WNBA CBA negotiations: Higher salaries, team housing cuts and earlier start among league proposals for new collective bargaining agreement

With WNBA salaries set to rise, scheduling changes and team housing cuts are among the league's latest proposals in collective bargaining negotiations, according to Front Office Sports.

News of the latest proposals comes days after the WNBA and its players union agreed to a second extension of the CBA deadline, to January 9, 2026.

According to ESPN, the WNBA's latest proposal included a maximum base salary of $1 million, with revenue sharing potentially increasing total earnings over $1.2 million.

Average salaries in the WNBA could exceed $500,000, with a minimum of more than $225,000. This is an increase from the supermax wage in 2025, which was $249,244, and the minimum was $66,079. The salary cap would increase from $1.5 million to $5 million.

Per FOS, the league's proposal would allow salaries to grow with league and team revenue, which has been a sticking point for players.

But the increased salary could put team housing, which the league has provided since 2016, at risk, per FOS. Under the current CBA, WNBA players can stay in team-provided housing or receive a monthly stipend.

The stipend varies by city, and players with children under 13 are eligible for a two-bedroom apartment. The housing cost can range from $1,177 in Las Vegas to $2,647 in New York

FOS also reported a league proposal to start the season earlier. Training camp could begin in mid-March, which would overlap with the NCAA tournament and the WNBA Draft, meaning rookies would arrive after the season has already begun. April 1 is the earliest training camp could start under the previous CBA.

The WNBA has been trending toward extending its season, with teams playing a record 44 games in 2025, and the playoffs expanding to a seven-game Finals series. An earlier start or lengthening of the season would also affect WNBA players playing in offseason leagues such as Unrivaled and Project B, as well as the EuroLeague.

There has been a lot of tension around CBA negotiations amid an explosion of growth and interest in the game. Players at July's All-Star Game wore T-shirts during warm-ups reading "Pay Us What You Owe Us," and the back-and-forth continued from there. Minnesota Lynx All-Star Napheesa Collier concluded her season by calling out WNBA commissioner Engelbert and the league's front office for lack of accountability.

Since then, the league and players union have traded public statements amid negotiations, which don't appear to be ending anytime soon.