The GIST: According to the WNBA, a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the league and its players’ union (the WNBPA) needs to be agreed upon by March 10th, otherwise the 2026 schedule will be affected. That’s *checks notes* less than two weeks away — and there’s lots of work to be done.
📋 The latest: Over fifty players attended a virtual meeting with the league on Monday, the second time this month players met at the bargaining table. The sides remain far apart 16 months into CBA negotiations…even after the league’s most-recent proposal was submitted last Friday — a proposal the WNBPA will reportedly respond to this week.
⚠️ The sticking point: Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but it remains revenue sharing (with a dash of player housing). The WNBPA is standing firm in their push for a portion of gross revenue — their latest proposal asked for 27.5% — while the WNBA’s only been willing to offer a share of net revenue, aka the pot remaining after the league has paid its operating expenses.
- Adding to the intrigue, after a wildly successful 2025 season, revenue sharing was triggered for the first time in W history. The 2020 CBA included a revenue share if cumulative targets (that were widely assumed to be out of reach after the pandemic) were met.
- The TL;DR? The league isn’t just thriving — it’s turning a profit, underscoring the WNBA’s success and long-term viability.
👀 Looking ahead: Time is a luxury the WNBA and WNBPA no longer have, especially considering a double expansion draft for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, the WNBA Entry Draft, and a star-studded free agency period all need to be completed before training camp is supposed to tip off on April 19th. Cross those fingers and toes.