Firm Stance of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) 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, according to sources close to the negotiations. Just ten days before the expiration of the current collective agreement, the WNBPA believes that the proposal does not represent a significant advance. The league’s proposal, which had already been revealed previously, includes a revenue sharing component. This, combined with a base salary, 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. In comparison, the minimum salary in 2025 was $66,079 and the supermaximum was $249,244.The WNBPA’s main concern lies in the lack of a system that directly links salary growth to the league’s economic performance. The players are seeking a model similar to the NBA, where the salary cap is determined based on basketball-related income (BRI). Previously, the league had stated that its proposal included “significant guaranteed increases in the salary cap and a substantial revenue sharing without a cap that allows player salaries to grow as the league’s business does.” However, the WNBPA responded that the proposal “masks a system that is not tied to any part of the business and intentionally undervalues the players.” In the current collective bargaining agreement, the salary cap increased annually at a fixed rate of 3%, reaching $1,507,100 in 2025. In addition, a separate revenue sharing provision provided for direct payments to players if the league reached certain revenue targets, something that has not happened during the term of the agreement. Last month, both parties agreed to a 30-day extension, until November 30, of the current collective agreement. Despite this, both the league and the association can terminate the agreement with 48 hours’ notice. Negotiations have continued in recent weeks, with a recent meeting on Wednesday.The proposal does not include a system where the salary cap and the players’ salaries grow enough with the business.
Sources
