The WNBA and its gamers’ affiliation have begun negotiations on a brand new collective bargaining settlement that would dramatically reshape participant compensation. Sources point out most salaries may attain $1 million when the brand new settlement takes impact for the 2026 season.
WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike instructed ESPN the gamers are searching for a “transformative” settlement following their determination to choose out of the present CBA two years early.
“This league is reworking,” Ogwumike mentioned. “As a gamers affiliation, we wish to evolve with it and have that be mirrored in how gamers are taken care of.”
The present supermax wage sits at $249,244, that means the potential $1 million determine would signify a roughly 300% enhance. Crew wage caps may correspondingly rise from the present $1.42 million to between $4-5 million per group.
Income Sharing And Journey Priorities
Gamers are emphasizing adjustments to the revenue-sharing construction after failing to fulfill targets within the present settlement. The final CBA established revenue-sharing objectives primarily based on pre-pandemic figures that proved unattainable.
“Once we discuss wage and compensation, it isn’t simply concerning the quantity,” Ogwumike defined. “It is about income share and the wage construction.”
Codifying constitution flights completely within the CBA represents one other precedence. The league carried out personal journey final Might however solely dedicated via the top of the present settlement.
“It is right here,” Ogwumike acknowledged concerning constitution journey. “I do not foresee a world the place we are able to take this again.”
Timeline And Potential Challenges
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier indicated in March that gamers are discussing potential work stoppage choices, although they hope negotiations conclude earlier than disrupting the 2026 season.
“We now have to face up for what we really feel is true and what we deserve,” Collier mentioned on “We Must Speak.” “Whereas we do not need that scenario to occur, in fact, I feel we’re ready for any risk proper now.”
League house owners are anticipated to take care of agency positions on prioritization guidelines requiring gamers to report back to coaching camps on time over abroad commitments, in accordance with sources conversant in possession views.
WNBPA govt director Terri Carmichael Jackson emphasised the altering mentality in negotiations.
“With the good thing about hindsight, once you learn the sooner CBAs, one of many takeaways is that the gamers had been compelled to really feel grateful simply to have a league,” Jackson mentioned. “I consider we moved previous that mindset in 2020.”
