The WNBA has reached a new labor turning point. After months of contentious bargaining, the league and the Women's National Basketball Players Association agreed in principle on the framework of a new collective bargaining agreement, a deal that would materially change pay, team budgets and the structure of the league if ratified.

ESPN reported that the salary cap would start at $7 million, up from $1.5 million in 2025, while the supermax would rise to $1.4 million from $249,244. The average salary would climb to about $600,000, compared with $120,000 in 2025, and the minimum salary would move above $300,000 from $66,079. Sources also told ESPN that the average revenue share would be nearly 20% over the life of the deal.

The agreement is still only tentative. A formal term sheet has to be completed, and the deal must be ratified by players and the WNBA board of governors before it becomes binding. That means the numbers are best understood as the direction of travel rather than the final legal reality. But the size of the shift already marks one of the most significant labor outcomes in league history.

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert framed the breakthrough as a sign of growth, saying the league was leading in women's sports and preparing for a 30th season set to tip off in May. WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson described the outcome as proof of player empowerment and collective bargaining power. Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart, Alysha Clark and Brianna Turner were part of the union group that shared the news with reporters after marathon talks in New York.

The negotiations had stretched for more than 100 hours in person and came after players opted out of the previous CBA in October 2024. The prior agreement had been due to expire in October 2025, and concern had mounted that a prolonged standoff could affect the 2026 season. Engelbert said the talks avoided any changes to the schedule, with training camp still set for April 19, preseason beginning April 25 and the regular season starting May 8.

The report also said the league still has offseason business to complete once the agreement is ratified, including a two-team expansion draft and free agency for more than 100 players. In a league that has seen faster growth in viewership, attendance and investment, the new labor deal appears designed to pass more of that value to players. The WNBA has now completed six collective bargaining agreements in its history, and this one would be the most ambitious yet.

If the reported terms hold, the contract would not merely raise salaries. It would raise the floor of the sport, alter how teams build rosters and send a strong signal about the league’s financial trajectory.