The WNBA and its players’ association have begun negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement that could dramatically reshape player compensation. Sources indicate maximum salaries might reach $1 million when the new agreement takes effect for the 2026 season.
WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike told ESPN the players are seeking a “transformative” agreement following their decision to opt out of the current CBA two years early.
“This league is transforming,” Ogwumike said. “As a players association, we want to evolve with it and have that be reflected in how players are taken care of.”
The current supermax salary sits at $249,244, meaning the potential $1 million figure would represent a roughly 300% increase. Team salary caps could correspondingly rise from the current $1.42 million to between $4-5 million per team.
Revenue Sharing And Travel Priorities
Players are emphasizing changes to the revenue-sharing structure after failing to meet targets in the current agreement. The last CBA established revenue-sharing goals based on pre-pandemic figures that proved unattainable.
“When we talk about salary and compensation, it’s not just about the number,” Ogwumike explained. “It’s about revenue share and the salary structure.”
Codifying charter flights permanently in the CBA represents another priority. The league implemented private travel last May but only committed through the end of the current agreement.
“It’s here,” Ogwumike stated regarding charter travel. “I don’t foresee a world where we can take this back.”
Timeline And Potential Challenges
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier indicated in March that players are discussing potential work stoppage options, though they hope negotiations conclude before disrupting the 2026 season.
“We have to stand up for what we feel is right and what we deserve,” Collier said on “We Need to Talk.” “While we don’t want that situation to happen, of course, I think we’re prepared for any possibility right now.”
League owners are expected to maintain firm positions on prioritization rules requiring players to report to training camps on time over overseas commitments, according to sources familiar with ownership perspectives.
WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson emphasized the changing mentality in negotiations.
“With the benefit of hindsight, when you read the earlier CBAs, one of the takeaways is that the players were forced to feel grateful just to have a league,” Jackson said. “I believe we moved past that mindset in 2020.”
