On March 24, the WNBA’s Board of Governors and the players association, WNBPA, solidified the historic Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) addressing the long-standing financial inequalities embedded in the WNBA. The ratification of the CBA comes after long months of discussions, and under the threat of missing the 2026 WNBA season.
In December 2025, the players association authorized the right to strike if a CBA was not settled, increasing pressure on league players and representatives. The next three months consisted of failed negotiations, all while the player-founded Unrivaled League administered a successful second season, demonstrating that players can be compensated fairly while still generating revenue. As the Unrivaled season played out and the strike loomed, the WNBA and WNBPA worked overtime, ultimately settling on a monumental agreement that will restructure the treatment and compensation of WNBA athletes.
ESPN reported that following the conclusion of the Unrivaled season on March 5, player and league officials met in person in New York City, and ended up spending over 100 hours over the course of eight days finalizing the agreement. WNBPA negotiations were led by President Nnega Ogwumike and Vice Presidents Napheesa Collier, Kelsey Plum and Breanna Stewart — all decorated WNBA veterans. They were supported by representatives from every WNBA franchise and a Board of Advocates, who provided professional legal guidance to players.
The well-prepared WNBPA went into the negotiations with the call to action: Bet on Women. The seven-year CBA that was drafted in New York incorporates a Revenue Sharing Model, making the WNBA the first professional women’s sports league to adopt this model. The NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, F1 and UFC all use this system, which guarantees a percentage of the leagues’ gross revenue and comprehensive profits for players.
The second season of the Unrivaled league provided a $220,000 payout over an eight-week season for players. Sports Illustrated reported that in 2025, the average WNBA salary ranged from $100,ooo to $120,000, with a team salary cap of $1.5 million per team. Under the new CBA contract, average WNBA salaries will be over $583,000 with team salary caps at $7 million. The revenue structure of the CBA bolsters league growth, projecting the average salary to be over $1 million and maxing out at $2.4 million by 2032. Previously, only the most successful players were compensated at this level; now, the number one 2026 draft pick will be guaranteed a $500,000 contract.
The new CBA also further incentivizes competition, with regular season champions to receive $60,000, First-Team WNBA members earning $30,000, and an additional $60,000 awarded to MVPs — a tripling of each bonus.
Another product of the agreement is the addition of two “developmental player” slots to the 12-player rosters that teams have been limited to. Adding roster spots along with two new expansion teams, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, provides much-needed roster space for the abundance of elite female basketball players.
The direct compensation guaranteed by the CBA is monumental in itself, but the other benefits of the agreement reflect what it truly looks like to bet on women. Teams’ facilities will be expanded, along with staff, including team physicians, athletics trainers, strength coaches and nutritionists. Players, staff and personnel will now fly exclusively charter, and will receive enhanced 401k and family benefits. The WNBA will expand care for athletes by providing guaranteed housing and growing their mental health coverage and protocols. Over the next seven years, over $1 billion will be invested in WNBA players, making this CBA unlike any other deal in women’s sports history.
Though the new CBA is a massive victory for women’s basketball players, it was extremely hard-fought. The WNBPA and individual players have been fighting for players’ rights for years, and through collective action, many of their demands will be met. The restructuring of the WNBA’s revenue system to mirror male sports leagues serves to inspire other professional women’s leagues, who will also have the choice to invest in female athletes by betting on women.
Contact the editors responsible for this article: Finley Tipton and Katie McCabe
