WNBA and Players in Marathon Talks Over Historic CBA Deal

The WNBA and its players’ union continued marathon negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), meeting for 16 hours straight from Thursday morning to early Friday. This marked the third consecutive day of intense talks, totaling nearly 40 hours since Tuesday.

Both sides exchanged new proposals, but revenue sharing remains the key sticking point. Executive committee players Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart, Alysha Clark, and Brianna Turner left the session around midnight, while union leadership, including Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson, stayed until 3 a.m. Talks are set to continue Friday.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert described the league’s latest offer as “historic and transformational” for players, highlighting increased salaries, benefits, and overall gains while balancing the health of the league.

The proposal raises the salary cap in the first year to $6.2 million, up from $5.75 million. Player salaries, which averaged $120,000 last year, could rise to $570,000 in the first year and $850,000 by year six. Maximum salaries would start at $1.3 million, approaching $2 million by the final year.

While the league had suggested a handshake agreement was needed to start the season on time, Ogwumike said the union never viewed that as a strict deadline, emphasizing that negotiations have been conducted in good faith.

Once a deal is finalized, the league will need a few weeks to complete the CBA. After that, the expansion draft for Portland and Toronto is expected between April 1-6, free agent offers will follow April 7-8, and the signing period will run from April 12-18. Training camps would open the next day, allowing the season to begin on May 8.

Revenue sharing is the main hurdle. The union has requested an average of 26% of gross revenue over the CBA, starting with 25% in the first year, while the league has offered over 70% of net revenue, increasing as the league grows.