By Isnaini Azizah 
The Women’s National Basketball Association and the WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) are currently locked in high-stakes, around-the-clock negotiations as they attempt to finalize a transformative collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that could redefine the professional landscape for female athletes in North America. Despite passing a self-imposed March 10 deadline two days ago, representatives from both sides have remained sequestered in a midtown Manhattan hotel, working through the early morning hours to bridge the remaining gaps in a deal that carries massive implications for the league’s upcoming season and its long-term financial structure. According to sources familiar with the discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the two parties have exchanged no fewer than nine comprehensive proposals in recent days, signaling an intense desire to avoid a work stoppage and capitalize on the league’s surging popularity.
The urgency of these talks is underscored by the WNBA’s recent directive that a new labor agreement must be ratified in order to ensure the 2025 season begins as scheduled. With the WNBA Draft looming on April 13 and tip-off set for May 8, the window for administrative preparation is rapidly closing. However, the atmosphere surrounding the negotiations appears to be one of cautious optimism rather than hostility. WNBPA President and veteran star Nneka Ogwumike indicated to reporters late Wednesday that the players are "feeling movement" in the discussions, suggesting that the fundamental framework of a deal is taking shape, even if the finer points of revenue sharing remain a point of contention.
The financial figures currently on the table represent a staggering departure from the league’s previous economic model, reflecting the "inflection point" that women’s professional sports have reached over the last 24 months. According to a copy of the latest league proposal obtained by CNBC, the WNBA has offered to quadruple the team salary cap from its current $1.5 million to $6.2 million. This 313% increase would be unprecedented in the history of the league, providing teams with the flexibility to retain superstar talent while significantly raising the floor for role players. Furthermore, the proposal suggests that this cap would not remain static but would grow annually in lockstep with both team-specific and league-wide revenue growth, effectively tethering player compensation to the commercial success of the WNBA.
Individual player salaries are also poised for a historic jump. Under the proposed terms, the average player salary would rise to $570,000 in the first year of the agreement, eventually climbing to $850,000 by the sixth year. For context, the current average salary hovers around $120,000. Perhaps most significantly for the league’s "face of the franchise" stars, maximum salaries are projected to exceed $1.3 million immediately, with the potential to reach nearly $2 million by the end of the CBA term. This shift would drastically alter the "offseason" reality for WNBA players, many of whom have historically spent their winters playing for clubs in Europe, China, or Turkey to supplement their domestic income. A $2 million ceiling would allow elite American players to focus exclusively on their health and development within the WNBA ecosystem, a move that the league believes will improve the overall quality of play and longevity of its stars.
The catalyst for this sudden influx of capital is a combination of record-breaking media rights deals and a surge in corporate sponsorships. The WNBA recently secured a landmark 11-year media rights package worth approximately $2.2 billion—roughly $200 million per year—as part of a broader deal involving Disney, Amazon, and NBC. This represents a massive increase from the previous $60 million annual distribution. Additionally, the league has seen a dramatic rise in gate receipts and merchandise sales, fueled in large part by the "Caitlin Clark effect" and the arrival of a high-profile rookie class that has brought millions of new viewers to the sport. The 2024 season saw attendance figures hit a 22-year high, while television viewership for the WNBA Finals surged by nearly 100% compared to previous years.
Despite the alignment on base pay increases, the primary sticking point remains the mechanics of revenue sharing. Historically, the WNBA’s revenue-sharing model was contingent upon the league meeting specific, high-level financial targets before players could see a percentage of the profits. The WNBPA has long argued that this "threshold" model was designed to be unattainable. In response, the league’s latest proposal introduces a new, uncapped revenue-sharing system that removes these minimum thresholds entirely. This system would be tied to both league-level media deals and individual team revenues, theoretically allowing players to act as true partners in the league’s growth. However, the specific percentage of "basketball-related income" (BRI) that should be allocated to players remains a subject of intense debate. In the NBA, players receive roughly 50% of BRI; WNBA players are currently fighting for a similar transparent split that accounts for the league’s rapid scaling.
Beyond the direct financial compensation, the new CBA is expected to codify significant improvements in player welfare and infrastructure. The league has already begun a transition toward full-season charter flights for all teams—a major victory for a union that has complained for years about the physical toll of commercial travel and the security risks associated with public airports. The current proposal seeks to formalize these travel amenities, including first-class travel for all league-sanctioned events. Additionally, the WNBA is offering to set new minimum standards for team facilities. This would mandate upgrades to locker rooms, weight rooms, and medical treatment areas, ensuring that all 12 (soon to be 15 with expansion) franchises provide a professional environment commensurate with other major North American sports leagues.
The context of these negotiations is also shaped by the league’s aggressive expansion strategy. With the Golden State Valkyries set to join in 2025, followed by teams in Toronto and Portland, the WNBA is expanding its footprint and its revenue base. Expansion fees, which have reportedly climbed to $50 million per franchise, have provided the league with a capital cushion that was non-existent a decade ago. This growth has emboldened the Players Association to demand a CBA that reflects the league’s new status as a premier global sports property rather than a "startup" venture.
"We want to play. We’ve heard that from the other side as well," Nneka Ogwumike told reporters, emphasizing the mutual desire to capitalize on the current momentum. The sentiment reflects a shift in the power dynamics of the league. While previous CBA negotiations were often defined by the league’s claims of financial instability, the current talks are happening against a backdrop of undeniable prosperity. The challenge for Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the Board of Governors is to balance this player-led demand for equity with the need to maintain a sustainable business model as the league continues to scale.
The delay in reaching an agreement has caused some anxiety among fans and sponsors, but industry analysts suggest that the two-day overrun is a sign of the complexity of the deal rather than a breakdown in communication. "When you are talking about quadrupling a salary cap and completely rewriting the revenue-sharing model, you aren’t just tweaking a contract; you are building a new economy," said one sports business consultant. "The fact that they are still at the table in midtown NYC at 4:00 AM suggests they are incredibly close to a generational breakthrough."
As the clock ticks toward the April draft, the sports world is watching closely. A finalized deal would not only secure the 2025 season but would also serve as a blueprint for other women’s professional leagues globally. It would signal that the WNBA has moved past its developmental phase and into an era of high-valuation professional sports. For the players, the deal represents the culmination of years of advocacy for "living wages" and professional standards. For the league, it is an opportunity to solidify its position as the global leader in women’s basketball. With both sides remaining engaged and "movement" being reported on key issues, the expectation is that an announcement could be imminent, potentially setting the stage for the most anticipated season in the WNBA’s 29-year history.