The GIST: Over 100 hours of negotiations later, we finally have a new WNBA CBA. The term sheet is still being finalized and the deal needs to be ratified, but reports indicate the league\u2019s sixth CBA is as transformational as hoped. And exhale.<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udcb8 The details: Per ESPN<\/a>, the salary cap now starts at $7M (up from $1.5M), supermax deals begin at $1.4M (up from $249K), and the average salary is $600K (up from $120K). Revenue share was a major sticking point for the WNBPA, and the sides landed at nearly 20%.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udca5 The impact: This CBA sets a new standard for pay across women\u2019s sports, building on the momentum<\/a> the league generated in recent seasons. Best of all, it will be life-changing for every player. The WNBA\u2019s minimum salary is now $300K, up from $66K. Yes, the ceiling has risen, but so has the floor.<\/p>\n \u23e9 What\u2019s next: So much to do, so little time. Ratifying the deal is expected to take until the end of the month, and what follows will be a flurry of hoopla. The league\u2019s to-do list<\/a> includes an expansion draft for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, free agency, the WNBA entry draft, training camp, and a preseason slate\u2026all before season tip-off on May 8th.<\/p>\n The most intriguing part of the next 49 days will likely be free agency<\/a>, with over 100 players eligible to sign new contracts. Players purposefully inked deals that ended this offseason, hoping to capitalize on a lucrative CBA \u2014 and now they can. Truly game-changing.