WNBA, players' union reach verbal agreement on CBA to avoid lockout | amNewYork

"The progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told reporters. It's underscoring a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game. It's been a process, but we're very proud to be leading in women's sports, and these players are amazing, and we're going to have an amazing 30th season tipping off in May."

"Amongst the largest amendments of this new CBA is that player salaries will be tied to league revenue for the first time ever, with the average salary eclipsing $500,000. According to ESPN's Alex Philippou, the salary cap will start at $7 million a significant jump from the $1.5 million cap set last year while supermax contracts will start at $1.4 million compared to the approximate $250,000 in 2025."

"This deal is going to be transformational, Stewart told reporters. It's going to build and help create a system where everybody is getting exactly what they deserve and more, from on the court and off the court aspects. Just excited that we can tell our fans that we're going to be back."

The WNBA and Women's National Basketball Players Association reached a verbal agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement early Wednesday morning, preventing a lockout before the 2026 season. This transformative agreement ties player salaries to league revenue for the first time in league history. The salary cap will increase from $1.5 million to $7 million, while supermax contracts will rise from approximately $250,000 to $1.4 million. Minimum salaries will jump from $66,079 to over $300,000. The agreement must still be formalized into a term sheet and approved by players and the WNBA's board of governors. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert emphasized the shared commitment to the league's continued growth, while WNBPA Vice President Breanna Stewart called the deal transformational.

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