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 negotiation. With only ten days until the expiration of the current agreement, the talks seem stalled. The league’s proposal, which includes a revenue-sharing component, would allow players to reach a maximum salary of over $1.1 million. In addition, the average salary would exceed $460,000, and the minimum, $220,000. In comparison, the league minimum salary in 2025 was $66,079, and the supermax was $249,244. However, the WNBPA believes that the proposal does not guarantee adequate salary growth in relation to the league’s economic performance. This has been one of the main demands of the players since they chose not to renew the current collective bargaining agreement 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 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 revenue-sharing provision provided for direct payments to the players if the league reached certain revenue targets, something that has not 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 to negotiate in recent weeks, with a meeting held on Wednesday.The league previously stated that it has proposed “significant guaranteed increases in the salary cap and a significant share of uncapped revenue that allows player salaries to grow as the league’s business grows.”
League statement.
