WNBA and Players Union Struggle to Reach CBA Deal

Revenue sharing and player housing remain key sticking points in negotiations

Mar. 15, 2026 at 6:23pm

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The WNBA and the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) are in the midst of tense negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement, with revenue sharing and player housing benefits emerging as the two biggest obstacles. Players' union president Nneka Ogwumike said these issues were the primary focus of a fifth consecutive day of talks on Saturday, as both sides work to reach an agreement quickly to avoid disruptions to the upcoming WNBA season.

Why it matters

The CBA negotiations are critical for the future of the WNBA, as they will determine key financial and operational terms that impact player compensation, benefits, and the overall sustainability of the league. Resolving these issues is especially important given the WNBA's goal of expanding to new markets like Portland and Toronto.

The details

The main sticking points are revenue sharing and player housing. The union has pushed for a share of gross revenue, while the league has proposed players receive more than 70% of net revenue. On housing, the league has proposed changes to the current structure where teams pay for player housing, which the union sees as an important benefit to maintain.

  • The WNBA season is currently scheduled to begin on May 8, 2026, with preseason games set for April 25.
  • The league and union have been negotiating for over a year, with the latest round of talks spanning five consecutive days as of March 15, 2026.

The players

Nneka Ogwumike

The president of the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), who has been leading the union's negotiations with the WNBA.

Cathy Engelbert

The commissioner of the WNBA, who has stated that a deal needs to be finalized by early next week to avoid potential complications with the league's calendar.

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What they’re saying

“It's very important for us to nail those two things down which is I think the biggest thing on the agenda today. So we want to make sure that we can get that.”

— Nneka Ogwumike, WNBPA President

“We've talked a lot about revenue share, which that's obviously going to be, I don't even really like calling it the elephant in the room. Like it's there, you know, like we're going to talk about it. But housing is big, you know, and housing is really big.”

— Nneka Ogwumike, WNBPA President

What’s next

The league and union are racing to finalize a new CBA by early next week in order to avoid potential disruptions to the upcoming WNBA season, which is scheduled to begin on May 8, 2026.

The takeaway

The WNBA and its players union are engaged in high-stakes negotiations over the league's next collective bargaining agreement, with revenue sharing and player housing emerging as the two biggest sticking points. Resolving these complex issues will be crucial for the long-term stability and growth of the WNBA as it looks to expand to new markets.