New York — The WNBA and its players’ union announced early Wednesday they have reached a verbal agreement in principle on a new collective bargaining agreement after an intensive week of talks.
Lawyers for both sides will finalize a formal term sheet over the next few days; the document must then be ratified by players and approved by the league’s Board of Governors. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert called the deal “a transformative step forward for players and the league,” saying key elements have been aligned and that more details will be released as they are completed.
Union president Nneka Ogwumike said the pact would substantially raise player pay, tying salaries to a meaningful share of league revenue. The agreement is expected to expand the salary cap dramatically — roughly a fourfold increase from last season — push average compensation above $500,000 and create the likelihood that some players could earn seven-figure salaries for the first time in league history.
Both sides spent eight days in person negotiating, totaling more than 100 hours. They reached the verbal accord at about 2:20 a.m. Wednesday and spoke to reporters together in a New York hotel lobby shortly before 3 a.m. Ogwumike described the outcome as “historical for women’s sports” and said the agreement is intended to benefit current players and those entering the league.
The talks followed a long bargaining process: players opted out of the previous CBA 17 months ago, and that agreement was originally due to expire five months earlier, with negotiations often contentious. Key sticking points during the latest sessions included revenue sharing, housing provisions and franchise tags.
Union leaders said the opt-out reflected a belief that the players’ compensation and support had not kept pace with the league’s growth. Executive committee members highlighted hopes that the deal will signal to young women that their voices and value matter.
With a term sheet expected imminently, the league faces a compressed timeline to prepare for the 30th season, which is slated to begin on May 8. Tasks ahead include an expansion draft for new Toronto and Portland teams, negotiating with the more than 80% of players who are free agents this offseason, and opening training camps on April 19 — six days after the college draft.
The WNBA has been growing in popularity: the league said it set a single-season attendance record last August, drawing roughly 2.5 million fans through that point in the year. League officials emphasized that the tentative deal, once finalized and ratified, would align player compensation and resources with that growth as the WNBA prepares to tip off its milestone season.