No Progress Made In WNBA Salary Negotiations

This is a disappointing outcome for the union.

After the WNBA met with representatives of its players for about three hours on Feb. 2, both sides left with no salary agreement in place and no counteroffer from the league to its last offer to the union.

According to Front Office Sports, the first meeting since December made no progress on any issues between the two sides. It’s been almost two months since the WNBA presented the WNBPA with its latest offer, and the union was just notified that the league will begin responding to the union’s counteroffer.

This was a disappointing outcome for the union, which had hoped for a positive response to its request.

“They volunteered that they did not have a proposal prepared at the top of the meeting,” Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBPA, said to Front Office Sports. “That kind of set the tone for the conversation because we were hoping to hear otherwise.”

This meeting was an opportunity for both sides to share their thinking on the last proposal and explain their rationale. It also gave players and owners the chance to connect and ask the other side questions.

Joining Ogwumike were Vice President Alysha Clark, Treasurer Brianna Turner, and Stefanie Dolson, a player rep for the Washington Mystics. Other players, including Vice Presidents Kelsey Plum, Napheesa Collier, and Breanna Stewart, and Secretary Elizabeth Williams, joined the meeting via Zoom. Approximately 40 players also attended via video conference.

The league’s last offer guarantees players a maximum base salary of $1 million, starting this upcoming season, that could rise to $1.3 million through revenue sharing. The last CBA had a maximum cap of $249,000. Players would receive more than 70% of net revenue. That would be after all expenses are paid. Those expenses would include better amenities for players, such as upgraded facilities, charter flights, and five-star hotels.

The average salary would increase to more than $530,000, which is more than the current $120,000, and grow to more than $770,000 over the life of the agreement. The minimum salary would be up from $67,000 to approximately $250,000 in the first year.

The union responded with a proposal that players receive approximately 30% of gross revenue. The player’s cut would be from money generated before expenses for the first year, while giving teams a $10.5 million salary cap to sign players. They would also want the revenue-sharing percentage to go up each season.