The WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association continued collective bargaining negotiations late into the night for a second straight day but still couldn’t reach a deal. The league’s March 10 soft deadline came and went two days ago. Talks picked up again Thursday morning, marking a third day in a row at the table.
(Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)
The two sides have met in Manhattan, trading proposals in recent days. Wednesday’s talks ran from 2 p.m. until roughly 1:30 a.m. Thursday. The night before went from around 5 p.m. Tuesday until past 5 a.m. Wednesday.
According to a source familiar with the discussions, the WNBA’s latest offer sets the first-year salary cap at $6.2 million, up from $5.75 million. This figure would increase annually based on league and team revenue. The current cap is $1.5 million. Average salaries also increased. The league’s first-year offer is $570,000, up from $530,000 earlier, and is projected to reach $850,000 by 2031. Currently, the average player earns approximately $120,000.
Maximum contracts have also increased. The latest offer sets the first-year maximum at over $1.3 million, rising to nearly $2 million by the end of the agreement. The current maximum is just under $250,000.
WNBA, WNBPA Enter Third Day of CBA Negotiations
Revenue sharing remains an important detail that needs to be ironed out. The league’s latest proposal includes a roughly 70% share of net revenue, according to Front Office Sports. Player housing has also been among key issues throughout what has been roughly 17 months of negotiations.
A source with knowledge tells @ballislife the WNBA’s latest proposal includes:
Salary cap: Year 1 increased from $5.75M to $6.2M
Average salary: Year 1 increased from $530,000 to $570,000–> Would go up to $850,000 by 2031
Max salary: > $1.3M in Year 1, increasing to $2M over…
— Sara Jane Gamelli (@SaraJGamelli) March 12, 2026
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and New York Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai attended both sessions. Connecticut Sun President Jennifer Rizzotti participated in Wednesday’s discussions. WNBPA Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson represented the players, along with executive committee members Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart, Alysha Clark, and Brianna Turner.
Ogwumike, who also serves as WNBPA President, addressed reporters late Wednesday.
“We’re feeling movement,” Ogwumike said. “We’re sticking to the process. That’s something we’ve always been true to from the very beginning.”
She stated that the players are not focused on deadline pressure.
“We’ve read a lot of things about timelines,” Ogwumike said. “There’s been timelines that have been thrown out, but for us we’re trying to get a good deal done and we want to play this season.”
The players association opted out of the previous CBA in October 2024, a year before its scheduled expiration. The collegiate draft is scheduled for Apr. 13. A free agency period must also be completed before training camps open Apr. 19. The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, both entering their inaugural seasons, require an expansion draft as well before the regular season begins May 8.
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