As WNBA CBA negotiations rage on, revenue sharing continues to be a wedge issue for both sides of the table, with the league office and the WNBPA eyeing the terms of the most recent proposal from differing viewpoints.
The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the WNBA believes it has offered the revenue-sharing salary model that the players have pushed for throughout the CBA talks, leaving athletes to claim 50% of the "sharable" portion of league revenue.
How the WNBA will determine the "sharable" cut is uncertain, though sources claim the compensation structure on offer will result in players taking home less than 15% of the league's total earnings.
That percentage is likely to take a further hit over the lifetime of a new CBA, according to the league's multi-year earning projections.
"I don't feel like there's any cultivation of a culture of trust [in the CBA talks]," WNBPA president and Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike told The Athletic. "I feel like we've been heard, but not listened to, and I'm hoping that that changes in this 40-day extension, because what we want to do is get a good deal done."
Parental leave, draft combine, and more enters the WNBA CBA talks
Along with the issue of revenue sharing, the latest WNBA offer also reportedly outlined other proposals, such as the institution of a required offseason draft combine, the elimination of team housing, and the possible extension of the competition calendar by starting earlier and/or finishing the season later.
As for the WNBPA's Tuesday counteroffer, the players union is seeking to eliminate the core designation and shorten the current four-year rookie contract to three years.
The WNBPA is also asking to add non-birthing parental leave, retirement benefits, and reimbursements for mental healthcare.
The WNBA and WNBPA will meet again to negotiate sometime this week, with talks racing toward the second-extension deadline of January 9th, 2026.
The ongoing WNBA CBA battle is back in the headlines, with several reports this week saying the league's latest proposal radically shifts current operating and scheduling practices.
According to sources, the front office is open to raising base salaries, but is simultaneously looking to cut previous guaranteed perks like team housing — a WNBA standard since 2016.
The league is also reportedly proposing an earlier start to the season, with training camp beginning as early as mid-March — directly conflicting with growing offseason leagues like Unrivaled and Project B.
Expanding the season on the front end also comes with several challenges — namely overlapping with the NCAA basketball postseason, which extends into April.
With the 2026 WNBA Draft set for Monday, April 13th — one week after the NCAA championship, in which top lottery picks will likely compete — a mid-March WNBA start raises questions about how incoming rookies would try-out and integrate into teams, with season rosters traditionally locked prior to opening day tip-off.
However, the latest WNBA CBA proposal does reportedly push maximum base salaries into the seven-figures while upping the minimum to more than $225,000.
With multiple players eligible for max payouts, the WNBA offer would see the average salary exceed $500,000 with salary caps expanding from $1.5 million to $5 million — though the proposal does not yet determine roster minimums.
Ultimately, the WNBA is entering this new CBA negotiating phase with its own interests in mind — but the threat of a lockout could push both the league and the players union closer to compromise.