It’s official. March 18 is Happy CBA Day for all who celebrate.
After 17 months and an eight-day marathon where the parties — WNBA and the WNPBA logged over 100+ hours — a verbal agreement has been reached which can easily be deemed as historic and transformational.
We won’t know the exact details of the agreement until after the term sheet is finalized and those terms have been ratified by the rank and file.
Here’s what we do know…
Teams will have a $7 million salary cap with a super max salary of $1.4 million with the average player receiving $600K and lowest salary being $300K.
Previously, for reference, the salary cap was $1.5 million and the highest paid player was Los Vegas Aces Jackie Young who received $252.5K.
It’s reported that the salary jump is the biggest in sports history.
Here are my takeaways from this historic moment.
Mama Didn’t Raise No Fools
The highly-educated, highly-motivated players of the WNBA know their worth and they were willing to fight for their just due — not only for themselves but for past and future generations.
They recognized the league’s explosive growth and their role in it.
Early in the negotiations, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert, had the audacity to imply, perhaps even state, that the women didn’t understand business and that their asks — percentage of gross revenue, housing and increase pay among them — were too great and would result in undue financial hardship.. for the owners. The league was crying broke despite having recently received expansion fees for teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia to the tune of $250 million each in addition to the fees received from current teams Golden State Valkyries, ($50 million), Toronto Tempo ($50 million) and Portland Fire ($125 million)
In addition to grossly underestimating the players resolve, the league underestimated their ability to do simple math. The WNBA would have you believe that 1 + 1 equals -30.
Every Protest Needs a Plan
The WNBA player compensation movement (yes, it was a “movement”) began at the 2025 All Star Game with players wearing shirts with the graphic “Pay Us What You Owe Us” during warmups and holding signs saying the same during postgame interviews.
Simple and to the point. The ask was as clear as day.
The “Pay Us What You Owe Us” evolved into the fan-led “Pay Them What You Own Them”.
Fan buy-in was important in the fight.
Throughout the process, the players and the union informed the fans of the details of their asks and kept them abreast of the process through social media and podcast interviews.
The WNBPA countered every leak from the WNBA who was hell bent on swaying public opinion.
“We Stand with the Players”
We, the fans, stood ten toes down with players letting them know to continue to fight for what we believed was their due.
We said that we’d rather miss the season than have them miss this opportunity for compensation commensurate with their worth.
We were locked-in to the very end.
In the between time, as we waited anxiously for a CBA, we did our research. Shared widely, it broadened our understanding of the history of the WNBA and what was at stake. We learned that the past decline in viewership was due to one angry man at ESPN who saw no value in the league. We learned the difference between gross and net revenue as it pertains to sports leagues.
We, the fans, became students of game of labor negotiations and now have a greater appreciation for what it takes to put an exemplary product on the court.
Through Unrivaled we’ve shown that we are willing to travel to see our favorite players wherever they may play.
It’s about the players, not the institution.
Unrivaled Unraveled the WNBA’s Plans
The brainchild of WNBA players Naphessa “Phee” Collier and Breanna “Stewie” Stewart , Unrivaled showed both players and the WNBA what was possible.
The income earned at Unrivaled, which often exceeded their WNBA salaries, gave many the financial cushion and the courage to advocate moving forward in negotiations without fear of financial ruin.
The sport startup’s amenities were top tier commensurate with their standing as professional athletes — first class accommodations making it difficult to accept coach ever again.
All Hail to Queen Phee
When Phee read her prepared statement during her exit interview last fall, she put the league on notice.
Phee revealed details of private conversations with Cathy Englebert which the Lynx was to compelled to make public because of the lack of movement in CBA negotiations. In addition to pretty much calling Cathy a poor excuse of a commissioner, Phee revealed that Cathy told her that players should be on their knees thanking her for the media deal she got them.
YOU got them Cathy? Their work, their labor had nothing to do it?…The delusion is real.
In that moment and the moments that followed with Cathy countering Phee’s accusations, it was clear that Phee put it all on the line for the greater good.
With her co-founding of Unrivaled and that seminal exit interview, Phee, when the time comes, has earned her place in the Naismith Hall Of Fame.
Your fave may get all the awards – MVP, DYOP. It’s theirs. Take them.
Phee has already won her place in history as a champion for all women striving for respect and equitable pay.
Queen Naphessa Collier come get your baddie chain.
There’s a Thief Among Us
Okay, so after spending eight days and 100+ hours outdoors in NYC braving the elements, a person who hasn’t spent a millisecond covering the CBA negotiations shares the details with the world.
Shams you are a sham for that. You did our girl ESPN’s Alexa Philippou dirty.
Yes, Alex is a fan favorite and we have shown nothing but appreciation for the Alexa and the Langham 5 even sending chairs and refreshments.
Now we share collective outrage that someone who couldn’t give scintilla about the CBA gets share the most important details.
ARGGGHHH!
Alexa, come get your Baddie Chain.
One last thing…If I find out that some female agent leaked that info to that male reporter…Argghh!
Not Even a Leaky Boat could Sink This Ship
That ill-timed letter from Stewie and Kelsey Plum to Terri Jackson WNBPA Executive Director questioning her transparency sent the internet in a tizzy and nearly served to undermine ongoing negotiations.
I’m not sure what to think. Who leaked it and why?
I’ve got thoughts but you aren’t ready to hear them…
All I can say, Phee keep your third eye open.
Well, Stewie wanted to know what was going on, she sure found out in those 100+ hours of negotiations — arriving early in the morning and leaving in the wee hours of the next morning with little time in between meetings to take even a ‘ho bath. This should be all the knowledge she needs. Next time maybe she will trust the process and the people who are involved.
It’s Going to Be a Wild Ride
Once the CBA is ratified, the schedule will be tighter than ….(fill in you own analogy).
Here’s what it will look like:
April 1 – 6 Expansion Draft (Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire)
April 7 – 18 Free Agency (Over 100 players are free agents)
April 19 Training Camp
May 8 Season Begins
Let the games begin!
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