WNBA CBA Deal Reached After Prolonged Negotiations
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 19: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty wears a shirt saying "Pay us what you owe us" prior to the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesA new WNBA CBA deal has been reached between the league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) after more than a year of talks, ESPN reported Wednesday. The deal has not yet been signed, as final details remain under review.
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Negotiations totaled more than 100 hours over eight days and concluded Wednesday close to 3 a.m. ET at the Langham Hotel in New York. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert confirmed the progress as talks wrapped up.
“We have aligned on key elements of a new collective bargaining agreement together,” Engelbert told reporters at the hotel.
The new CBA is expected to introduce the league’s first $1 million player salaries and, for the first time, link the pay structure to overall revenue growth. With league viewership, attendance and investment reaching historic levels in recent years, that was the top request from the players side.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 19: (L-R) Paige Bueckers #5 of the Dallas Wings, Nneka Ogwumike #30 of the Seattle Storm, and Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky celebrate after defeating Team Clark during the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesUnder the framework of the new agreement, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania that the salary cap would rise to $7 million from $1.5 million in 2025. The supermax salary is expected to increase to $1.4 million from $249,244, while the average salary would climb to roughly $600,000 compared to $120,000. Minimum salaries are projected to exceed $300,000, up from $66,079.
Sources also said the deal would include an average revenue share of nearly 20% over the length of the agreement.
“The progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league and it’s underscoring a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game,” Engelbert said.
WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson highlighted the role of player involvement throughout the process.
“I think this can be summed up in two words: player empowerment ... players coming to the table and standing on business and being reminded of the collective voice and of what it means to be in a union and the power of this union,” Jackson said.
The agreement comes ahead of key calendar dates, with training camps scheduled to open April 19. Preseason games begin April 25, and the regular season tips off May 8. There are also two expansion drafts and the WNBA draft following March Madness on the way.
Despite the league’s previous warning to players that the calendar would be impacted if a deal hadn’t been reached by March 10, no changes will be necessary.
A Rocky Road to A NEW WNBA CBA
PEBBLE BEACH, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 07: WNBA Commissioner and USGA Executive Committee Member Cathy Engelbert looks on during Sunday foursomes during day two of the 50th Walker Cup at Cypress Point Club on September 07, 2025 in Pebble Beach, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesThe road to a new collective bargaining agreement between the WNBA and the WNBPA was marked by public tension, missed deadlines and growing distrust before the sides ultimately reached common ground.
The strain became public in late September 2025, when Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, a vice president of the WNBPA, delivered a sharp public critique of league leadership following the end of her team’s season. Collier questioned the league’s handling of officiating, player safety and compensation and her comments reflected growing frustration among players as negotiations intensified.
Despite ongoing talks, the existing CBA expired without an agreement in place. In January 2026, the league and union failed to reach a deal by the already extended deadline, entering a period in which the previous agreement remained in effect but without long-term labor certainty. At that stage, both sides acknowledged they were still far apart on key economic and structural issues, particularly as the league experienced rapid growth and players pushed for a deal that reflected their increasing value.
During this period, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert publicly addressed the breakdown in trust. She disputed certain characterizations of private conversations while acknowledging the difficulty of negotiations and reaffirming her confidence that a new agreement could still be reached. Engelbert also emphasized the need to address player concerns and expressed optimism that discussions, though tense, would ultimately produce a deal.
Taken together, the months-long stalemate underscored how labor talks were shaped not just by financial terms, but by broader concerns over leadership, communication and respect. The eventual WNBA CBA agreement followed a prolonged, emotional process that tested the relationship between the league and its players before bringing both sides to alignment.