WNBA, WNBPA reach final step in adoption of historic CBA

The WNBA and Women's National Basketball Players Association have reached a new milestone that brings the new collective bargaining agreement one step closer to being released in full. Both parties completed and signed the final long form version of the document, they announced Friday. Marking the true finish line of a 17-month-long negotiation process, the execution of the full CBA document serves as the official adoption of the agreement.

The new CBA’s terms were ratified by both parties on March 24. This came after a handshake deal was met early in the morning on March 18 to conclude eight days of marathon negotiations between representatives of both the league and players' union at a hotel in New York. The new CBA was lauded as "transformational" by both parties.

Rightly so, as it boasts the first comprehensive revenue-sharing model in women's professional sports. The deal is for seven years with an opt-out after the 2031 season. It includes the WNBA's first $1 million salaries and a new salary cap ($7 million per team this year, up from $1.

5 million in 2025) that's set to increase annually as the league's revenue grows. The new CBA also guarantees housing for players for the first three years of the deal. Other key terms of the agreement include an expanded benefits package, a one-time bonus for retired players, and a model that prioritizes a road to profitability for owners.