The numbers
The WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association have reached a verbal agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, just 51 days before the league’s 30th season is set to tip off. This agreement, which is pending ratification by the players and the WNBA board of governors, marks the sixth collective bargaining agreement in the league’s history.
For the first time, the new agreement is expected to tie player salaries to league revenue, with average player compensation projected to exceed half a million dollars. The deal also aims to enhance family planning and parental leave benefits, reflecting a growing recognition of the players’ needs beyond the court.
Training camp is scheduled to open on April 19, with the regular season kicking off on May 8. The negotiations leading to this agreement lasted over 100 hours across eight days, culminating in a deal that many believe will transform the landscape of women’s professional basketball.
The agreement comes after a prolonged labor battle that began when players opted out of their previous agreement in October 2024. This decision gave both the league and the union more than a year to negotiate a new deal before the previous agreement expired on October 31, 2025.
Key figures in the negotiations, including WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, expressed optimism about the outcome. Engelbert stated, “The progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league.” Meanwhile, Breanna Stewart emphasized the significance of the deal, saying, “This deal is going to be transformational.”
Details of the agreement include a proposed salary cap of $6.2 million, which would increase the supermax salary to $1.3 million in Year 1 and potentially reach $2 million by Year 6. This shift is expected to create a system where players can earn salaries of $1 million for the first time in league history.
As the WNBA prepares for its upcoming season, the focus will now shift to finalizing a formal term sheet for the agreement and securing ratification from both players and the WNBA board of governors. Details remain unconfirmed.
