Friday night’s 11:59pm deadline has come and gone, and the WNBA and the Players Association remain without a new collective bargaining agreement.
According to sources, the two sides remain far apart on several key issues, and haven’t made much progress in terms of bridging those gaps over the last several weeks. With the previous CBA now expired, the league enters into a “status quo” period, where teams could theoretically begin submitting qualifying offers to players, though its widely expected that no players will be putting pen to paper on anything until a new CBA is hammered out.
“Despite demonstrating our willingness to compromise in order to get a deal done, the WNBA and its teams have failed to meet us at the table with the same spirit and seriousness,” the WNBPA said in a statement. “Instead, they have remained committed to undervaluing player contributions, dismissing player concerns, and running out the clock.”
“In the face of the league and teams’ actions, the players remain undeterred, unafraid, and unwavering in their commitment to doing what is necessary to secure a transformational new CBA. … Make no mistake. Pay equity is not optional and progress is long overdue. We urge the league and its teams to meet this moment. The players already have and will continue to do so.”
Minimum salaries, and revenue sharing remain two of the key sticking points which have hamstrung negotiations to date. In 2025, the average WNBA salary was $120,000 per year, with the supertax being $249,244. Players had a minimum salary of $66,079 per year with each team having a $1.5M salary cap.
According to reports, the player’s association is looking to increase the salary cap to somewhere in the $12.5M range, with the new maximum salary of $2.5M for players. Recently it was leaked that the Players Association would be willing to drop their $12.5M salary cap request to $10.5M if players were able to split 30% of gross revenue instead of net.
“As the league experiences a pivotal time of unprecedented popularity and growth, we recognize the importance of building upon that momentum,” the WNBA said in a statement. “Our priority is a deal that significantly increases player salaries, enhances the overall player experience, and supports the long-term growth of the league for current and future generations of players and fans.”
With the CBA now expired, players are bracing for a strike in 2026. Negotiations will be ongoing, however a delay for the 2026 WNBA campaign is far from out of the cards. The impasse has already delayed the expansion draft process for Toronto and Portland and it’s unclear if it will also have effects on the 2026 WNBA Draft as well.
The two sides had previously ratified two extensions to their current deal, however the Players Association may opt to stand pat and focus their energy on the player led Unrivaled league to put pressure on the WNBA side to come back to the table in good faith.
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