The WNBA and its players association, the WNBPA, have begun negotiations on its latest collective bargaining agreement.
On the agenda: the salary cap, roster sizes, eligibility, and season duration.
According to ESPN, the new agreement follows the WNBPA’s decision last October to terminate the current CBA two years early, at the conclusion of this season.
“This league is transforming,” said WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike. “As a players association, we want to evolve with it and have that be reflected in how players are taken care of and how our protections are not getting lapped by the evolution of this league.”
Due to improved WNBA revenue streams, players will seek to achieve increased salaries and a share in the gains of owners as the league progresses. Noting the current $249,244 supermax, a source said player salaries could possibly reach $1 million, with a salary cap ranging from $4 million to $5 million per team.
“When we talk about salary and compensation, it’s not just about the number,” Ogwumike said. “It’s about revenue share and the salary structure. I think it’s taken people a long time to understand that’s how we’ve been thinking about it.”
In the new agreement, players also hope charter travel will be negotiated. Last May, the WNBA announced a two-year, $50 million commitment to provide full-time charter service throughout the regular season. The initiative prioritized player safety with the rise in popularity of WNBA athletes.
For league owners, other topics are at the forefront of the agreement. That reportedly includes maintaining yearly draft terms regarding the hard salary cap and core-player designation in order for teams to have an equal opportunity to secure and keep players.
Owners may also seek more prioritization from players in their commitments to their WNBA teams over international committments.
“The prioritization rule has been a flashpoint for players, who historically could make more money playing internationally than in the WNBA,” ESPN’s Kevin Pelton wrote. “The arrival of Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited as opportunities to play professionally in the United States during the WNBA’s offseason has changed the conversation to a degree, but prioritization remains a key issue for international players in particular,”
Ogwumike said the league witnessed a record number of international players drafted in the first round last month. Additionally, team owners may be willing to negotiate on how teams handle both short- and long-term player injuries.
Other matters that have come up in conversation include increasing WNBA roster sizes from the 12-player max, extending the schedule to 44 games, and updating draft eligibility rules.
“With the benefit of hindsight, when you read the earlier CBAs, one of the takeaways is that the players were forced to feel grateful just to have a league,” said WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson. “I believe we moved past that mindset in 2020.”
The WNBPA anticipates negotiations will be finalized in time to begin the 2026 season.
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