The WNBA and its players’ union extended their collective bargaining agreement for a second time, with the deadline to reach a settlement pushed back by six weeks.
Both sides had until 11:59 ET on Sunday, Nov. 30 to reach a deal, or the collective bargaining agreement would have expired.
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“The WNBA and WNBPA have agreed to extend the current collective bargaining agreement through January 9, 2026, with either party having the option to terminate the extension with 48 hours’ advance notice. The WNBA and WNBPA are continuing to work toward a new agreement,” the league said in a statement.
The original expiration of the league’s CBA was Oct. 31, and the league quickly realized that no agreement would be reached by that date; thus, the first extension was put into place.
Had a lockout occurred, no league business would have commenced, including the expansion draft, which hasn’t been set, as two new teams, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, launch their inaugural seasons in 2026.
The league presented a formal proposal last week, stating that max salaries would exceed $1 million and that the minimum salary would be around $220,000. The WNBA salary cap was $1.5 million, and players have been vocal about wanting a bigger piece of the pie, especially since the league’s new 11-year media rights deal, valued at approximately $2.2 billion, begins in 2026.
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Last season, the minimum salary was $66,079, while the supermax was worth $249,244. Only five WNBA players made more than $225,000 last season. (Kelsey Mitchell, $269,244; Arike Ogunbowale $249,032; Jewell Loyd, $249,032; Kahleah Copper, $248,134; and Gabby Williams, $225,000)
League MVP A’ja Wilson made $200,000 in base salary in 2025.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA, Players Association agree to six-week CBA extension
