Much has been made of the WNBA‘s annual revenue and how it pertains to the ongoing conflict between the league and its players’ union. According to the latest report from ESPN’s Katie Barnes, however, neither fans nor the league itself can continue to lean on the narrative that the WNBA doesn’t make enough money to meet the union’s demands for revenue sharing.
In what should be a cause for celebration, union leaders announced Monday morning that they had been notified by leadership that the WNBA, for the first time in its history, generated enough revenue to trigger player revenue sharing.
Advertisement
WNBA star Caitlin Clark (left) and Hall of Famer Reggie Miller broadcast on the court for NBC before a game between the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers.Brad Penner-Imagn Images
(Brad Penner-Imagn Images)
According to Barnes, the current iteration of the league’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which was originally signed in January 2020, based its targets for revenue by applying a 20% compounding interest to its 2019 revenue numbers. For years, it seemed as if those benchmarks were simply unattainable, making this a huge deal for players like Caitlin Clark, who have helped to drive interest in the WNBA’s product in recent times.
Unfortunately, the league itself doesn’t appear to be too thrilled with the announcement. In addition to refusing to issue an official comment, the WNBA also reportedly declined “to provide bank statements, the amount of revenue generated by the league or the number required to trigger the revenue sharing,” Barnes reported.
Advertisement
The treasurer of the players association, Brianna Turner, argues that “This shows our value and how what we’re fighting for makes sense and how we should keep fighting.” The union will have a 30-day window to present a proposed payment structure to the WNBA.
Should all go accordingly, the players will be set to receive half of the total dollar amount that qualifies for shared revenue. According to the union, that amount comes out to $8 million, which will be paid to those who were active throughout the 2025 season, while the other half is set to go toward the WNBA’s marketing agreements.
Advertisement
Pair that with the fact that the union is also planning on issuing “$9.25 million to players from licensing revenue generated since 2020 from jersey sales, trading cards, video games and other merchandise” by no later than June 1, and it seems safe to say that there’s no better time to be a WNBA player than today.
The 2026 WNBA season is set to tip May 8, but the ongoing negotiations between the league and players association for a new CBA put the season’s start in doubt.
Related: Indiana Fever, WNBA Teams Expected to Suffer Losses in New Proposal
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
