Topic / Subject

The WNBA and WNBPA really did reach a verbal agreement on new CBA terms, and the money jump being discussed is huge. The deal is not fully final yet, but the projected salary and cap changes would be a major shift for the league.

TL;DR

This is a real deal story, not rumor smoke. The biggest caution is that it still needs formal ratification, but the reported pay jump would be transformational for women’s basketball.

Key Details

• Per ESPN, the WNBA and WNBPA reached a verbal agreement on new CBA terms

• ESPN reported the 2026 salary cap would start at $7 million, up from $1.5 million in 2025

• ESPN reported the supermax would start at $1.4 million

• ESPN reported average salaries would be around $600,000, with minimum salaries above $300,000

• People reported that player compensation would be tied more closely to a meaningful share of league revenue growth

• Front Office Sports reported that the agreement still has to move through a formal ratification path

Breakdown

This is the kind of league business story that can change how the whole sport feels. For years, WNBA pay talk has been one of the biggest pressure points around the league’s growth. Now, per ESPN, the league and the players’ union have reached a verbal agreement that would push salaries into a very different range.

The cap jump is the eye-catcher. Going from $1.5 million to $7 million is not a tiny tweak. It is a full reset in how teams could build rosters and how players could think about the league’s financial future. The projected supermax and minimum numbers make that even clearer.

The revenue-sharing piece may matter just as much. Per People, the agreement ties player compensation more closely to league revenue growth, which is the kind of structural shift players have been pushing for. That is why this feels bigger than just one round of raises.

The caveat is still important. This is a verbal agreement, not a fully ratified final document. Front Office Sports noted that the term sheet still has to be finalized and approved by both the players and the league’s Board of Governors. So the direction looks real, but the full legal finish line is still ahead.

What to Watch Next

• Formal ratification by the players and the Board of Governors

• Whether any final wording changes appear before approval

• More detail on benefits, revenue-sharing mechanics, and implementation timing

Sources

ESPN — WNBA, players’ union reach verbal agreement on new CBA terms

People — WNBA Players and League Finally Agree to a New Contract as Entry-Level Salaries Jump from $66K to $300K

Front Office Sports — Inside the WNBA’s Tentative Deal: $7M Cap, Path to Ratification

Comment

What part matters most to you here, the top-end salary jump or the revenue-sharing structure?