The WNBPA is going all-in. On February 17, the WNBPA submitted a proposal calling for a lower salary cap of $9.5 million, as well as a 25% share of the league’s total revenue in the first year of the agreement. This share of revenue would average 27.5% over the life of the proposed collective agreement. However, the WNBA called this “unrealistic” and responded with the same numbers as before: a salary cap of $5.65 million, and players would still receive no more than 15% of total revenue.
And now the league has set a deadline to reach a CBA agreement to ensure the 2026 season goes ahead as planned.
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“The WNBA told the WNBPA and its teams on Monday that a new collective bargaining agreement should be reached by March 10 so that the 2026 schedule is not impacted,” ESPN reported. “The WNBA – represented by league staff, the league labor relations committee and owners – and more than 50 players met virtually Monday morning for the second player-involved bargaining session this month.”
Well, a Las Vegas Aces veteran and three-time WNBA champion immediately pushed back on that message from the league. Kiah Stokes reposted this news on her Instagram, writing, “Which is so crazy that the league has refused to negotiate in good faith for the last 18 months. Now I’m trying to speed things up so we sign anything.”
This certainly isn’t the first time players have accused the league of waiting it out. The league waited six weeks to respond to the WNBPA’s offer before the Jan. 7 deadline. After two weeks, the WNBPA released a statement saying, “The WNBA and its teams have failed to bring us to the table with the same spirit and seriousness. Instead, they have remained committed to undervaluing player contributions, ignoring player concerns, and running out of time.”
August 30, 2025; San Francisco, California, United States; Golden State Valkyries fans hold signs to “extend the season and expand teams” and “pay them what you owe them” during the fourth quarter against the Washington Mystics at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
It’s a game of cat and mouse to see who concedes first. Players have repeatedly emphasized that they want to play, but without any compromise within the CBA. The March 10 deadline is just over two weeks away.
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Given Stokes’ reaction, the prospect of them reaching an agreement at this stage seems bleak. However, both teams will lose if the WNBA season is delayed or canceled. Perhaps a timer would grease the wheels of the negotiating table. Yet even if an unlikely agreement were reached by March 10, a delay could be expected.
A delay in the 2026 WNBA season could be the best scenario
The popularity of the WNBA has increased significantly over the past two years. The arrival of players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers attracted new viewers. This led to an increase in attendance and revenue. For the first time in league history, the league met the revenue goal required by the 2020 CBA for players to qualify for revenue sharing. The union said the 13 teams will each receive $8 million in bonuses.
A loss of momentum could return the WNBA to its old ways. Nonetheless, it appears that a postponement of the 2026 season is imminent.
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“Even once a deal is reached, it could take weeks to ratify,” Alexa Philippou wrote. “The WNBA must still conduct a two-team expansion draft and hold free agency for 80% of the league. Training camp is currently scheduled to begin on April 19, the college draft on April 13 and the regular season on May 8.”
This timetable seems more and more unrealistic day by day. League free agency usually lasts more than 2 months. This time, the number of free agents is unprecedented, with 80% of players signing new contracts. For the first time since 1998, the WNBA is expanding by 2 teams with the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire arrives in the championship.
It’s not impossible to execute everything and start the season on time. But that would require immense cooperation between the WNBPA and WNBA. Additionally, the WNBA’s ownership structure resembles a maze: 42% of the league is controlled by the 30 NBA owners, 42% is controlled by the WNBA owners, and the remaining 16% is owned by a group of outside investors following a $75 million capital raise in 2022.
With so many complexities, it won’t be easy to line everything up. The next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether the league can maintain its growth and start the season on schedule. Let’s see what happens.
