Time is running out on the 30-day extension the WNBA and WNBPA agreed to in October.
The extension pushed the collective bargaining agreement’s deadline from October 31 to November 30; that new deadline is now four days away.
Either side can opt out of the extension with at least 48 hours notice, something the players and owners agreed to in order to encourage a healthy sense of pressure as both sides continued negotiations.
But where do things stand now as the second deadline approaches? And what’s next if the sides fail to reach an agreement?
State of negotiations
The most recent known proposal included an offer from the league with a max salary of up to $1.1 million. However, this seven-figure number represents potential earnings based on a combination of players base salary and revenue sharing. The supermax base salary would still be in the six figure range, with multiple sources telling Front Office Sports it would be between $800,000 and $850,000.
The league and union have not commented since that proposal became public. Multiple sources told FOS that players were dissatisfied with another proposal that lumps base salary with potential earnings, signaling more negotiating was necessary.
The WNBA has pointed out it has offered what it defines as an “uncapped” revenue sharing model. The union is pursuing a model in which their salaries are driven by revenue, similar to the NBA, where the salary cap is determined by the league’s basketball related income. In previous statements the union characterized the league’s proposal as offering “a piece of a piece of the pie.” This was in reference to past proposals that only included league revenue and not team revenue, meaning ticket sales and other basketball related income.
What happens without a deal?
If the deadline comes and no deal is reached there are a number of scenarios that could play out.
In 2019, the WNBA and the union agreed to a 60-day extension and were able to ratify a new CBA in that window. The league needs to conduct an expansion draft for its two new teams in Portland and Toronto; last year’s expansion draft for the Golden State Valkyries took place in December.
The union and league have exchanged proposals since last week and will continue to meet this week despite the holiday, according to ESPN.
Both sides could agree to another extension or continue negotiating in a state of “status quo” meaning they operate under the rules of the current CBA. A lockout, initiated by the owners, or a strike, initiated by the players, becomes more of a possibility in this scenario. But a work stoppage would not automatically be initiated on Nov. 30 without a deal. Both scenarios would require a formal vote from either side, whether owners vote to lock out the players or the players vote to go on strike.
On the table
Beyond negotiations for a different salary system, the union’s priorities include improved benefits, codifying charter travel—which was fast tracked in 2024 but is not written into the current CBA—roster expansion, and a softer salary cap.
As of last week very little had been accomplished outside of discussions on the salary model, according to multiple sources, suggesting that more time is needed to ratify a new CBA.
