The WNBA And Players' Union Have A Verbal Agreement On A New CBA | Defector

"For the first time, player salaries are tied to a truly meaningful share of league revenue, driving exponential growth in the salary cap. Her statement also mentioned gains on ancillary issues the two sides had been discussing, including facilities standards, housing, retirement, and expanded family planning benefits."

"The new minimum salary of $300,000 is more than what Kelsey Mitchell, the league's highest-paid player, earned last year. Those figures represent a dramatic increase in player pay: Under the previous CBA, which players opted out of in October 2024, the 2026 salary cap would have been $1.55 million."

"Player proposals sought a percentage of gross revenue, while the league's proposals reportedly only offered them a percentage of net revenue. The two sides met for more than 100 hours in marathon bargaining sessions over the last week, much of that time spent trying to agree on a framework for revenue sharing."

The WNBA and players' union announced a verbal agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement featuring unprecedented salary increases. Maximum salaries will exceed $1 million, minimum salaries will surpass $300,000, and the starting team salary cap will be $7.5 million—a dramatic jump from the previous CBA's projected $1.55 million cap for 2026. For the first time, player salaries are tied to a meaningful share of league revenue, enabling exponential salary cap growth. Players will receive approximately 20 percent of gross revenue over the deal's life. The agreement also includes improvements in facilities standards, housing, retirement benefits, and expanded family planning benefits. Negotiations involved over 100 hours of marathon bargaining sessions, with the primary dispute centered on revenue sharing frameworks.

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