The WNBA and the Women's National Basketball Players' Association reached a verbal agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), a source with knowledge of the situation told Ballislife. A deal was reached shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday in New York, ending more than a year of tumultuous negotiations.
The deal came 17 months after players opted out of their previous agreement and five months after that deal was initially set to expire. Talks were frequently contentious throughout the process. More than 100 hours of negotiations were completed, and a verbal agreement is now in place as of March 18.
A source with knowledge of the negotiations told Ballislife that WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, players' association executive director Terri Jackson, and player representatives from the players' association executive committee met with the media early Wednesday morning. Players in attendance were Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart, Alysha Clark, and Brianna Turner.
League staff, WNBPA leadership, and members of the union's executive committee gathered in a conference room at the Langham Hotel in midtown Manhattan and celebrated with champagne.
"First, I just want to say thank you for your endurance through this process, especially I know it's been a long week," said Engelbert. "I just want to say we have aligned on key elements of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement together. We still need to finalize a formal term sheet, but the progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league," Engelbert said early Wednesday morning. "It underscores a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game. So, we'll share additional details as they become available.
“We just had some congratulations with each other. It's been, obviously, a process, but we're very proud to be leading women’s sports. These players are amazing, and we're going to have an amazing 30th season tipping off in May.”
The agreement would tie the league's salary system to revenue growth for the first time in WNBA history. The league proposed a $6.2 million salary cap — up from $5.75 million in its previous offer — with a supermax salary of $1.3 million in Year 1 that would climb to roughly $2 million by Year 6. Under the previous CBA, the supermax sat at just under $250,000.
[Update 11 am EST]: ESPN reports the salary cap will start at $7 million, with an average salary of $600,000 and a supermax that would start at $1.4 million. A minimum salary above $300,000 would be historic.
The deal is also expected to enhance player benefits, codify charter travel, and establish other professional standards.
Breanna Stewart Calls the Deal "Transformational"
"This deal is going to be transformational," Breanna Stewart told Front Office Sports. "It's gonna build and help create a system where everybody is getting exactly what they deserve."
WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike called the moment historic for women's sports.
"This is historical for women's sports. I told Cathy it's not just for the players that are entering the league or the players that aren't already here," WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike told ESPN. "We're just really grateful to be able to come to a deal. We're proud of ourselves."
Will the Season Start on Time?
A source confirmed to Ballislife that training camp and the regular season will start on time. However, the agreement must still be formalized into a term sheet and approved by players, as well as the WNBA Board of Governors. The full CBA is expected to take weeks to complete, transitioning from a signed term sheet into a long-form agreement. League dates and timelines have not been finalized and are subject to change.
It would be the sixth CBA in league history, following deals in 1999, 2003, 2008, 2014, and 2020.
The expansion draft for Portland and Toronto, the WNBA Draft (April 13), and free agency for roughly 80% of the league still need to take place before camp opens on April 19. The regular season tips off May 8, with preseason games beginning on April 25.
[Update 5 p.m. ET]
According to ESPN's Kareem Copeland, the core designation, which is similar to the NFL's franchise tag, remains in place. It will apply to players with six years of service or fewer.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
