The post WNBA rumors: Why 7-figure max contract value in CBA talks is ‘misleading’ appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Last month, the WNBA and the players association agreed to a 30-day extension in terms of the ongoing negotiations as they faced an Oct. 31 deadline to agree on a new CBA. With the second deadline approaching on Nov. 30, some of the details of the WNBA’s latest proposal have come to light, including a potential increase in max contract values.
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Reportedly, the WNBA is offering players a starting max contract of around $1 million in the latest CBA negotiations. However, that proposal in terms of a max salary is not exactly what it appears to be, as per Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports. That max contract of around $1 million is reportedly contingent on the WNBA hitting specific revenue-sharing goals.
“Multiple sources familiar with the league’s labor negotiations said that the numbers are misleading. While salaries can reach a maximum of more than $1.1 million in the league’s offer, the base supermax contract would still pay between $800,000 and $850,000 annually – as was the case in early October,” Costabile reports. “The $1.1 million figure represents combined earnings from a base salary and additional potential revenue sharing, the league source said. Under the league’s offer, no player would sign a contract in 2026 with a base salary of $1.1 million.”
As the CBA talks have continued, the negotiations have become contentious at times, hitting a boiling point back in September when Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier blasted the league during her exit interview. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert responded to the comments with disappointment.
During WNBA All-Star Weekend, fans rained down chants of, ‘pay them,’ amid Engelbert awarding the game’s MVP award. The players also made a strong statement of their own when they came out for All-Star Game warmups wearing shirts that said, ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us.’
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The WNBA is experiencing a time of tremendous growth and popularity, with Game 1 of the WNBA Finals between the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury breaking a 28-year viewership record.
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