WNBA Reveals Revised CBA Proposal; Salary Gap Still Unresolved - Report

Last Updated:February 08, 2026, 16:19 IST

WNBA sent a long-awaited CBA proposal to players after six weeks of silence, with modest concessions.

After weeks of radio silence, the WNBA has finally put something on the table.

According to Front Office Sports, the league sent a long-awaited CBA proposal to players on Friday, breaking a six-week stretch with no tangible movement. Talks resumed earlier this week, but Monday’s meeting got off to an awkward start when league representatives admitted they didn’t even have a counter-proposal ready.

“They volunteered that they did not have a proposal prepared at the top of the meeting," Seattle Storm forward and players’ association president Nneka Ogwumike said. “That kind of set the tone."

Still, that meeting nudged negotiations forward — enough for the league to formally present a deal days later. The catch? The concessions appear modest.

The proposal includes minor tweaks to revenue sharing, a commitment to team-provided housing for players who need it, and the addition of two developmental roster spots per team. Useful steps, but hardly the sweeping changes players have been pushing for.

Money remains the biggest sticking point. The players’ association has proposed an average salary of $800,000 per year, while the league’s last known offer sat closer to $530,000. Whether Friday’s proposal narrows that gap remains unclear, and that uncertainty looms large with the calendar working against both sides.

Negotiations have been ongoing since late June, with multiple deadlines already missed and extended. The regular season is slated to begin in May, but there’s plenty that must happen first: an expansion draft for new teams Toronto and Portland, free agency, the April 13 amateur draft, and a mid-season pause for September’s FIBA World Cup.

Free agency usually tips off in early January. At this point, March is being floated as a best-case scenario — assuming a deal is struck soon.

The WNBA has never lost games to a work stoppage in its 29-year history. Whether that streak survives this standoff now hangs in the balance.

(with Reuters inputs)

News sports nba WNBA Reveals Revised CBA Proposal; Salary Gap Still Unresolved - Report

Read More