WNBA, union agree to another extension for new CBA talks

The WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players’ Association agreed to another extension ahead of the 11:59 p.m. Sunday expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement.

The two sides agreed to extend the current CBA until Jan. 9 at 11:59 p.m., allowing for six more weeks to continue negotiations.

Either side has the option to terminate the extension with 48 hours’ advance notice.

The agreement not only postponed the deadline for another month and delayed a potential work stoppage but allows for the two sides to continue to meet at the bargaining table to hash out a deal.

In the meantime, players still will have access to their team facilities and receive medical benefits.

Negotiations for a new deal ramped up in recent months ahead of the initial Oct. 31 deadline.

Players agreed to the WNBA’s 30-day extension offer a day before that deadline.

A month later, though, the two sides remain at odds on several issues.

The biggest sticking points in negotiations have centered around revenue sharing and a complementary salary model.

Updated proposals from each side have been exchanged, but an agreement has yet to be reached.

The most recent known proposal from the league included a max salary of more than $1.1 million — a figure that represents the potential earnings based on a combination of players’ base salary and revenue sharing, according to multiple reports.

Front Office Sports reported this month the supermax base salary still would be in the ballpark of $800,000 to $850,000.

Under that known proposal, the new league minimum would be more than $220,000 with an average of more than $460,000.

While the WNBA has never missed games due to labor disputes, it’s not unusual for negotiations to go beyond a deal’s deadline.

During the last CBA cycle, the league and players’ union did not ratify a deal until January 2020.

But the league’s offseason events — including the two expansion drafts, free agency and the college draft — will be put on hold until a new CBA is finalized.

The most recent expansion draft — for the Valkyries ahead of their inaugural season this year — took place Dec. 6, 2024.

The beginning of free agency is planned for late January, and the college draft would be in April.