Argomenti trattati
The WNBA and the players’ union have been holding consecutive negotiating sessions as both sides push to finalize a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Meetings have stretched overnight, with one session beginning Sunday afternoon and ending around 3 a.m. Monday; the pair planned to reconvene later that day for a seventh straight day of talks. League officials and union representatives stress that progress is being made, but they also emphasize the complexity of the package under discussion.
Behind the closed doors are familiar names: Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and union leaders including Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Alysha Clark and executive director Terri Jackson. Team executives such as Connecticut Sun president Jen Rizzotti have observed the intensity and described both sides as motivated to reach a deal. Still, two topics—revenue sharing and player housing—have emerged as the most difficult to resolve.
What the negotiations are arguing over
The central financial debate hinges on contrasting ways to split income: proposals framed around net revenue versus those based on gross revenue. The league has floated offers that would return more than 70 percent of net revenue to players, meaning revenue after expenses are deducted. The union has pushed for a share of gross revenue, which represents total receipts before expenses. Earlier in talks the union sought 40 percent of gross revenue and by the start of the recent marathon sessions had moved to roughly 26–27.5 percent; the negotiations continue to narrow the gap.
Why housing matters
Housing has become a practical flashpoint. Since the WNBA’s inception, teams typically covered player housing; the league proposed phasing changes that would continue to pay for housing in the upcoming season but later limit support primarily to rookies and players on minimum contracts. The union initially sought continued team-paid housing for multiple years of the new CBA with only top earners gradually losing that benefit. Union president Nneka Ogwumike has highlighted housing as a foundational player welfare issue, noting how impactful a reliable housing benefit is for many athletes.
Who is bargaining and how sessions are unfolding
The talks have been intensive and visible. Union leaders and select players stayed deep into the night; for example, some executive council members left around 2 a.m., with others departing after nearly 14-hour days. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has described the conversations as complicated but urgent, calling the outcome “historic” for the league. On the union side, Terri Jackson framed the repeated meetings and face-to-face bargaining as positive steps, saying each session builds toward a solution even as labor authorization like strike authorization remains in the background as leverage.
Developmental roster and ancillary proposals
Part of the league’s package would create and protect spots for additional players: the league proposed funding housing for the two developmental players that will be added to rosters for the full term of the CBA. Other adjustments being considered touch on free agency rules, roster sizes, and offseason programs. Those items are linked to financial terms and therefore entangled with the revenue and housing conversations.
Calendar pressure and possible outcomes
Deadlines on the calendar add urgency. If a deal is finalized soon, the league would need to sign it before the April deadlines that precede the season: the expansion draft for the new teams (Portland and Toronto) is expected in the early April window, the 2026 WNBA Draft is scheduled for April 13, and training camp is slated to begin on April 19 with an opening night targeted for May 8. Should negotiations extend past those dates, some events—or even the season opener—could be delayed. League and union officials have both signaled they want the season to start on time but have not ruled out schedule adjustments if agreement is not reached quickly.
As talks continue, public remarks from both sides emphasize commitment to a resolution. The union has shown willingness to refine its revenue share request, and the league has been negotiating transitional approaches to housing rather than an immediate cutoff. Observers note that resolving the major sticking points would clear the way for the operational steps that must follow: expansion and draft logistics, free agency for much of the roster, and preseason games already planned for late April. The next few rounds of bargaining will likely determine whether those calendar commitments hold.