WNBA CBA Update: Deadline Passes, Marathon Meetings Persist

Mo. Basuony

Published: March 18, 2026 3:34 AM ET

Filmogaz.com reports WNBA CBA Update: Deadline Passes, Marathon Meetings Persist as negotiators keep meeting in New York. Revenue sharing and housing emerged as central sticking points.

Timeline and current status

League negotiators set a preferred target of Monday, March 16, for a CBA term sheet. That date passed without agreement.

Meetings entered an extended marathon that reached roughly 90 hours of bargaining by Monday. Reports then placed total negotiation time at about 100 hours by late Tuesday night.

Comments from leaders

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said negotiators hoped a revenue and housing deal could allow the 2026 season to start on time. She allowed for a 24-to-48-hour buffer past the target date.

WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson and outside counsel Deb Willig told on-site media that major issues remain. Willig said progress had been made and estimated a term sheet might be possible within 15 to 20 hours.

Primary bargaining issues

Revenue sharing and the salary cap stand as the largest disputes. The union’s initial revenue request calls for 25% of gross revenue in year one.

The WNBA’s reported offer centers on a significantly higher share of team and league net revenue. Both sides continue to negotiate the accounting and percentages.

The union proposed a salary cap below $9.5 million. The league’s latest offer increases Year 1 cap to $6.2 million.

That figure compares with a $1.5 million cap in 2025. The proposed Year 1 maximum base salary tops $1.3 million.

Under the league’s plan, top salaries could approach $2 million later in the deal. Average pay would begin near $570,000 and could rise toward $850,000.

Player readiness and strike authorization

Players voted in December 2025 to empower the WNBPA executive committee to call a strike when needed. The authorization passed with 98% yes votes and 93% participation.

Union leaders have stressed the desire to play in 2026, while warning a work stoppage could hurt league finances. Several players expressed public support for the bargaining effort.

Drafts, expansion and the calendar

The WNBA set opening night for May 8, 2026. League officials said a signed term sheet was necessary to keep that timeline intact.

The 2026 WNBA Draft is scheduled for Monday, April 13. The Dallas Wings hold the No. 1 pick for a second straight year. The Minnesota Lynx pick second, followed by the Seattle Storm.

Two expansion franchises, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, are slated to join in 2026. The format and rules for their expansion draft must be included in the new CBA.

Golden State’s Valkyries previously entered the league as the 13th team in 2025. That team’s expansion draft occurred on Dec. 6, 2024, after rules were released in late September.

Free agency implications

Free agency timing remains unclear. Many players avoided long-term contracts past 2025 while bargaining continued.

A new agreement could alter core designation rules and other free agency mechanics. Teams and incoming franchises face a compressed roster-building window.