-
Alexa Philippou
Multiple Authors
The Women’s National Basketball Players’ Association presented a counterproposal to the WNBA on Tuesday, incorporating some compromises regarding revenue sharing and housing, according to sources contacted by ESPN.
As per a source familiar with the details, the players’ union is currently requesting an average of 27.5% of gross revenue, which is defined as revenue before expenses are deducted, throughout the agreement period. This includes a request for 25% and a salary cap under $9.5 million in Year 1.
In their earlier proposal from December, the union sought an average of 31% of gross revenue, starting at 28% in Year 1 with an estimated salary cap of around $10.5 million.
Regarding housing—a significant topic in negotiations—the players suggested that teams should continue to provide housing for players for the initial years of the new agreement. yet, in later years, teams would not be required to offer housing for players earning close to the maximum salary on multi-year contracts and receiving full salary protection, according to a source.
Since the original CBA was ratified in 1999, WNBA teams have been obligated to provide housing for players. In the previous agreement—officially expired in January after two extensions—teams could offer housing in the form of a one-bedroom apartment or a stipend. yet, housing provisions were not included in the league’s previous proposals before this latest one.
In its proposal from earlier this month, the league made its own concessions concerning housing and facility standards. The league proposed that players on applicable minimum salaries and those with no years of service be supplied with a one-bedroom apartment for the first three years of the new deal, and developmental players would be given studio apartments.
Previously, the WNBPA suggested that housing costs should come out of the players’ share of the revenue-sharing system and advocated for the removal of the housing stipend.
In a statement issued to ESPN late Tuesday, a WNBA spokesperson indicated that the union’s recent proposal would not suffice to make progress.
“The Players Association’s latest proposal remains unrealistic and would lead to hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for our teams,” the statement noted. “We still need to finalize two drafts [a two-team expansion draft and a college draft] and free agency before training camp begins and are running out of time. We believe the WNBA’s proposal would yield a significant benefit for both current players and future generations.”
Throughout the now 16-month negotiation period, the league has consistently highlighted the importance of business health and long-term sustainability. A source close to the situation informed ESPN that the league anticipates the WNBPA’s new plan would result in $460 million in losses over the life of the agreement.
In December, ESPN reported that the league estimated the union’s prior plan would incur $700 million in losses over the agreement’s duration, potentially jeopardizing the league’s financial stability. yet, the union argued that its revenue-sharing model would maintain the league in a “profitable position,” with a separate source agreeing and calling the league’s projected loss figures “absolutely false,” due to discrepancies in whether expansion fees are included in the calculations.
Tuesday’s counterproposal came 11 days following the league’s response to a WNBPA proposal made around Christmas. The six-week interval caused considerable frustration among the players, but league officials believed the players’ proposal did not necessitate an immediate response, as it was largely unchanged from earlier submissions.
Both sides are in agreement regarding the implementation of a revenue-sharing system that allows players’ salaries to increase with the growth of league and team revenues. yet, a consensus has yet to be reached on the specifics of that system, with the league advocating for a model based on net revenue (after expenses) while the WNBPA is pushing for one based on gross revenue.
The league has proposed that players receive an average of over 70% of net revenue, translating to less than 15% of gross revenue. Their latest proposal included a salary cap of $5.65 million in 2026—up from approximately $1.5 million in 2025—which would increase in subsequent years in alignment with revenue growth.
In the WNBA’s proposal, maximum salaries, including revenue-sharing payouts, would amount to almost $1.3 million in 2026, with projections reaching nearly $2 million by 2031. The supermax for 2025 was set at $249,000. The average player salary, including revenue sharing, was projected to rise to $540,000 in 2026 and $780,000 by 2031, a considerable increase from $120,000 in 2025.
The league stated it has also made compromises in other areas, such as introducing two new developmental roster spots, including trade consent for pregnant players, eliminating marijuana testing, enhancing team contributions to players’ 401(k) retirement plans, implementing new team staffing and facility requirements, and initiating a recognition payment for current retirees. Charter flight travel is also set to be formalized in the new agreement.
