WNBA and Players’ Association at Critical Juncture as CBA Deadline Looms Amid Salary Dispute

New York, NY – November 26, 2025 – As the United States observes Thanksgiving, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the WNBA Players’ Association (WNBPA) are engaged in intensive negotiations, striving to finalize a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) before the current extension expires on Sunday. The ongoing discussions, which have seen a 30-day extension granted in late October, are critical for the league’s future, with a two-team expansion draft and a highly anticipated free agency period awaiting resolution this offseason.

The core of the dispute revolves around the financial structure, particularly the mechanism by which player salaries and the overall salary cap will evolve with the league’s burgeoning business growth. While the WNBA has presented a proposal featuring substantial pay increases, the WNBPA has reportedly found it unsatisfactory, with sources indicating that players perceive the offer as failing to adequately tie compensation to the league’s rising revenues.

Players Deem Latest Proposal Insufficient

Last week, details emerged regarding the WNBA’s latest proposal, which outlined a revenue-sharing component designed to allow players to achieve a maximum salary exceeding $1.1 million, an average salary surpassing $460,000, and a minimum salary above $220,000. These figures represent a significant escalation from the 2025 season’s minimum salary of $66,079 and a supermax of $249,244, signalling a clear intent from the league to boost player earnings.

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However, sources close to the WNBPA, speaking to ESPN on Thursday, revealed that the union did not view this proposal as a meaningful step forward in negotiations. A common sentiment among players canvassed across the league was that the proposed revenue share system fell short of their expectations, particularly concerning how player salaries and the salary cap would genuinely scale with the business’s expansion. One player reportedly characterized the league’s offer as a "slap in the face," while another described it as "frustrating," underscoring the depth of player dissatisfaction.

The union’s primary contention is that the proposal does not sufficiently establish a system where the salary cap and player compensation grow organically with the league’s business success. This demand has been a cornerstone of the players’ position since they opted out of the current CBA in October 2024. The existing CBA dictates a fixed annual increase of 3% for the salary cap, which stood at $1,507,100 in 2025. Additionally, a separate revenue-sharing provision, designed to trigger direct payments to players upon reaching specific revenue targets, has largely remained untriggered, primarily due to the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

In contrast, the WNBPA advocates for a salary system directly linked to revenue, mirroring the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) model, where the salary cap is determined by basketball-related income (BRI). The league, in an earlier statement, asserted it had proposed "significant guaranteed salary cap increases and substantial uncapped revenue sharing that enables player salaries to grow as the league’s business grows." The union’s retort was sharp, stating the proposal "put lipstick on a pig and retread a system that isn’t tied to any part of the business and intentionally undervalues the players."

Negotiations Continue Ahead of Deadline

Despite the approaching Thanksgiving holiday, both the league and the WNBPA have committed to holding meetings throughout the week and into the weekend, intensifying efforts to bridge their differences before Sunday’s deadline. While the possibility of another extension remains, a failure to reach an agreement would not automatically trigger a work stoppage. Both parties could opt to continue bargaining under a "status quo" phase, maintaining the working conditions of the current CBA. Nevertheless, the absence of an extension could heighten the risk of a strike initiated by players or a lockout imposed by owners, although league sources have previously indicated that a work stoppage is not an overwhelming concern at this stage.

Expansion Draft and Offseason Calendar Impacted

The protracted CBA negotiations have created considerable uncertainty for the WNBA’s two newest franchises, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, both slated to debut in 2026. The expansion draft, a crucial first step in team building, remains in limbo, contingent on the finalization of the new CBA. League sources indicate that while both expansion teams are attempting to prepare, they are "working with more questions than answers."

For context, the Golden State Valkyries, who joined the league last year, received their expansion draft format one month before the December 6 draft night and the list of protected players just 11 days prior. In stark contrast, Portland and Toronto currently have "nothing." Key logistical details, such as the coin flip to determine whether a team selects No. 6 in the college draft and No. 2 in the expansion draft, or vice versa, have yet to be scheduled.

While nothing is officially confirmed, the league is anticipated to model this multi-team expansion draft after the 2000 iteration, which allowed preexisting teams to protect five players. This differs from the 2024 Valkyries draft, where teams protected six players. The sheer volume of free agents this winter – approximately 85% of current players – further complicates matters for expansion teams, as selecting a player from a team that is entering free agency does not guarantee their retention. The standard WNBA free agency period typically commences on January 11, with contract signings beginning February 1, and the season tipping off in May. However, the ongoing negotiations could force an expedited offseason calendar, with one extreme scenario envisioning the expansion draft, free agency, and college draft all taking place between March and early April.

Key Priorities and Wider League Dynamics

Beyond salary structure, other critical priorities at the bargaining table include establishing minimum professional standards for facilities and formally codifying the league’s charter travel program, which was initiated at the start of the 2024 season. Both expanding retirement and pregnancy/family planning benefits have also been at the forefront of player demands, having been among the few points of agreement between the league and WNBPA vice president Breanna Stewart during discussions ahead of the All-Star Weekend in late July.

The league, for its part, aims to balance significant increases in player salaries and benefits with ensuring the long-term viability and profitability of the WNBA, which has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. While player prioritization rules, introduced in the previous CBA to ensure WNBA players attend training camp over international commitments, were a controversial topic, they are not expected to be significantly loosened. The "core" system, akin to the NFL’s franchise tag, which players desire to weaken or abolish, is also unlikely to be fully relinquished by the league, as it serves as a mechanism for talent retention and competitive balance.

The league’s hard cap and 12-player roster limits (many teams carry only 11) have long been a source of frustration for team personnel. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has previously indicated that the league prefers expansion as a growth strategy over increasing roster spots, and a softening of the cap is not favored due to concerns about competitive imbalance if some teams significantly outspent others. Future scheduling and the number of games (currently a maximum of 44 under the CBA) are also under discussion, with the league aiming to maintain a May-October season, potentially extending into November in years like 2026 due to international competitions such as the FIBA World Cup.

Influence of Emerging Leagues

The landscape of women’s professional basketball has seen new domestic leagues emerge, potentially impacting CBA negotiations. Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, launched its inaugural season from January to March, offering players equity and an average salary of $200,000. Described as an alternative to playing overseas, some players hope Unrivaled’s competitive salaries and amenities will exert pressure on the WNBA.

More recently, Project B announced its intention to debut in November 2026, running through April 2027. This league, featuring WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike, Alyssa Thomas, Jonquel Jones, and Jewell Loyd among its first signees, proposes an international circuit across Europe and Asia. Project B is reported to offer seven-figure salaries and player equity, surpassing even Unrivaled’s compensation. While both Unrivaled and Project B state they are not competitors to the WNBA, they undeniably provide lucrative offseason options for players. Despite this, a league source confirmed that the WNBA has no plans to demand exclusivity from its players during this round of negotiations, focusing instead on prioritization rules for training camp attendance.

Other topics, such as WNBA draft eligibility rules (players must be 22 years old or graduated early for domestic, 20 for international), have not been a significant part of discussions thus far. The parameters for the upcoming two-team expansion draft, including the coin flip for draft order and the number of protected players (likely five per existing team), also remain contingent on the finalization of the new CBA.

As the Thanksgiving week concludes, the urgency for a resolution intensifies. The WNBA’s trajectory, the financial security of its players, and the smooth integration of its new franchises all hinge on the successful outcome of these critical collective bargaining discussions.

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