WNBA and players' union meet for 3
hours to try to push forward stalled CBA negotiations
[February 03, 2026]
By DOUG FEINBERG
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA and the players’ union met for a few hours
Monday for the first time in several weeks to try to move the
stalled collective bargaining negotiations forward.
Union president Nneka Ogwumike walked out of the NBA offices around
1:30 p.m. — three hours after she got there — and said “no sorry we
can't (talk)” when asked for comment. She was joined by executive
committee members Brianna Turner and Alysha Clark. Kelsey Plum and
Napheesa Collier planned on being at the meeting but had flight
issues getting to New York from Miami, so they Zoomed in along with
Breanna Stewart.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and members of the labor relations
committee were in attendance, as well as New York Liberty owners
Clara Wu Tsai and Joe Tsai, Seattle owner Ginny Gilder and Storm
co-owner Sue Bird. Phoenix Mercury owner Mat Ishbia attended the
meeting on teleconference, as well as about 40 players.
Two people familiar with Monday's discussions said players and
owners talked directly to each other during the meeting. The people
spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of
the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
Talks to reach a new CBA haven’t had much traction over the last few
weeks as the union says it is waiting for a response to a proposal
it sent around Christmas that included a 30% gross revenue share for
the players.
According to a different person familiar with the negotiations who
spoke to the AP last month, the league previously didn’t feel that
proposal was much different than the previous one the union had sent
and didn't warrant a new response. That person spoke on condition of
anonymity also because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
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The league’s most recent offer last month would
guarantee a maximum base salary of $1 million in 2026 that could
reach $1.3 million through revenue sharing.
That’s up from the current $249,000 and could grow
to nearly $2 million over the life of the agreement, the person told
the AP.
The two sides have been in a “status quo” period after the latest
extension of the current CBA ran out on Jan. 9. They agreed to a
moratorium a few days later that halted the initial stages of free
agency in which teams would seek to deliver qualifying offers and
franchise tag designations to players.
If a new CBA isn’t agreed upon soon, it could delay the start of the
2026 season. It’s already delayed the expansion draft for Toronto
and Portland. The league did release its schedule last month with
the regular season set to begin May 8.
The last CBA was announced in the middle of January 2020, a month
after it had been agreed to. It could easily take two months from
when a new CBA is reached to get to the start of free agency, which
was supposed to begin last month.
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