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WNBA proposes maximum salary of $1.2 million for players in ongoing negotiations with CBA

Kevin SmythBy No Comments8 Mins Read
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One day after the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBPA) agreed to extend the current boat collective agreement (CBA) until January 9, the league would have come to the negotiating table with a new proposal that increases player compensation.

The league’s latest offer includes a maximum guaranteed base salary of $1 million with projected revenue sharing increasing players’ maximum total earnings to more than $1.2 million in 2026, a source close to the situation told USA TODAY Sports. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about ongoing negotiations.

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The offer also increases the league’s minimum salary to more than $225,000 and the average salary to more than $500,000, up from $220,000 and $460,000 respectively in the WNBA’s previous proposal on Nov. 18.

The latest proposal also increases the salary cap to $5 million per season per team, an increase from the $1.5 million salary cap in 2025. The salary cap would increase throughout the CBA and would be directly tied to the league’s revenue growth each year, although specific details of revenue sharing have not been disclosed.

USA TODAY Sports has reached out to the WNBA and WNBPA for comment.

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Although the WNBA and WNBPA publicly state that players deserve a significant pay raise at the next CBA, the parties have differing opinions on how to go about it, which has led to the current impasse.

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The league previously proposed a maximum salary of more than $1.1 million — including both base salary and revenue sharing — available for more than one player per team on November 18, but the proposal didn’t shake things up for players. The two sides then agreed on a November 30 deadline to extend the deal a second time, with revenue sharing and salary structure remaining points of contention in the negotiations.

Last season, the minimum salary was $66,079, while the supermax was worth $249,244. Only five WNBA players made more than $225,000 last season: Kelsey Mitchell at $269,244, Arike Ogunbowale at $249,032, Jewell Loyd at $249,032, Kahleah Copper at $248,134 and Gabby Williams at $225,000.

The current collective agreement was set to expire on October 31 after the WNBPA. exercised its right to withdraw from the agreement in October 2024. However, the WNBA and players’ association agreed to a 30-day extension to extend the deadline to November 30 to allow more time to reach an agreement. The new deadline has been extended to January 9, 2026, and both parties have the option to end the extension with 48 hours’ notice.

The league and players’ association previously agreed to a 60-day extension in 2019three days before the last CBA expired on October 31, 2019. A new agreement was then reached on the current CBA on January 14, 2020 and took effect three days later on January 17, 2020. The WNBA has not experienced a work stoppage in its nearly 30-year history.

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This article was originally published on USA TODAY: WNBA proposes maximum salary of $1.2 million for players in ongoing negotiations with CBA

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