With WNBA labor negotiations at a boiling point, players are done waiting as WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike has delivered one of the clearest messages yet to Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and league management.
For WNBA players, the time for symbolic victories is over. With the 2026 season looming on the horizon, Nneka Ogwumike has made it clear that the next contract will only be settled by a seismic shift in the league’s financial structure.
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“When you look at how much is earned, it’s basically one decimal place,” she said. “A fair share is all we’re looking for. And it’s over a million.”
As Engelbert and the league face increasing pressure from players and fans as the season approaches, the union president’s stance couldn’t be more direct: Players are done settling for token gains; they want real change.
In October 2024, WNBA players voted to opt out of the league’s previous CBA, which was originally scheduled to last until 2027. The move forced the agreement to expire on October 31, 2025, paving the way for negotiations that have now stretched into 2026 with no solution in sight, even after multiple deadlines.
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At the time the last deal was signed, the league was operating in a completely different landscape. The WNBA was still fighting for consistent visibility, stable financial growth and the type of mainstream attention it now receives every week.
However, this version of the league no longer exists.
Since then, attendance has exploded. Viewership reached historic highs. Franchise valuations have multiplied. And in July 2024, the WNBA announced an 11-year media rights deal worth an estimated $2.2 billion, which could climb further with additional partnerships.
The WNBA’s maximum salary for the 2025 season was around $250,000, while their latest proposal offers a maximum base of $1 million, with the possibility of earning more after the season through revenue sharing. But that’s simply not the case for Nneka Ogwumike and his fellow players.
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Why can’t the Nneka Ogwumike-led WNBPA and the WNBA find common ground?
Even after several deadlines, the WNBA and WNBPA are still very far apart on the league’s next collective agreement.
In 2022, the WNBA sold 16% of its stake as part of a capital raise led by Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to stabilize the league after the Covid pandemic. But while that deal helped accelerate growth by fueling long-term marketing, brand growth and global expansion, it also complicated the league’s ownership and revenue structure.
Now that the league is in a much stronger financial position, many sources suggest that The WNBA could even consider recovering this staketo potentially simplify its structure at a critical time. Because as the league enters a new era, players are demanding an economic model that reflects the current boom.
July 19, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, United States; Collier team forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) looks on before the 2025 WNBA All Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
The union believes the numbers in the league’s latest offer are still lower than what the players actually deserve. While players are demanding a roughly 30% share through a gross revenue model, the league is offering less than 15% of the league’s net revenue, arguing that meeting player demands could result in nearly 15% of the league’s net revenue.700 million dollars in losses during the term of the agreement. And that remains the key reason why the league and players’ union remain distant from each other, with neither side intending to budge.
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But Nneka Ogwumike remains confident in her strategy.
“The energy, the experience from a player’s point of view, it’s like nothing other than going up and moving forward,” she added. “It involves a certain level of influence in the negotiation. The players understand their value, they understand their value. That’s what we want. That’s what we deserve.”
With training camps approaching and key roster decisions on hold, do you think the two sides can find common ground before the start of the 2026 season? Tell us in the comments!
The position WNBPA’s Nneka Ogwumike makes one thing clear to Cathy Engelbert as 2026 season approaches appeared first on EssentiallySport.
