WNBA Proposal: Historic Salaries and Increased Revenue Sharing
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has presented a collective bargaining agreement proposal that promises to transform the league’s salary landscape. According to sources close to the matter, the proposal includes revenue sharing and a maximum salary that could exceed $1.1 million, available to several players per team and with annual growth. WNBA executives briefed the board on the details of the proposal during meetings this week. The league’s minimum salary is expected to 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 will increase throughout the collective agreement, according to the source.The current collective bargaining agreement expired on October 31, but the WNBA and the players’ union agreed to extend negotiations until November 30, allowing more time to reach an agreement that could be revolutionary for players in terms of salary.
People familiar with the WNBA’s latest proposal described the plan as a highly lucrative package that provides substantial increases compared to previous years, designed to bring negotiations to a swift conclusion. The players exercised their right to opt out of renewing the collective bargaining agreement last year in the hope of obtaining, 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 a collective bargaining agreement finally ratified in January 2020.
