WNBA Proposes Significant Changes in the New Collective Bargaining Agreement
In the midst of negotiations for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the WNBA has presented its players with a series of proposals that could transform the league. These include significant salary increases, a new compensation system, the advancement of the start date of training camps, and the elimination of the housing provision for teams, according to sources close to the negotiations.
Traditionally, WNBA training camps begin in late April. However, the league has suggested moving them forward to mid-March, which would imply an expansion of the season, but could also create scheduling conflicts for players.
Currently, the WNBA season runs from May to October, with a record of 44 regular season games in 2025. The current agreement states that the season cannot begin before April 1, and training camps cannot start more than 30 days before the first day of the regular season.
It’s not yet clear when the league proposes the regular season to begin under its latest proposal. In recent years, WNBA drafts have been held in mid-April, after the conclusion of the NCAA tournament, leaving a few weeks for rookies to join their new teams.
An early start could affect non-rookie players. Several international leagues are still competing in April, and Project B, a new league that will launch in the fall of 2026 and has already signed several WNBA players, would also extend until then. The 3×3 Unrivaled league, founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, concludes the first week of March.
Under the current CBA, players receive accommodation from the team or a monthly allowance to cover housing expenses, the amount of which varies depending on the market.
The league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) are in ongoing negotiations for the CBA, and both parties agreed to extend the talks until January 9th.
The league’s latest proposal includes a maximum salary for 2026 with a guaranteed base of $1 million, and the projected revenue sharing would push those players’ total earnings to over $1.2 million. The average player salary in 2026 is expected to exceed $500,000, and the minimum player salary will exceed $225,000. The salary cap would increase to $5 million in 2026, and would be set each subsequent year based on revenue growth.
The league’s minimum salary was $66,079 in 2025, its supermax was $249,244, and its salary cap was $1,507,100, increasing at a fixed rate of 3% each year according to the agreement. The current agreement also has a separate revenue-sharing provision that grants direct payments to players if the league reaches certain revenue targets, although that has not yet happened to a great extent due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new structure where salaries are linked to business growth and players can benefit more directly from league revenue has been a top priority for the players.
A set of rules ratified in the current CBA, called prioritization, does not allow WNBA players to arrive late to training camps due to international commitments.
The proposal to advance the start date and the changes in the teams’ housing were initially reported.
