rewrite this content and keep HTML tags (remove this from content : rewrite this content and keep HTML tags)
NEW YORK — The Women’s National Basketball Players Association sent a counterproposal to the WNBA on Friday night for a new collective bargaining agreement that included some concessions on revenue sharing and housing — two key areas where the sides differ — according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
The union’s proposal came a week after it received one from the league. The WNBA told the union Monday during a virtual negotiating session that it needs to get a deal in place by March 10 to start the 2026 season on time, another person familiar with the discussions told the AP. That person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
Front Office Sports was the first to report the counterproposal.
The league and its players have been unable to reach a new collective bargaining agreement since the union opted out of the previous deal, which expired last year.
In the latest proposal, the union is asking for 26% of the gross revenue (before expenses), with the salary cap for teams close to $9.5 million in the first year. The latter number is unchanged from the union’s previous offer, but the revenue sharing is down from 27.5% from the union’s proposal from 10 days earlier.
The WNBA had offered more than 70% of net revenue in its last proposal. That would be the league’s take of the profits after expenses are paid. Those expenses would include upgraded facilities for training and practices, arenas, charter flights, five-star hotels, medical services and security.
The union also tweaked its housing offer. The union is still asking teams to provide housing for all players in the first few years of the deal, but in the latter part of the CBA, teams wouldn’t have to provide housing for players making at least 75% of the maximum salary.
The league had offered that its teams would pay for all housing this season. Then franchises would pay for housing for players on minimum salary contracts as well as rookies in their first season, the person said.
They’d also pay for the housing of the two developmental players that teams would be allowed to have.
If a labor deal is agreed to by March 10, it probably would be signed by the end of the month. Under that timeline, the expansion draft for new franchises in Portland, Oregon, and Toronto would be held sometime between April 1-6, according to a timetable obtained by the AP.
Free-agent qualifying offers, including franchise player tags, would be sent out April 7-8. Teams would then have three days to negotiate with the more than 80% of players who are free agents. The signing period would take place from April 12-18.
Training camps would open the next day, and the season would be able to start May 8.
