Two days past the WNBA’s March 10 deadline, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) reports “feeling movement” in extended CBA negotiations, hinting at progress toward a new deal amid the league’s booming popularity.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert set the target to secure the agreement before the mid-May opener, but delays have frozen free agency and raised concerns over the draft and schedule. Still, this could pave the way for a transformative pact boosting player pay, fueled by stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
A 12-hour marathon from March 10 into March 11 produced no term sheet, but WNBPA Executive Director Terri Jackson remained positive: “There’s work to be done. The progress is that we’re still working,” she said, noting “a lot of conversation going in the right direction.” Jackson added, “Every meeting is a positive meeting,” and stressed unity: “We are focused, we are resolute, and we are together.”
Talks resumed March 11 in New York, spilling into today. Engelbert called it “complex”: “We’re working towards a win-win deal… a transformational deal for these players,” she told reporters at 5 a.m., emphasizing its importance for women’s sports.
Key sticking points include a raised salary cap offer to $6.2 million for Year 1 (up from $5.75 million), revenue sharing, charter flights, and family benefits—expanding on the 2020 CBA. A union insider noted their deadline is simply “when a great deal is on the table.”
The overrun creates roster chaos for GMs and agents, with potential delays to camps and games.
As talks continue, the union’s momentum suggests no lockout looms. Players opted out in November 2024 to capitalize on growth; a new CBA could redefine women’s sports.
