Strong Stance of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association on the WNBA Proposal
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) has expressed its dissatisfaction with the latest collective bargaining agreement proposal presented by the WNBA. Sources close to the situation revealed that the association does not believe this proposal represents a significant step forward in the negotiations, just ten days before the expiration of the current agreement.
The league’s proposal, which includes a revenue-sharing component, would allow players to reach a maximum salary of over $1.1 million, with an average of more than $460,000 and a minimum of over $220,000. A considerable increase compared to the minimum salary of $66,079 and the super maximum of $249,244 in 2025.
The proposal puts “lipstick on a pig and recycles a system that is not linked to any part of the business and intentionally undervalues the players.”
However, the WNBPA believes that the proposal does not guarantee adequate growth of the salary cap and players’ salaries in relation to the development of the business, a key demand since the current collective bargaining agreement was terminated in October 2024.
The players are seeking a salary system more directly linked to revenue, similar to the NBA, where the salary cap is determined by basketball-related income (BRI).
The league has defended its proposal, highlighting “guaranteed significant increases in the salary cap and a significant share in uncapped revenue that allows players’ salaries to grow as the league’s business expands.”
In the current collective bargaining agreement, the salary cap has increased annually at a fixed rate of 3%, reaching $1,507,100 in 2025, and a separate revenue-sharing provision provided for direct payments to players if the league reached certain revenue targets, something that has not yet been achieved during the term of the agreement.
Last month, both parties agreed to a 30-day extension, until November 30, of the current collective agreement, although both parties can terminate the agreement with 48 hours’ notice. The league and the association have continued negotiating in recent weeks, with a meeting held recently on Wednesday.
