Deal Remains Elusive as Deadline Passes

Following years of conversation, months considering proposals, weeks of frequent meetings and days of heightened speculation, the WNBA and WNBPA remain without a new collective bargaining agreement. But they’ve given themselves a new deadline of Jan. 9.

“The WNBA and WNBPA have agreed to extend the current collective bargaining agreement through Jan. 9, 2026, with either party having the option to terminate the extension with 48 hours’ advance notice,” the WNBA said in a statement. “The WNBA and WNBPA are continuing to work toward a new agreement.”

The two sides previously extended talks 30 days to Nov. 30. According to a person familiar with the negotiations, conversations between the two sides were ongoing up until Sunday’s deadline. The league announced the extension shortly before the previous extension was set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Sunday night.

Player pay structure remains a key sticking point in negotiations. Prior to the October extension, the WNBA made a proposal that would have seen the league minimum salary jump to more than $220,000 (up from $66,079 in 2025), with an average of more than $460,000, as was first reported by the Associated Press, including rising pay in line with league revenue growth.

Players continue to push for a system that more directly ties teams’ salary caps to the annual revenue the league generates. When the WNBPA announced its decision in October 2024 to opt out of the existing CBA, union president Nneka Ogwumike said the move was “about claiming our rightful share of the business we’ve built.”

While the extension avoids a work stoppage, for now, it remains unclear if either side will budge on salary structure. Players have consistently listed a guaranteed revenue share as their priority in negotiations, while league leaders have cited a need to ensure ownership remains an attractive proposition as the W continues expanding.

Some league business has continued during the negotiations. On Nov. 23, the W held its draft lottery, with multiple stars in attendance representing their teams. However, commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said an expansion draft for new teams in Portland and Toronto, free agency, and the annual WNBA Draft won’t be held until a new CBA is signed.