WNBA CBA negotiations heat up as season resumes after All-Star break: Here's what to know

USA Today

5 days ago

The matchup between Team Napheesa Collier and Team Caitlin Clark at 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis was overshadowed by the players' full-court press for better pay and benefits amid collective bargaining agreement negotiations.
The biggest names in the game made a bold statement in front of an announced crowd of nearly 17,000 fans by wearing black pregame T-shirts that read, "Pay Us What You Owe Us." The message was clear and remains in the forefront of everyone's minds as the second half of the WNBA season resumed Tuesday.
'We see the growth in the league and as it stands, the current salary system is not really paying us what we're owed," said Nneka Ogwumike, WNBPA president and Seattle Storm All-Star. "We want to be able to have that fair share moving forward, especially as we see all of the investment going in, and we want to be able to have our salaries be reflected in a structure that makes sense for us.'
MORE: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's legacy is at stake after being booed by crowd chanting 'Pay Them!'
When is the CBA set to expire? What are the players asking for? Here are five things you need to know about the ongoing CBA negotiations as the current agreement is set to end in less than four months.
When does the current CBA run out?
The current CBA, which was signed into effect in January 2020, shortly after Cathy Engelbert took over as commissioner in 2019, was set to expire after eight seasons in 2027. The WNBPA, however, exercised its right to opt out of the agreement last October amid unprecedented growth in the league, meaning the CBA will now end on October 31, 2025. (The 2025 WNBA Finals will end on October 19 at the latest.)
If both sides don't reach an agreement before the CBA expires, the league could experience a work stoppage and temporarily shut down until a contract is signed. A lockout could result in the 2026 season being delayed or canceled, which players have called a last resort. The WNBA has never experienced a lockout in its 28-year history, although the 2003 WNBA draft and preseason were postponed before a new CBA was reached in 2003.
During the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend, Engelbert said she has "confidence we can get something done by October," although she wouldn't "put an exact date on it." She added, "Would we like to get it done? Yes. Does it have to be done exactly on that date? We've got some room to continue negotiations if we're close at that point."
However, the league and union appear to be far apart on negotiations as the CBA expiration date looms. More than 40 players showed up for an in-person meeting with league officials last Thursday in Indianapolis. Although Engelbert called the meeting "productive," many WNBA expressed frustration over the stalled negotiations and described the meeting as a "wasted opportunity" and outright "disrespectful."
What are the players asking for in terms of revenue?
Collier, who serves as the WNBPA Vice President, said the players have prioritized "two main points" of concern amid negotiations — increased revenue sharing and salary structures.
The players are holding out for a revenue-sharing model that ensures "our salaries grow with the business," WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike said. But Ogwumike, one of the 40 players that attended the CBA meeting with the league this past weekend, said the WNBA offered up a "fundamentally different" revenue model than proposed that features a fixed percentage.
'We were disappointed, for sure, in what they came back with,' WNBPA vice president and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier said on Saturday. 'It was just nowhere near what we asked for. Or even in the same conversation.'
What is the revenue share for players right now?
Under the current agreement, WNBA players receive 9.3% of the league's revenue, according to Market Watch, which includes income generated through ticket sales, TV deals, licensing and merchandise. The WNBA's revenue share agreement is significantly lower in comparison to other professional leagues. NBA players receive 49-51% of all basketball-related income, while NFL players get 48% of all revenue and NHL players receive 50% of revenue.
How have revenues for the league gone up?
The WNBA has experienced rapid growth and capitalized on the skyrocketing popularity surrounding the 2024 draft class, including phenoms Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The league turned in its most-watched regular season in 24 years and recorded its highest attendance in 22 years last season and the WNBA shows no signs of slowing down.
"National viewership is up 23 percent year over year. Attendance is up 26 percent, the highest in decades. We're seeing sold-out arenas becoming routine," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said on Saturday. "Merch sales have shattered previous records, up 40 percent, driven by rookie sensations coming in this year and veterans."
The league responded to unprecedented demand with plans to expand to 18 teams by 2030. Following the addition of the Golden State Valkyries this season, the WNBA will also add the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire (slated to begin play in 2026), in addition to teams in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030). The last three teams paid a staggering $250 million expansion fee to join the league.
The Valkyries, who paid a $50 million expansion fee in 2023, are already valued at over $500 million, according to a June report from Sportico. The average WNBA team is worth $269 million, with six teams worth at least $250 million, further highlighting the league's profitability.
The WNBA also announced a new 11-year media rights deal worth a reported $2.2 billion in July, which averages about $200 million a year, beginning the 2026 season.
What role will Unrivaled play in a possible walkout?
Although players have repeatedly stated a lockout is the last resort, Collier said the players are preparing themselves for "every outcome." On Saturday, she reiterated a message the union has communicated to players: "We don't want (a stoppage), but you have to be prepared. ... Make sure you have money squared away."
Having options doesn't hurt. The additions of the Unrivaled 3x3 basketball league (founded by Collier and Breanna Stewart) and the Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball league have provided players alternate avenues to earn money outside of the WNBA while staying in the country.
"Women's sports is exploding and rapidly growing and it feels like everyone is benefiting from that except the women in the sports," Collier said in April following the first season of Unrivaled. "That's why we are so proud to offer the highest average salary and why having all the players have equity in the league is important to us. Treating women's athletes how they should be treated."
The inaugural Unrivaled season, which ran in the offseason from January to March in Miami, saw players earn a median salary of $220,000, according to the Associated Press. In comparison, WNBA salaries for the 2025 season range from a minimum of $66,079 to a maximum of $249,244 under the current CBA.
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