After more than a year of tense back-and-forth over CBA negotiations, the WNBA has put a bold new offer on the table, one that would fundamentally reshape player pay and potentially push top stars into the seven-figure salary tier.

WNBA Offers New Proposal To End CBA Standoff

The proposal, revealed by WBB insider Khristina Williams on X, marks the league’s most aggressive effort yet to address long-standing frustrations over pay, and revenue sharing. With the CBA clock extended to January, the pressure is officially on.

Williams reported on X that a source familiar with negotiations told her the league is proposing a revamped compensation system directly tied to team and league revenue growth. It’s a change that could dramatically elevate future earnings.

The new WNBA package is centered on guaranteed $1 million base salaries for max players beginning in 2026.

With revenue sharing added, those earnings could surpass $1.2 million. The league also wants to lift the average salary to more than $500,000, raise the minimum salary above $225,000, and increase the team salary cap from $1.5 million to $5 million in the first year.

The cap would then scale upward based on annual league and team revenue, creating a direct financial link between growth and player compensation.

This is the most aggressive compensation structure the league has offered to date. The new proposal comes after an earlier November 18 offer in which the league floated more than $1.1 million in potential max earnings, a proposal that ultimately didn’t sway the players.

CBA Negotiations Drag On As Work Stoppage Risks Grow

CBA talks have been ongoing for more than a year, since the Players opted out of them back in October 2024. With multiple high-profile moments, including players wearing “Pay Us What You Owe Us” shirts during All-Star week in 2025.

Despite steady meetings, the sides remain divided on core issues like revenue-sharing formulas and future compensation models.

The WNBA and the WNBPA recently agreed to a 40-day extension, moving the expiration date to January 9, 2026, though either side can cut the extension short with 48 hours’ notice. No final deal is close, and the threat of a work stoppage hangs over the offseason.

Complicating matters further, new competitor leagues such as Unrivaled and Project B are offering players alternative paydays and equity stakes, giving top stars more leverage than ever before.

For now, the WNBA’s historic seven-figure proposal signals real movement, but unless the sides close the gap quickly, the league could be headed toward its most consequential labor showdown in history.