The WNBA and its gamers’ affiliation have begun negotiations on a brand new collective bargaining settlement that might dramatically reshape participant compensation. Sources point out most salaries would possibly attain $1 million when the brand new settlement takes impact for the 2026 season.
WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike advised ESPN the gamers are searching for a “transformative” settlement following their choice to decide out of the present CBA two years early.
“This league is reworking,” Ogwumike mentioned. “As a gamers affiliation, we need 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 characterize a roughly 300% enhance. Group wage caps may correspondingly rise from the present $1.42 million to between $4-5 million per staff.
Income Sharing And Journey Priorities
Gamers are emphasizing modifications to the revenue-sharing construction after failing to satisfy targets within the present settlement. The final CBA established revenue-sharing objectives based mostly on pre-pandemic figures that proved unattainable.
“After we discuss wage and compensation, it is not 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 non-public journey final Could however solely dedicated by means of the tip of the present settlement.
“It is right here,” Ogwumike acknowledged concerning constitution journey. “I do not foresee a world the place we will 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’ve to face up for what we really feel is correct and what we deserve,” Collier mentioned on “We Must Discuss.” “Whereas we do not need that state of affairs to occur, after all, I feel we’re ready for any chance proper now.”
League house owners are anticipated to keep up agency positions on prioritization guidelines requiring gamers to report back to coaching camps on time over abroad commitments, in line with sources accustomed to possession views.
WNBPA government director Terri Carmichael Jackson emphasised the altering mentality in negotiations.
“With the good thing about hindsight, whenever you learn the sooner CBAs, one of many takeaways is that the gamers have been pressured to really feel grateful simply to have a league,” Jackson mentioned. “I imagine we moved previous that mindset in 2020.”
