03/18/26 11:03:00
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03/18 11:01 CDT WNBA and players union have reached an agreement in principle
on a transformational new CBA
WNBA and players union have reached an agreement in principle on a
transformational new CBA
By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- The WNBA will have its first million dollar players after the
league and its players' union reached a deal in principle on a transformational
new collective bargaining agreement early Wednesday morning.
Specifics still need to be finalized over the next few weeks as lawyers on both
sides work on the new CBA. A term sheet should be done in the next day or two.
It will then need to be ratified by the players and then approved by the
league's Board of Governors.
"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," WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. "It
underscores a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game. So, we'll
share additional details as they become available."
The landmark deal is expected to greatly increase player salaries, with top
stars potentially making a supermax of $1.4 million in the first year,
according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of
the discussions.
The salary cap for the 2026 season is expected to be $7 million with average
salaries more than $585,000, according to the person. The minimum salary would
be around $300,000 as the league enters its 30th season. This would increase
salaries fourfold from last season.
"For the first time player salaries are tied to a truly meaningful share of
league revenue, driving exponential growth in the salary cap, increasing
average compensation beyond half a million dollars and raising the standard
across facilities, staffing and support," union president Nneka Ogwumike said.
The agreement is set to reflect the league's skyrocketing growth and
popularity. Attendance, viewership and investment from stakeholders has
increased to historic levels over the past few years.
"The deal is going to be transformational," union vice president Breanna
Stewart said. "It's going to build and help create a system where everybody is
getting exactly what they deserve and more from on the court and off the court
aspects."
The deal came after the two sides spent the past eight days in intense
in-person negotiations that lasted for more than 100 hours. They came to the
agreement at about 2:20 a.m. Wednesday after spending more than 10 hours of
discussions on Tuesday.
"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,"
Ogwumike added. "We're just really grateful to be able to come to a deal. We're
proud of ourselves."
WNBA leadership and the union met with reporters together in the lobby of a New
York hotel shortly before 3 a.m.
The deal comes 17 months after the players opted out of their previous
agreement and five months after the previous deal was initially set to expire,
with talks often becoming contentious.
"We opted out because what we were giving to this league and what we were
getting back didn't match," union executive committee member Alysha Clark said.
"You could feel the growth everywhere, but it wasn't showing up for the players
the way it should. So we stayed with it until it did."
Revenue sharing has been the biggest hurdle over the course of the
negotiations. Other key issues that were slowing down getting a deal done
included housing and franchise tags on players.
"I hope young girls and women see this and feel it, to know their voice
matters, their value matters, and they don't have to settle for less than
that," executive committee member Brianna Turner said. "Now, we get back to the
game. Back to competing, back to that feeling, and back to being out there with
our fans."
Now, the league will have a sprint over the next two months to get to opening
day on May 8. An expansion draft for new teams in Toronto and Portland needs to
take place. Also, teams will need to negotiate with the more than 80% of
players who are free agents this offseason. Training camps are set to open on
April 19 --- six days after the college draft.
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
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