The WNBA avoided a lockout for several more weeks.
With the WNBA's collective bargaining agreement set to expire at 11:59 pm ET on Sunday night, the players association and league have agreed to extend the current CBA until January 9, 2026, ESPN's Alexa Philippou reports. reported.
Either party has the option to terminate the renewal with 48 hours notice, Philippou said.
“The WNBA and WNBPA continue to work on a new agreement,” the league said in a statement to ESPN.
Just before the agreement expired, the players' association proposed a six-week extension to the league to avoid a lockout and continue negotiations for a new agreement.
In response league proposed extension for 21 days, and both parties agreed on the length of the extension, settling on 40 days.
This marks the second extension to the ongoing CBA negotiations after a 30-day extension was agreed on October 31.
“We expect significant progress across the league during this window,” the players' association said in its initial statement to ESPN following its six-week proposal.
According to ESPN's Ramona ShelburneThe players' union initially discussed offering a 24-hour extension only, but opted for a longer period.
Although both sides have continued to negotiate over the past 30 days, no deal has been agreed upon.
Steps have been taken. An Associated Press report in mid-November said the WNBA had proposed a revenue-sharing system with a maximum salary of more than $1.1 million available to more than one player on a team, with that number growing every year. Additionally, the league minimum will be over $220,000 and the average will be over $460,000.
These numbers will begin in the first year of the agreement for over 180 players and will increase as the CBA continues.
However, ESPN later reported that the player called the proposed deal with the league “slap in the face.“
In 2019, when the last CBA expired, the parties agreed to a 60-day extension and ultimately ratified the current CBA in January 2020.
Players exercised their right to opt out of the current CBA last year in hopes of receiving, among other things, increased revenue sharing, higher salaries, improved benefits and a softer salary cap.
The players were already paid for last season and have health insurance until April 30, 2026. There won't be any major developments in the league in the near future until the expansion draft for the new teams, Portland and Toronto. Golden State's expansion draft took place last December.
— With files from The Associated Press.
