Particle.news
Download on the App Store
20 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

WNBA and Players Union Sign 7-Year CBA Term Sheet With Revenue Sharing

Player ratification plus board approval will determine whether the compressed offseason stays on schedule.

Image
Flau'jae Johnson 4, #2 ranked LSU Tigers Women’s Basketball take on #15 Jacksonville Dolphins in the 2026 NCAA Div I Women’s Basketball Championship at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, LA. Friday, March 20, 2026.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 08: A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces reacts after scoring a basket and drawing a foul against the Seattle Storm in the second quarter of their game at Michelob ULTRA Arena on August 08, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Image

Overview

  • The sides completed and signed the term sheet on March 20 as the union holds player education sessions, with a vote expected to take a couple of days and a Board of Governors vote to follow.
  • The agreement introduces a comprehensive revenue-sharing model reported at roughly a 20% average, with the league projecting more than $1 billion in player salaries and benefits over seven years.
  • The 2026 team salary cap is set at $7.0 million, maximum salaries start at $1.4 million, average pay is projected at $583,000, and minimums range from about $270,000 to $300,000 based on service time.
  • A revamped rookie scale and the EPIC rule boost early-career earnings, with the 2026 No. 1 pick projected at $500,000 and existing rookie deals adjusted upward, including Caitlin Clark at about $527,155 and Paige Bueckers at about $499,200 in 2026.
  • Quality-of-life and competition changes include codified charter travel, phased housing support, larger rosters with 12 active players plus two developmental spots, pregnancy and injury cap exceptions including trade consent for pregnant players, and a schedule expansion to up to 50 games in 2027–28 and 52 from 2029–2032.