Bold headline: The WNBA tweaks a few housing, retirement benefits as CBA talks near a critical deadline—and the road to 2026 season remains unsettled.
The WNBA formally replied to the players’ union proposal on Friday, three days after publicly labeling the latest offer from the Women’s National Basketball Players Association as “unrealistic.” With negotiations approaching a potential break in the season’s start, the league kept changes small, focusing on housing and retirement benefits rather than a broad overhaul.
Key housing provisions:
- For 2026, the league will provide housing for all players. Beginning in 2027, team-funded housing would be offered only to select groups.
- Studio apartments will be provided for the two new developmental players for the duration of the agreement.
- Players on minimum salary or with zero years of service will receive one-bedroom apartments through 2028.
- If a player is traded midseason, hotel accommodations can be covered for up to 30 days, according to sources.
By contrast, the NBA offers more extensive support for midseason trades, including up to 46 days of five-star hotel stay and coverage of rent or mortgage for up to three months after a trade. The WNBA’s current framework is more modest in comparison.
On revenue sharing and salaries:
- After the union’s request for a higher gross-revenue share—averaging around 27.5%—the WNBA’s stance remains largely the same, with only minor adjustments to how team expenses are calculated. A source indicates this tweak should not significantly affect player salaries.
- The league is proposing that players receive 70% of net revenue (revenue after expenses). The players seek a share tied to gross revenue (pre-expense revenue).
- Projected figures still show players would receive less than 15% of gross revenue under the league’s plan, with a roughly 12.5% gap in gross revenue share between the sides and about a $3.85 million difference in proposed 2026 salary caps.
Retirement benefits:
- The WNBA improved retirement benefits slightly, offering former players who logged eight or more seasons a recognition payment of $4,500 per year of service.
Other topics:
- The league did not address several negotiation points raised by the WNBPA, including the season’s start date, the number of games, rookie-scale contract lengths, reserved players, salary protections for teams, or reimbursements for mental health.
- Core designation and league-prioritization demands from the players were not answered in this round.
Timeline and outlook:
- The WNBA plans to begin its 30th season on May 8, with two drafts and free agency still to come before camp opens on April 19.
Breanna Stewart spoke to The Post ahead of Unrivaled’s March 2 debut at Barclays Center, expressing a desire for a more transparent negotiation phase where both sides volley numbers and benefits more quickly. She underscored the time pressure, noting that a deal needs to be reached within roughly two weeks to keep the schedule on track. When asked about her outlook on Friday, Stewart said she wasn’t sure.
Would you like this rewritten version to lean more heavily on the players’ perspective, or maintain a balanced, negotiator-focused view that highlights both sides equally?"
