WNBA, WNBPA Engage In 'Hard Conversations' Over Revenue Sharing, Will Meet Again 'Soon'

[RealGM Wiretap]

A group of over 40 WNBA players attended Thursday's meeting between the league and the WNBPA as part of collective bargaining negotiations.

The meeting participants ranged from union leadership in Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart, and Kelsey Plum to young stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers.

“Negotiations are hard. They have hard conversations. … That’s what today was, no different from any other negotiation," said WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson about the meeting.

With the current CBA expiring after this season, negotiations had stalled over salary increases and revenue sharing.

Revenue sharing was specifically a key hangup in the discussions, with players frustrated that the WNBA's current proposal would limit their ability to grow along with the league. 

“I don’t know that I’m going to say progress,” Jackson said about revenue sharing. “But we had spirited conversations.”

Another meeting between the two sides will be scheduled "soon," although there is currently no date or location. 

Via Ben Pickman & Sabreena Merchant/The Athletic

[fuller4379]

There isn't a lot of revenue to share. The NBA needs to stop subsidizing them.

[ciueli]

There isn't a lot of revenue to share. The NBA needs to stop subsidizing them.

Not that much revenue? The WNBA had $200M in revenue in 2024 but the average player salary is only $120K, do the math for 15 players per roster and 12 teams and you have only $21M or so of that $200M in revenue going to the players, it's actually less than 10% when in the NBA it's 50% of BRI.

But it's about to get even worse than that because the WNBA signed a new national TV deal that will boost revenue by $150M/year, that alone is almost doubling league revenue, throw in some expansion teams and it's guaranteed to over double by a comfortable margin. Not surprising that the players are unhappy with the split of the pie they're getting, the NBA can claim they lose money on the WNBA, but if that's the case why are there three owners willing to fork over $250M each in expansion fees for their new franchises?

Finally, look at this: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettknight/2025/06/06/the-wnbas-most-valuable-teams-2025/ seems like teams are starting to get expensive, closing in on the half billion dollar mark in some markets, if the WNBA is a license to lose money every year, why are the team valuations skyrocketing right now?