The WNBA and WNBPA concluded an overnight negotiating session without a new CBA, leaving a critical March 10 deadline unmet and raising the specter of a season-delaying work stoppage as revenue sharing and salary cap gaps remain wide.
With the March 10 deadline now passed, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association concluded an overnight negotiating session in New York without reaching a new collective bargaining agreement, leaving the start of the 2026 season in jeopardy. The marathon meeting, which began around 5 p.m. ET at the Langham Hotel and stretched past 3 a.m., featured key figures from both sides, including WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike, vice president Breanna Stewart, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert, and Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai Yahoo Sports.
According to an ESPN report, players departed the talks shortly before 3 a.m. ET, with negotiations formally ending around 5 a.m. ESPN. Engelbert characterized the discussions as “complex” and “complicated” but reiterated the league’s commitment to a “transformational” deal for players, stressing that an agreement is “really important to the future not just of the league, but of women’s sports.”
WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson offered a slightly more optimistic assessment, stating the meeting featured “a lot of conversation going in the right direction” and emphasizing that “every meeting is a positive meeting.” However, with the deadline passed, the path to a season-opening on May 8 remains uncertain. “We’ve got to get this deal done,” Engelbert reportedly said. “We’ve got to get it done soon.”
At the heart of the stalemate are two fundamental economic disputes that have defined these negotiations. The players’ union is demanding 25% of gross revenue in the first year of a new CBA, scaling to an average of roughly 26% over the agreement’s term. The WNBA, conversely, is offering more than 70% of net revenue—a significant gap in both percentage and revenue base definition. On the salary cap, the union proposes a cap below $9.5 million, while the league’s offer stands at $5.75 million annually, escalating with revenues to approximately $8.5 million by 2031.
The players have already authorized a strike, with a December 2025 vote resulting in 98% approval among participants Yahoo Sports. Yet both sides acknowledge that a work stoppage would be catastrophic in a revenue-sharing model. “No revenue, no revenue to share,” noted Kelsey Plum, echoing the league’s own economic warnings. The WNBPA has consistently maintained that “there is no WNBA without the players,” while the league insists a deal must be “transformational” to ensure long-term viability.
Historically, the WNBA has never endured a lockout, though the 2003 draft and preseason were postponed before a CBA was reached WNBA.com. The current impasse, however, carries unique stakes with two expansion teams—Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire—set to join in 2026. Their expansion draft cannot proceed until a new CBA is finalized, freezing roster construction for the new franchises. Commissioner Engelbert has indicated the format will resemble the 2024 Golden State Valkyries expansion draft, but with a compressed timeline before the May 8 season start.
Fan anxieties are amplified by recent internal union discord. A private letter obtained by ESPN revealed that executive committee members Stewart and Plum raised “serious concerns” about the union’s negotiation strategy and player involvement ESPN. Following the leak, the executive committee publicly reaffirmed its unity, vowing to deliver a “transformational CBA.” Stewart later said the episode led to “a little bit of a tougher call” that ultimately got the committee “back on track.”
The calendar grows increasingly unforgiving. The 2026 Draft is slated for April 13, with the Dallas Wings holding the No. 1 pick after winning the draft lottery Yahoo Sports. Free agency, which typically opens in February, remains unscheduled and could involve over 100 players if a CBA isn’t in place. The league’s landmark 30th season tips off on May 8, but without a deal, that date hangs in the balance.
Each side is dug in: the league warns that excessive revenue sharing could threaten franchise solvency, while players argue that a higher cap and revenue cut are essential to sustain a growing league and attract top talent. The marathon session itself—a rare overnight negotiation—signals both sides’ urgency, yet the fundamental disconnect over financial structure suggests a prolonged fight may lie ahead. For now, fans are left to wonder whether the league’s 30th season will tip off on schedule or become the first major work stoppage in WNBA history.
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