million will be paid to players who were active in 2025. The other half ($8 million) will go to league marketing agreements, which are off-season initiatives offered to some players to promote the league and its partners.
Both the union and the league have repeatedly refused to specify the amount of revenue needed to trigger the distribution. According to the CBA, the union has 30 days to submit its proposed payment structure to the league. Union leaders expect to present their proposal in the next two weeks. The league’s payment must be made 60 days after it issues its report to the union, according to the CBA. Union leaders also reported that they will distribute $9.25 million to the players from licensing revenue generated since 2020 from sales of jerseys, trading cards, video games and other products. The union is expected to distribute that money before June 1st.These payments will be determined based on the years played from 2020 to 2025, with a maximum of $50,000 for players who were active in each season. More than 250 players are expected to receive payments, including players who have retired or been released. Previously, the union distributed $280,000 in licensing revenue to players who played during the 2016-19 seasons, with a maximum of $1,600 per player. The union began seeking group licenses in 2018, under the direction of the outgoing player leadership. According to the union, the WNBPA generated more than $2.5 million in revenue from group licenses in 2024, and revenue exceeded $10 million in 2025. The union uses a portion of the revenue for operating expenses.I hope this distribution provides you with some comfort and a lot of confidence in what we are doing.
Terri Jackson, Executive Director of the WNBPA
Negotiations on a new CBA, which would begin in the 2026 season, continue. The players’ latest proposal would grant the players 27.5% of gross revenue during the term of the agreement, along with a salary cap of less than $9.5 million in the first year, while the league’s latest proposal would grant the players 70% of net revenue during the term of the agreement and a salary cap of $5.65 million in the first year. The players authorized the executive committee to call a strike in December.We have grown as a union and put our name, image, and likeness into a collective package. The union exists so that we can represent all the players, so I think it’s a great way for all the players to participate in the growth.
Nneka Ogwumike, WNBPA President
The 2026 WNBA season is scheduled to begin on May 8, but the parties must first agree on a CBA. Even after that, there are still several steps to complete before the season can begin: an expansion draft for the Portland and Toronto franchises that begin playing this season, the largest free agency in league history, and the traditional rookie draft and training camps. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver commented that negotiations are at a crucial stage. “Often, things tend to get done at the last minute. We are getting very close to the final hour when it comes to negotiating.”The players don’t want to strike, nobody wants a work stoppage. But at the end of the day, we have to be prepared. So, as we continue [negotiating], that we are prepared is imperative. It’s fair to say that part of [this] announcement is that we are prepared and showing that we are ready.
Nneka Ogwumike
