The WNBA informed the WNBPA and its franchises on Monday that a fresh collective bargaining agreement must be settled by March 10 to avoid any disruption to the 2026 schedule, sources indicated to ESPN.
The WNBA — represented by its league personnel, the league’s labor relations committee, and team owners — along with over 50 athletes, convened remotely Monday morning for the second negotiation session this month involving players, ESPN sources confirmed. In addition to the league communicating the March 10 date, the two parties continued their discussions concerning their differing viewpoints amidst the now 16-month-long CBA deliberations.
The WNBPA is next planning to meet with its leadership to consider subsequent actions, which will include a formal response to the league’s most recent proposal from Friday.
The league also convened with general managers later Monday afternoon to convey the March 10 date. This is believed to be the initial sort of ultimatum the league has presented to athletes and teams, as negotiations have been protracted and have already interrupted the offseason.
Even once a pact is reached, its formal ratification could take several weeks. The WNBA still needs to conduct a two-franchise expansion draft for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire and facilitate free agency for 80% of the league’s players.
Training camp is presently slated to commence April 19, with the collegiate draft scheduled for April 13. The regular season is projected to tip off on May 8.
“Often, matters tend to be concluded at the eleventh hour,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated concerning the WNBA talks at NBA All-Star Weekend on Feb. 14. “We are drawing remarkably close to the final moment when it pertains to bargaining.”
The two parties still disagree on the operational mechanics of a new revenue-sharing framework, which has emerged as the primary impediment in the discussions. Accommodation — historically furnished by teams but not initially included in the league’s proposals — has also become a significant point of contention.
Earlier Monday, the union informed ESPN’s Katie Barnes that the WNBA generated sufficient revenue in 2025 to trigger profit sharing with its players, and that $9.25 million from licensing proceeds will also be distributed to players.
“This highlights our worth and demonstrates why our struggle is rational and why we must continue to contend,” WNBPA treasurer Brianna Turner conveyed to Barnes.