The WNBA and its players’ union agreed to a new CBA in principle that will include raises for all players under contract on Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak publicly about ongoing negotiations.
The person said all players currently under contract, including those under rookie deals, will be graduated from salaries in the old CBA to salaries paid in the new CBA. For example, if a player on their rookie deal made the minimum the minimum salary $66,079, they would now make more than $300,000.
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In the new agreement, first- and second-team All-WNBA players on rookie contracts — such as Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers — are eligible to sign a maximum contract in their fourth year. Those players would not be eligible for the core designation following that extension. A player on a rookie scale contract that earns MVP could similarly be eligible for a supermax deal. Any player on a rookie scale deal who signs an extension of at least three years would not be able to be cored thereafter.
The person also confirmed the new league salary cap would start at $7 million in Year 1, up from $1.5 million in 2025. The average revenue share for the players would be nearly 20% across the life of the deal, up from 9.3% under the 2020 CBA. As for player salaries, the supermax would be $1.4 million, with an average salary close to $600,000 and the minimum above $300,000.
Per a Front Office Sports report, starting in 2027, a player can only be cored who has six or fewer years of service.
According to a source familiar with the situation, the length of the deal was not specified and housing details, a key sticking point in negotiations, have yet to be finalized/released. After the deal is agreed to in principle, a term sheet will need to be signed. It will then go to the players for a vote and then to a board of governors for ratification.
“First, I just want to say thank you for your endurance through this process, especially I know it’s been a long week. I just want to say we have aligned on key elements of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement together,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement about the CBA. “We still need to finalize a formal term sheet, but the progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league. It underscores a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game. So, we’ll share additional details as they become available.
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“We just had some congratulations with each other. It’s been, obviously, a process, but we’re very proud to be leading women’s sports. These players are amazing, and we’re going to have an amazing 30th season tipping off in May.”
Engelbert said the season will start on time on May 8 as planned. Training camp begins on April 19. The WNBA also needs to conduct free agency and expansion drafts for the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo before the season. A timeline for those two items was not provided early Wednesday morning. The league also has to squeeze in free agency featuring over 100 players and the 2026 WNBA Draft before opening night.
“We have always believed that as this game grows, the players who power it must grow with it,” WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike said in a statement. “That belief brought us together, not just for ourselves, but for those who built the league and those who will carry it forward. We challenged one another, we listened, we stayed at the table when it mattered most.
“This CBA delivers on that commitment. … It redefines what it means to be a professional in this league.”
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“The deal is going to be transformational,” union vice president Breanna Stewart told ESPN. “It’s going to build and help create a system where everybody is getting exactly what they deserve and more, from on the court and off the court aspects. Just excited that we can tell our fans that we’re going to be back.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA CBA to give every rookie under contract a raise, path to supermax
