New collective bargaining agreement negotiations could more than double player compensation and reshape women’s professional basketball
The Women’s National Basketball Association stands at a crossroads that could fundamentally transform the financial reality for its athletes. As negotiations continue for a new collective bargaining agreement, the numbers being discussed represent far more than incremental raises. The proposed changes would deliver compensation levels that finally begin to reflect the skill, dedication and entertainment value that WNBA players bring to professional sports.
The proposed minimum salary for players would exceed $220,000, while the average player salary is projected to surpass $460,000. These figures represent substantial increases from the current pay structure and signal a meaningful shift in how the league values its talent. For context, the maximum salary under discussion could reach over $1.1 million, a dramatic jump from the current ceiling of approximately $250,000.
The timeline and stakeholders
The league’s board of governors has been receiving briefings on the ongoing negotiations as both sides work to finalize a new agreement before the current one expires. A meeting scheduled for November 19 was set to continue advancing these discussions, with the goal of implementing the new salary structure in time for upcoming seasons.
The proposed increases would not arrive as a single windfall but rather through gradual implementation with annual increments designed to benefit players over the long term. This measured approach allows the league to manage its financial commitments while ensuring players see consistent improvement in their compensation year after year.
What players are demanding
Napheesa Collier, serving as Vice President of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, has been vocal about what players expect from these negotiations. The union has identified two primary objectives that extend beyond simple salary increases. Players want enhanced revenue sharing arrangements that give them a more equitable stake in the league’s financial success. They also seek a salary structure that better reflects the disparities that currently exist when comparing compensation between male and female professional athletes.
These demands highlight an uncomfortable truth about the current state of professional sports. Despite the growing popularity of women’s basketball and the undeniable talent on display, significant gaps remain in how male and female athletes are compensated for essentially the same work at the highest levels of their respective sports.
Leadership acknowledges the need for change
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the salary situation during an appearance on the Today show, acknowledging that WNBA players deserve higher compensation. However, his comments also revealed some of the complexity surrounding these negotiations. Silver suggested that direct comparisons of revenue sharing percentages between the NBA and WNBA miss the bigger picture, arguing that absolute dollar amounts matter more than percentages given the vast difference in total revenue between the two leagues.
His statement that WNBA players are going to get a big increase in this cycle of collective bargaining and that they deserve it represents an important acknowledgment from NBA leadership. The recognition carries weight given the organizational ties between the two leagues and the NBA’s role in supporting the WNBA’s operations.
The revenue sharing gap remains stark
The current revenue distribution reveals just how far women’s professional basketball has to go in achieving parity. WNBA players currently receive only 9.3% of their league’s revenue, while NBA players command approximately 50% of the revenue their league generates. This dramatic difference underscores why salary discussions cannot be separated from broader conversations about revenue sharing models.
The disparity exists even as the WNBA continues to grow its fan base, expand its media presence and generate increasing interest from sponsors and advertisers. The disconnect between the league’s rising profile and the compensation structure that existed until now has become increasingly difficult to justify.
Setting precedents for future generations
The outcome of these negotiations will reverberate far beyond the current roster of WNBA players. The agreement being hammered out now will set expectations and establish precedents for future generations of female basketball players who are currently competing in high school and college programs. Young athletes watching these negotiations understand that the decisions being made today will shape the professional opportunities available to them tomorrow.
The growing popularity and visibility of women’s basketball creates both opportunity and obligation. As more fans tune in, more sponsors invest and more media coverage follows the league, the pressure increases to ensure that the athletes creating all this value receive fair compensation for their work.
What comes next
The WNBA finds itself in a transformative period where the decisions made in conference rooms will reshape the league’s financial landscape for years to come. The proposed salary increases represent meaningful progress, but they also illuminate the work that remains in achieving true equity for female athletes across professional sports.
Source: WNBA collective bargaining agreement reports