The VNBA and the players’ union agreed to 40 new days of negotiations
The WNBA and the players’ union (VNBPA) saved some time. The two sides, in fact, announced overnight that they had once again extended the negotiating deadline to reach an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), giving them until January 9 to finalize a compromise.
This extension, however, remains very fragile: the league and union can end it with a simple 48-hour notice. He was abducted just before the deadline at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. The union campaigned for an extra six weeks, when the league only wanted to grant about twenty days. “We expect significant progress from the league in this time frame”warned VNBPA.
basically, positions remain quite distantespecially about the salary structure and income distribution. The VNBA, however, has put a steep salary increase on the table, with a cap of more than $1.1 million for the top earners and a minimum of more than $220,000 (compared to a minimum of $66,079 and a maximum of $249,244 in 2025). But the players feel the offer doesn’t guarantee enough revenue-based salary cap growth, unlike the NBA system.
The VNBPA refuses to set the cap in an “arbitrary” manner with a fixed increase, as it is today, while the league is experiencing spectacular growth. Players are also demanding minimum standards for facilities, private jet flights, and better support on retirement and maternity issues.
In the background, the league wants to continue convincing owners to invest while the WNBA is just beginning to see profitability after years of losses.
This new deadline should allow the current enthusiasm (audience increase, record attendance, media explosion, etc.) to be transformed into a permanent agreement. Otherwise, the start of the next season could be disrupted.
2025-12-01 10:30:00
