Explaining WNBA–WNBPA CBA negotiations: Issues, offers and what's next

Explaining WNBA–WNBPA CBA negotiations: Issues, offers and what's nextStory byMeghan L. Hall, USA TODAYWed, December 3, 2025 at 10:24 PM UTC·5 min read

With all the back and forth in the ongoing negotiations between the WNBA and WNBPA, it can be hard to keep up on all the changes.

Both sides agreed to a six-week extension to hammer out their differences on November 30. They now have until Jan. 9 to reach a new deal for the 2026 season and beyond while avoiding (for now) the possibility of a lockout or strike.Within days of the WNBA and WNBPA agreeing to extend the current CBA, the league reportedly offered a new proposal, which included an updated max player salary. The league's latest offer is a maximum guaranteed base salary of $1 million, with projected revenue sharing raising max players' total earnings to $1.2 million. However, the WNBPA reportedly plans to reject the WNBA's latest offer over concerns with the league's "math."

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As negotiations continue, here are some answer to questions surrounding the process, including new reporting from The Athletic that addresses multiple topics discussed by the WNBA and WNBPA.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.Amateur golfer Kai Trump hits from the 11th tee prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.(R-L) Amateur golfer Kai Trump, President Donald Trump's granddaughter, and Vanessa Trump walk from the 10th green prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.Caitlin Clark plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.Amateur Kai Trump of the United States plays a shot from the 16th tee prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) signs autographs for fans after the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.Amateur golfer Kai Trump looks on from the 11th tee prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.Amateur golfer Kai Trump hits from the 10th fairway prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.General view of the golf bag of amateur golfer Kai Trump prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.Amateur golfer Kai Trump looks on prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.Amateur golfer Kai Trump hits from the 10th tee prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.Amateur golfer Kai Trump hits from the 10th fairway prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.Amateur golfer Kai Trump signs autographs prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Nelly Korda play in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.1 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.1 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.2 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Amateur golfer Kai Trump hits from the 11th tee prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.3 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.4 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

(R-L) Amateur golfer Kai Trump, President Donald Trump's granddaughter, and Vanessa Trump walk from the 10th green prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.5 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.6 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.7 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Caitlin Clark plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.8 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Amateur Kai Trump of the United States plays a shot from the 16th tee prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.9 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) signs autographs for fans after the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.10 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Amateur golfer Kai Trump looks on from the 11th tee prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.11 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.12 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Amateur golfer Kai Trump hits from the 10th fairway prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.13 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.14 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

General view of the golf bag of amateur golfer Kai Trump prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.15 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Amateur golfer Kai Trump looks on prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.16 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Amateur golfer Kai Trump hits from the 10th tee prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.17 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Amateur golfer Kai Trump hits from the 10th fairway prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.18 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.19 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Amateur golfer Kai Trump signs autographs prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2025 in Belleair, Florida.20 / 20

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark and Amateur Golfer Kai Trump take part in The Annika Pro-Am

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Nelly Korda play in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club.

What is the WNBA offering in terms of salary cap and player salaries?

The league's latest proposal would reportedly raise the salary cap to $5 million a season per team, with increasing the cap over the length of the CBA that will be tied to revenue growth. The minimum player salary would rise to more than $225,000 and the average salary to $500,000. As previously mentioned, the max player salary would be worth more than $1.2 million. Under the current CBA, the salary cap is $1.5 million a season per team. Additionally, the minimum player salary is around $66,000, with the maximum salary worth just north of $249,000.

What have the WNBA and WNBPA said about revenue sharing?

Revenue sharing has become the most debated topic between the two sides and a serious point of contention for the players' association. Many specifics surrounding revenue sharing have been vague.

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In the WNBA's latest salary proposal, The Athletic reported Wednesday, players would receive less than 15% of league revenue. The WNBA's revenue projection, according to the report, has that percentage decreasing over the life of the CBA. (Under the current CBA, WNBA players receive 9.3% of league revenue.)

The latest proposal does include a portion of revenue being shared 50-50. But what is being shared and how it works is unclear. The revenue-sharing component would not need to fit under the salary cap, which may explain how the league can propose a $5 million cap with an average salary of $500,000.

How would the WNBA's latest offer affect rookies?

Among the many points of emphasis in the CBA, the impact on rookies has become increasingly important. In recent rounds of the negotiations, the league reportedly introduced a draft combine. In essence, to be draft eligible, invited players would be required to participate in the combine. The base rookie contract of any players invited who opts not to participate would be reduced by 50%.

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Current rookie-scale contracts have also been discussed. The players' association expressed a desire to reduce the length of rookie deals from four years to three, allowing players to reach free agency earlier and at a younger age.

Will the WNBA season be longer or shorter under the latest proposal?

Under the current CBA, training camp is allowed to start as early as April 1, but no more than 30 days before the season starts. In recent seasons, including 2025, training camps have opened in late April, with the season beginning in mid-May. (The 2025 WNBA season started on May 16, with training camp opening April 28.)

The WNBA has reportedly proposed increasing the length of the season, which would include an earlier start date with camps opening as early as March. If the date is moved up, it would directly interfere with the end of the women's college basketball season, the WNBA draft and other leagues like Unrivaled and Project B.

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An earlier start date could also affect the the league's expansion teams, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire. Neither team can hold an expansion draft, explore free agency or otherwise build its roster until a CBA is ratified. If that doesn't happen until January (in accordance with the latest six-week extension timeline), teams would have roughly two months to build a team before a suggested March start.

Additionally, with WNBA expanding to 15 teams this season and 18 teams by 2030, adding franchises in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030), the season is bound to get longer. When the league began in 1997, it played a 28-game season. It has steadily increased the number as it has grown, going from 40 games in 2024 to 44 when it added the Golden State Valkyries in 2025.

What other points are the WNBA and players' union debating?

Here are other key items the two sides are reportedly continuing to work through:

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• Team-provided housing: Front Office Sports reported the league's latest offer no longer includes team housing or housing stipends.

• Parental leave: The WNBA's most recent proposal would give non-birthing parents one week of paid parental leave.

• Facility standards: The players' association has proposed team facility requirements including private practice spaces, locker rooms and training rooms.

• Retirement benefits: The discussion has included players receiving a one-time retirement payment with a required number of years of service. The players' union is also seeking medical benefits for uninsured retired players.

• Core designation: The WNBPA proposed eliminating the core designation. Much like the franchise tag in the NFL, it ties a player to team instead of letting them become a free agent.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Explaining WNBA–WNBPA CBA negotiations: Issues, offers and what's next

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