WNBA, players union inch toward landmark CBA
General view of the WNBA logo on the field before a WNBA game between the Atlanta Dream and the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, September 1, 2025.
Erica Denhoff | Icon Sportswire | Getty Images
The Women’s National Basketball Association and the Players Association are stepping closer to a collective bargaining agreement, two days before their own deadline.
The parties met around the clock at a downtown New York hotel and negotiations lasted until late in the morning to reach an agreement, according to a person familiar with the process who asked not to be named because they are not allowed to speak publicly. The person said nine proposals have been shared between the two sides in recent days, addressing nearly every issue to be discussed.
The negotiations come at a time when women’s sports are experiencing major financial growth thanks to larger media deals and strong demand.
The WNBA has previously said the new CBA must be ready by March 10 in order to start the season on time. Negotiations continued on Thursday. It is unclear what the delay will mean for the planned start of the season.
WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike told reporters late Wednesday that players were “feeling movement” in the talks. The Players’ Association said they were and will continue to be fully involved in the negotiations.
“We want to play. We heard that from the other side as well,” Ogwumike said. reporters.
The latest league proposal included increases in nearly every category, according to a copy of the details obtained by CNBC.
Under the proposal, the league is offering a salary cap four times higher than the current cap of $1.5 million; This cap is $6.2 million. According to the proposal, this limit would increase annually with the increase in team and league revenues.
Average salaries will also see a big increase, starting at $570,000 in year one and rising to $850,000 in year six. The current average player salary in the league is about $120,000, according to a second person familiar with the current CBA who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
The offer includes maximum salaries of more than $1.3 million, rising to nearly $2 million. The current maximum contract under the current CBA is just under $250,000, the second person added.
But the parties are still at odds over revenue sharing, according to a first person familiar with the matter.
According to information obtained by CNBC, the latest proposal from the league includes a new, unlimited revenue sharing system tied to both league and team revenues. No longer includes minimum thresholds for triggering sharing.
The league is also introducing new minimum standards for facility upgrades such as locker rooms, weight rooms and treatment areas, as well as charter flight and first-class travel opportunities and increased performance bonuses for all league events.
The WNBA season will begin on Friday, May 8, and the draft is scheduled for April 13.
