The GIST: Over 100 hours of negotiations later, we finally have a new WNBA CBA. The term sheet is still being finalized and the deal needs to be ratified, but reports indicate the league’s sixth CBA is as transformational as hoped. And exhale.
💸 The details: Per ESPN, the salary cap now starts at $7M (up from $1.5M), supermax deals begin at $1.4M (up from $249K), and the average salary is $600K (up from $120K). Revenue share was a major sticking point for the WNBPA, and the sides landed at nearly 20%.
💥 The impact: This CBA sets a new standard for pay across women’s sports, building on the momentum the league generated in recent seasons. Best of all, it will be life-changing for every player. The WNBA’s minimum salary is now $300K, up from $66K. Yes, the ceiling has risen, but so has the floor.
⏩ What’s next: So much to do, so little time. Ratifying the deal is expected to take until the end of the month, and what follows will be a flurry of hoopla. The league’s to-do list includes an expansion draft for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, free agency, the WNBA entry draft, training camp, and a preseason slate…all before season tip-off on May 8th.
- The most intriguing part of the next 49 days will likely be free agency, with over 100 players eligible to sign new contracts. Players purposefully inked deals that ended this offseason, hoping to capitalize on a lucrative CBA — and now they can. Truly game-changing.