The Women’s National Basketball Players Association recently announced that the WNBA has achieved a significant revenue milestone. This accomplishment has initiated revenue sharing with players for the first time.
Event Context
Revenue sharing remains a critical issue in the ongoing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) discussions between the league and the players’ union. With the draft and training camp just a few months away, reports indicate that the union has softened its position on certain financial aspects in a recent counterproposal.
According to sources, the union is now requesting an average of 27.5% of the league’s gross revenue, commencing with 25% in the first year of a potential agreement. The proposed salary cap for this initial year is set to be under $9.5 million, as outlined in the WNBPA’s latest proposal.
In earlier negotiations, the union had sought an average of 31% of gross revenue, starting at 28% for the first year, with an opening salary cap of $10.5 million in their previous offer.
Field Level Media
This article was created using an automated news agency feed without any alterations to the text.
Player Focus
On Monday, union officials informed ESPN that the 13 teams active in 2025 will share a total of $8 million, which will be distributed among the players.
The previously established collective bargaining agreement from early 2020 included specific revenue targets that could lead to revenue sharing if achieved. However, the union did not reveal the total revenue of the league for 2025 or the revenue threshold that needed to be met.
While the total amount earmarked for players stands at $16 million, the remaining $8 million is designated for league marketing initiatives, as reported.
Terri Jackson, executive director of the WNBPA, expressed optimism, stating to ESPN, “I’m just hopeful that this distribution gives them a little bit of comfort and a lot of confidence in what we’re doing.”
Additionally, the union announced that players will collectively receive $9.25 million generated from licensing agreements related to merchandise sales, including jerseys and video games.
