NEW YORK — The WNBA and its players’ union have reached the next step in their new collective bargaining agreement, signing a term sheet.
Now they wait for ratification by the players and approval from the league’s Board of Governors as lawyers from both sides continue to write the new CBA.
The new seven-year CBA, which will begin this season and run through 2032, represents a transformational landmark labour deal for the league.
“This Collective Bargaining Agreement represents a defining moment in the WNBA’s 30-year history and all of women’s professional sports,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Since its inception, the WNBA has been shaped by extraordinary athletes who believed in the league’s future. The agreement is a testament to that belief and to the tremendous progress we have achieved together.”
It will only take a simple majority of the players to approve the new CBA. That vote, and the WNBA’s Board of Governors vote, are expected to be done soon. The union has been holding information sessions with the players over the last day or so. They had a number of sessions to accommodate players competing overseas.
Here are a few key points from the CBA.
Salary cap
The salary cap for the 2026 season is expected to be $7 million, with average salaries of more than $585,000. Top players can make over $1 million for the first time in the league’s history with a supermax salary close to $1.4 million. The cap could grow up to $11 million in 2032 if revenue projections go well. That would project a max salary of $2.4 million.
The salary cap can change a maximum of 10% in either direction each year with the exception of after the first season, when it could up or down 13%, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
The minimum salary for this year would be $270,000 to $300,000 and rise to $380,000 by 2032. The average salary would be around $583,000 before revenue sharing in 2026 and could rise to more than $1 million at the end of the deal.
Housing
Teams will continue to pay for housing for the first three years of the deal. In 2029 and 2030, teams will pay for housing for players earning $500,000 or less. After that, teams will only pay for the housing of developmental players.
Rookies contracts
The No. 1 pick in the draft next month will earn $500,000. All existing rookie-scale contracts will also be adjusted to deliver meaningful pay increases to them. Rookie contracts will remain for four years. Players on rookie deals who earn All-WNBA honours can get the maximum salary in the fourth year of their contract if they sign a three-year extension with their team. So far, Caitlin Clark would be eligible for that in 2027, Paige Bueckers in 2028 and Aliyah Boston this season.
Bonuses
There are significant increases in bonuses offered to players for awards as well as postseason success. Players on the WNBA championship team each will receive $60,000 — nearly triple what they earned last year. The MVP of the league will make a $60,000 bonus — up from $15,000. All-WNBA honours will also triple from last season with first-team players making $30,000. Those will grow starting in 2027 at the rate of the growth of the salary cap.
Other benefits
The league codified charter travel that will cost over $300 million over the life of the deal. There will be expanded first-class travel accommodations for players across league events. The WNBA will increase life insurance benefits to more than $700,000 per player and increase team contributions to 401K retirement accounts. The WNBA also will have a one-time payment to retired players and veterans that would be $100,000 for those who have played 12 years or more.
Roster construction
Teams will be required to carry 12 players on their roster and now have two developmental players. Those players don’t count against the salary cap. Starting in 2027, players with seven or more years of service can’t be designated with a franchise tag. There’s a salary cap exception for pregnancy and childbirth. A team must now obtain a player’s consent before trading a pregnant player.
Increased games
The league will expand to 50 games in 2027 and 2028 and up to 52 in 2029-32. The league will play 44 games again this season, which starts May 8.
