The WNBA and WNBPA agreed on Thursday to a 30-day extension on their labor negotiations, sources with knowledge of the discussions told The Athletic. The current CBA will now expire on Nov. 30.
The league offered the players union the extension on Tuesday. The two sides continued to meet in person on Wednesday and Thursday before the WNBPA elected to accept the WNBA’s extension offer. They will continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement during the 30-day window.
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The WNBPA opted out of the current agreement, which would have otherwise expired after the 2027 season, in October 2024, citing a desire to claim a “share of the business we’ve built.” Upon their announcement, they outlined priorities, including minimum standards for game and practice facilities, better retirement benefits and family planning and pregnancy benefits.
The topic of revenue sharing, however, emerged as the wedge issue throughout the talks. Players have been adamant about enacting a new framework that would not only adjust how league revenue is allocated but also how league revenue would impact player salaries. The union has repeatedly proposed a salary framework tied to the WNBA business, in which player salaries are linked to a percentage of revenue generated by the league. The WNBA, meanwhile, has proposed a revenue-sharing system similar in structure to what is currently in the CBA, with a fixed salary cap and additional uncapped revenue sharing but only if league revenue exceeds certain targets.
Both proposals would result in significant salary increases — the maximum salary in the expiring agreement is around $250,000 — but debate remains about the underlying system.
Other important issues are also being negotiated. The sides have talked about formalizing the league-wide charter flight program, expanding roster sizes and improving family planning benefits and health insurance. Owners focused on implementing a prioritization rule in the last CBA and the policy, which forces most players competing internationally to return for the start of WNBA training camp or face suspension, remains important to them.
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The ongoing negotiation comes amid a historic growth period in the league. In recent seasons, attendance, television ratings and merchandise sales have surged. Team valuations are at record highs and the WNBA has an 11-year media rights deal worth $2.2 billion that goes into effect next season.
— The Athletic‘s Sabreena Merchant contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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