The WNBA and WNBPA recently agreed to extend the current Collective Bargaining Agreement through January 9, 2026, giving both sides extra time to negotiate a long-term deal. While this extension brings temporary stability, it also highlights the magnitude of the decisions still ahead. With the league growing faster than ever—record attendance, record viewership, new expansion teams—players and fans are watching closely to see what direction the WNBA chooses next.
Among all the topics on the table, one issue stands above the rest: player compensation and revenue sharing.
Why Player Compensation Is the Central Issue
For years, WNBA players have advocated for a more equitable share of league revenue. Unlike the NBA, where players receive about half of basketball-related income, WNBA players take home a much smaller percentage. As the league’s visibility and financial success increase, this gap becomes harder to justify. A modernized revenue-sharing model would not only raise salaries but also stabilize the league’s long-term growth.
Improved compensation would reduce the need for players to spend their offseasons competing overseas—often leading to burnout or injury. With higher pay, players could focus on rest, development, endorsements, and community engagement, all of which fuel the league’s expansion.
Other Issues Closely Tied to Pay
While compensation is the centerpiece, many other priorities connect directly to it:
League-wide charter flights to ensure safety, recovery, and competitive fairness
Expanded rosters to stop the yearly cycle of talented players being cut due to salary-cap constraints
Improved facilities, healthcare, and maternity protections
Strategic expansion across major markets
Addressing player pay creates the financial foundation needed to solve these related issues.
What Comes Next?
With the deadline now extended, both sides have the rare opportunity to shape the future of the WNBA for the next decade. Fans, players, and stakeholders will be watching to see whether this moment becomes a turning point—one where the league fully invests in th
