The WNBA and its players’ union have reached an agreement to implement a temporary suspension of league operations starting this Monday. This moratorium became necessary as both parties did not come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement or an extension of the existing one by the Friday deadline.
Negotiations are ongoing in good faith, but there are significant differences between the two sides regarding salaries and revenue sharing. The moratorium will put a pause on the initial phase of free agency, during which teams would have made qualifying offers and franchise tag designations to players.
Before the moratorium, the WNBA was obligated to allow teams to send out qualifying offers under the expired CBA agreement. However, with the moratorium in place, this process has been halted. The league’s most recent proposal includes increasing the maximum base salary to $1 million by 2026, potentially reaching $1.3 million through revenue sharing. This marks a substantial increase from the current $249,000, with the possibility of growing to nearly $2 million over the agreement’s duration.
Under the league’s plan, players would receive over 70% of net revenue, but this would be calculated after deducting expenses such as upgraded facilities, charter flights, accommodations, medical services, security, and arena costs. The proposed average salary in 2026 would exceed $530,000, a significant jump from the current $120,000, and could rise to over $770,000 throughout the agreement. The minimum salary is also set to increase from $67,000 to around $250,000 in the first year.
Additionally, the proposal aims to provide increased financial support to promising young players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers, who are currently on rookie contracts, offering them nearly double the league’s minimum salary. A key point of contention in the negotiations is revenue sharing.
In response, the players’ union has proposed that players receive approximately 30% of gross revenue for the first year, excluding expenses, and teams would operate under a $10.5 million salary cap for player signings. The union’s proposal includes a gradual increase in the revenue sharing percentage each year, aiming to address the financial concerns raised by the players.