With the WNBA pushing toward a second major deadline to finalize a new collective bargaining agreement, fresh details are shedding light on the league’s latest proposal — and players’ reactions suggest the battle over pay equity is far from over.
The WNBA and the players association previously agreed to a 30-day extension after failing to reach an agreement by the original October 31 deadline.
Now, with November 30 rapidly approaching, a clearer picture is emerging of what the league is offering and why many athletes believe the headline numbers do not match the reality.
According to a report from Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, the league has floated the idea of a potential max contract approaching roughly one million dollars. The figure immediately grabbed attention, sparking speculation that a new era of player compensation might be on the horizon. But those directly involved in negotiations say the number is largely misleading.
Costabile reports that while total earnings could theoretically exceed $1.1 million, the actual guaranteed base salary remains between $800,000 and $850,000 — the same range discussed in early October. The higher figure includes potential revenue-sharing bonuses that depend on the league meeting specific financial benchmarks. Under the proposal, no player signing in 2026 would receive a true $1.1 million base salary.
This distinction has become a central point of frustration. Players argue that tying their earnings to revenue thresholds they have no control over turns promised raises into conditional incentives rather than real progress.
That anger has been simmering for months. In September, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier publicly criticized the league’s approach to compensation during her exit interview, setting the tone for what would become an increasingly tense negotiation period. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert later acknowledged the comments, though her disappointment in the players’ tone highlighted the deepening strain between both sides.
The tension was unmistakable during WNBA All-Star Weekend. As Engelbert prepared to present the MVP award, the crowd erupted into chants of “pay them,” amplifying the league-wide call for fair compensation. Players joined in with unified messaging, taking the court in warmup shirts that read “Pay Us What You Owe Us” — a powerful statement that underscored how deeply this fight resonates across locker rooms.
As the next CBA deadline approaches, one thing is clear: the debate over what fair pay should look like in the WNBA is far from resolved, and the pressure on both sides continues to intensify.
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