WNBA and Players’ Union Meet to Advance Stalled CBA Negotiations

The WNBA and the players’ union convened on Monday in New York for their first meeting in several weeks, aiming to revive stalled negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The discussions lasted approximately three hours, but no official comments were made following the meeting.

The negotiations have been at a standstill since early January when the current CBA extension expired on January 9. The players’ union has been awaiting a response to a proposal submitted around Christmas, which includes a demand for a 30% share of gross revenue for players.

The league’s most recent offer, presented last month, proposes a maximum base salary of $1 million by 2026, potentially increasing to $1.3 million through revenue sharing. This represents a significant increase from the current base salary of $249,000. According to sources, the maximum salary could reach nearly $2 million over the life of the new agreement.

Impact of Delays on the Season

Both sides have entered a “status quo” phase, with a moratorium agreed upon shortly after the CBA extension expired. This moratorium has paused the initial stages of free agency, affecting teams’ ability to make qualifying offers or designate franchise tags for players. If a new CBA is not reached soon, it could further delay the start of the 2026 season. This situation has already postponed the expansion draft for Toronto and Portland.

Despite these challenges, the league released its schedule last month, confirming that the regular season is set to begin on May 8, 2023. The previous CBA was finalized in mid-January 2020, just a month after it was agreed upon. Historically, it can take up to two months from the time a new CBA is finalized before free agency can commence, which was originally scheduled to start last month.

As both the WNBA and the players’ union continue their discussions, the outcome remains crucial not only for the players but also for the future of women’s sports as a whole. The stakes are high, and many are watching closely to see how this situation unfolds.