Many deadlines related to WNBA collective bargaining agreement have come and gone as negotiations between the league and players’ union have stretched across months, but none are more important than Tuesday.
The league said Tuesday, March 10, is the date a term sheet for a new CBA must be completed in order to avoid a delay in the start of the 2026 season, which is scheduled to tip off May 8. There’s been movement from both sides as the deadline approached as the WNBA and WNBPA swapped counterproposals over the weekend. But, as of Tuesday morning, there is no deal.
Will there be a 2026 season? Will the players go on strike? What’s next for the WNBA? Here’s everything you need to know as the latest CBA deadline has passed without a new deal:
WNBA recent CBA negotiations: Where do things stand?
The WNBA submitted a counterproposal to the players’ union on March 1 in response to the WNBPA’s Feb. 27 submission. WNBPA executive committee member Kelsey Plum said the league’s offer marked a ‘significant win’ amid negotiations.
In a private letter obtained by ESPN on March 3, Plum and fellow executive committee member Breanna Stewart raised ‘serious concerns’ about the union’s handling of CBA negotiations, citing a lack of player involvement. Stewart said the executive committee met after the letter leaked, which led to ‘a little bit of a tougher call Tuesday night’ that ultimately got ‘the (executive committee) back on track.’
On March 4, the WNBPA executive committee released a statement publicly backing the negotiating team of its executive director Terri Jackson and players’ union president Nneka Ogwumike: ‘In every CBA negotiation, the goal of the league and teams is to divide the players. These negotiations are no different. We remain united and focused on delivering a transformational CBA for all members of the Union, and are committed to negotiating for as long as it takes.’
The WNBPA statement added the league’s proposal ‘is not worth taking.’ The players’ union met again on Thursday, March 5, which ‘seemed a lot more productive,’ Stewart said. According to ESPN, the players’ union sent a proposal back to the league on Friday, March 6, and the league quickly countered on Saturday, March 7.
The league and WNBPA last met virtually on Feb. 23. On the call were more than 50 WNBA players, including the entire WNBPA executive committee, along with league staff, the labor relations committee and owners as CBA negotiations continue.
What are the key issues between WNBA players and owners?
Revenue sharing and the salary cap remain the top sticking points. Here is where the two sides stand:
- Revenue sharing: The WNBPA requested 25% of gross revenue in the first year, increasing over the life of the agreement to an average of roughly 26%. The WNBA is currently offering more than 70% of league and team net revenue.
- Salary cap: The union also proposed a salary cap of less than $9.5 million. The WNBA proposed a salary cap of $5.75 million per year, rising with league revenues it will grow to roughly $8.5 million by 2031.
Will WNBA players go on strike?
In December, the players voted to authorize the WNBPA’s executive committee to ‘call a strike when necessary.’ The WNBPA said the strike authorization vote resulted in 98% yes votes with 93% participation among players.
In a private letter obtained by ESPN on Tuesday, March 3, Stewart and Plum warned a potential work stoppage would harm the league’s financial outlook. After the letter went public, the executive committee said a decision to strike ‘was not taken lightly.’
‘Despite our differences and tough moments, we must make crystal clear that we are focused, we are resolute, and we are together,’ the WNBPA executive committee said on Wednesday, March 4. ‘We want to play basketball in 2026. We want to be in front of our fans playing the game that we love. We will not stop fighting. There is no WNBA without the players.’
Plum echoed that sentiment on March 3. Ahead of the Unrivaled semifinal game on Monday, Plum said: ‘I want to play, and players want to play … And so obviously we’re going to continue to negotiate and do everything we possibly can to get this done in a timely fashion. But obviously a strike would be the worst thing for both sides, because we are in a revenue (sharing system), so no revenue, no revenue to share.’
Has WNBA ever had a lockout?
When is 2026 WNBA Draft? Who has No. 1 pick?
The 2026 WNBA Draft is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 13, a little more than a week after a national champion will be crowned at the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Dallas Wings were awarded the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery for the second consecutive year. The Wings will have first dibs on big names like UConn’s Azzi Fudd, Spain’s Awa Fam, UCLA’s Lauren Betts, TCU’s Olivia Miles and LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson.
“We want someone who wants to win,” said Wings forward Maddy Siegrist, who represented the team at the lottery in November. The Minnesota Lynx will pick second in the draft, followed by the Seattle Storm.
When is the 2026 expansion draft?
The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire are set to join the league in 2026 as the 14th and 15th WNBA franchises, but the teams will have to wait a little longer to begin assemble their rosters. That’s because the rules and format of the upcoming expansion draft will be negotiated in the new CBA, meaning the draft cannot be held until a deal is in place.
‘We have given our general managers some guidance on how we’re thinking, but until we get the collective bargaining agreement done, it won’t be finalized as to the format or process,’ WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert said back in October. ‘But you can expect, because you saw what we did last year, something similar.’
When the Golden State Valkyries joined the league as the 13th franchise in 2025, the team’s expansion draft was held on Dec. 6, 2024. The draft rules were released on Sept. 30, 2024 and WNBA teams were required to provide the league with a roster list of all their players by Nov 25, 2024, including six protected players that wouldn’t be available for selection. Golden State then got to pick one player from each team, nearly two months before team-building continued through free agency in late January.
The timeline will be much tighter for the Tempo and Fire with the WNBA’s projected May 8 start date. The league has to squeeze in an expansion draft for two teams, free agency that will feature over 100 players and the 2026 WNBA Draft before opening night.
When does WNBA free agency start?
It’s not clear when WNBA free agency will start, but it will likely be a wild ride. The league will have a staggering amount of free agents as many players avoided signing contracts past the 2025 season, aside from rookie-scale contracts, as a new CBA and higher salaries are on the horizon. Money is not the only thing on the negotiating table — the new CBA could impact free agency rules, such as core designation rules.
2026 WNBA season key dates
The WNBA’s landmark 30th season is scheduled to tip off on Friday, May 8. It’s not clear how the March 10 deadline will impact the key dates below:
- May 8: Opening Night
- June 1-June 17: Commissioner’s Cup
- July 24-27: All-Star Weekend (Chicago)
- September 1- September 16: FIBA Break
- September 24: Last day of regular season
USA TODAY’s Meghan L. Hall and Mark Giannotto contributed to this report
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@usatoday.com and follow her on X at@CydHenderson.
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