-
Alexa Philippou
Multiple Authors
The WNBA informed the WNBPA and its teams on Monday that a new collective bargaining agreement needs to be finalized by March 10 to avoid affecting the 2026 schedule, sources told ESPN.
During a virtual meeting on Monday morning attended by WNBA representatives, including league staff, the labor relations committee, and owners, alongside over 50 players, discussions continued about their differing views amid the 16-month-long CBA negotiations. The league reiterated the March 10 deadline while both sides exchanged perspectives.
The WNBPA plans to gather with its leadership soon to discuss the next steps, including a response to the league’s latest proposal submitted on Friday.
Later that Monday afternoon, the league also met with general managers to share the March 10 deadline, marking what appears to be the first formal deadline set by the league during extended negotiations that have already impacted the offseason.
Once a deal is reached, it may take weeks for formal ratification. The WNBA still plans to hold a two-team expansion draft for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire and initiate free agency for 80% of the league.
Training camp is currently set to start on April 19, with the college draft occurring on April 13. The regular season is expected to begin on May 8.
“Often, things tend to wrap up just in time,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver remarked regarding the WNBA negotiations during NBA All-Star Weekend on Feb. 14. “We’re getting very close to that crucial moment in our bargaining.”
The two parties remain at odds over the structure of a new revenue-sharing system, which has been the main sticking point in negotiations. Housing, which has traditionally been provided by teams but was not included in the league’s initial proposals, has also become a contentious issue.
Earlier that same day, the union informed ESPN’s Katie Barnes that the WNBA generated sufficient revenue in 2025 to initiate revenue sharing with players and that $9.25 million from licensing revenue would also be allocated to them.
“This demonstrates our value and underscores the rationale behind what we’re advocating for, and it shows we should continue to fight,” WNBPA treasurer Brianna Turner told Barnes.
