After months of negotiations and mounting frustration from top players, the WNBA appears to be moving closer to a resolution in its ongoing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) dispute.
Initially set to expire on October 31 after the union opted out in 2024, the CBA’s deadline has now been extended to January 9, 2026, giving both sides more time to hammer out a deal.
Caitlin Clark keeps communication to a minimum with Steph Curry
The delay, though frustrating, may be yielding positive results, as the league has returned with a significantly improved proposal that could bring star players like Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson closer to the compensation they’ve long demanded.
Just a day after agreeing to extend the current CBA, the WNBA unveiled a fresh offer that aims to boost player earnings substantially.
According to WBB reporter Khristina Williams, the proposed deal would guarantee maximum-salary players a $1 million base starting in 2026, with the potential to increase to $1.2 million through revenue sharing.
In addition, the league’s minimum salary would rise to over $225,000, and the average salary would surpass $500,000. The salary cap itself would increase annually, aligned with league revenue growth.
A closer look at the revenue-sharing model
The new proposal addresses one of the major sticking points of previous negotiations: the revenue-sharing model.
Earlier offers touted potential earnings above $1.1 million, but these figures combined base salaries and projected revenue-sharing bonuses, which often left players feeling misled.
For example, the prior supermax base salary ranged between $800,000 and $850,000, with the remainder dependent on performance bonuses and Player Marketing Agreements (PMAs).
Many players had avoided PMAs because they restricted how much they could earn from their own name, image, and likeness.
The 2020 CBA introduced a revenue-sharing system that was never able to function due to COVID-19 disrupting the league’s financial targets. Revenue sharing was tied to “excess revenue” once the league reached certain cumulative benchmarks, which were unattainable during the pandemic.
As a result, the salary cap only increased at a modest 3% per year, failing to reflect the WNBA‘s growing popularity.
Under the league’s latest offer, however, top players could realistically see their earnings increase, with a more straightforward structure that links salaries directly to league revenue and eliminates misleading projections.
While roster sizes at 12 players may still create challenges for distributing salaries, the proposal represents a significant step forward in addressing player concerns.
As the WNBPA reviews the latest offer, anticipation grows over whether this new proposal will finally end the CBA dispute. For Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, and other elite players, the improved compensation and revenue-sharing opportunities may be the breakthrough they have long sought.
The coming weeks will determine whether the WNBA can secure a deal that satisfies both players and the league, setting the stage for a more financially equitable future in women’s professional basketball.