The WNBA CBA talks are about more than just salaries.
We’re theoretically four months away from the 2026 WNBA Draft, yet current negotiations threaten to disrupt everything from the calendar to the league’s very existence. After a first deadline of October 31, the WNBA and the WNBPA have pushed the talks forward twice, with a new target date set for January 9, 2026.
Both sides aren’t strangers to long deliberations—the current CBA was finalized in January 2020 after negotiations that stretched through 2019. But these negotiations come at a moment when women’s pro basketball is at the peak of its modern popularity. The 2025 regular season drew record viewership, and the finals drew the most viewers in 25 years. Ticket prices are rising, five new franchises are planned by 2030, and teams are hitting record-high valuations.
Because of that context, the CBA talks carry far more at stake than salary figures. They represent a turning point for players to codify their value and demand fair treatment. A key starting point is revenue sharing. Today, NBA salaries are tied to Basketball-Related Income (BRI), which includes ticket sales, merchandise, broadcast rights, advertising deals, and concessions. About half of the NBA’s BRI goes to players, while WNBA players currently receive a much smaller share—roughly nine percent.
As a result, WNBA players don’t reap the league’s success to the same extent as their male counterparts. A sizable increase in revenue sharing would not only raise salaries but also acknowledge players’ critical role in the league’s legitimacy and growth.
Players want both revenue and respect.
Revenue is only half the equation. The CBA also shapes how players are treated off the court. For example, until 2024 the WNBA did not provide chartered flights. While cost-saving measures sometimes trumped improvements in player recovery and well-being, the move toward charter flights gained momentum after Brittney Griner’s detainment in Russia during the 2023 season, when she had to fly commercially. Griner’s experience underscored that charter flights are about safety and security as much as comfort.
The league has since introduced housing for players since the first CBA in 1999, with options to live in league-funded apartments or to receive a housing stipend. The stipend varies by team because the cost of living differs by city, but most players can secure a modest one-bedroom, or two bedrooms for players with dependents.
The latest proposal from the league would slash housing support, arguing that bigger salaries require sacrificing some benefits. Players push back, arguing that housing stability is a matter of respect and fair treatment—especially in a league that employs players who balance elite athletics with parenthood. Making housing a non-negotiable contract element would put player well-being first and mark a move toward structural equity.
Beyond housing and pay, there are also disputes over officiating, league accountability, and leadership. Napheesa Collier highlighted these concerns during a September press conference, publicly challenging the commissioner and signaling the broader issue of respect across the organization. This is about more than numbers—it’s about how players are valued and treated at every level.
As negotiations continue, we should ask not only what players should earn, but what they are rightly owed.
