The WNBA declared its 2026 season with all 44 games scheduled on the board, separated into a win-home and away format, too. As for the teams, it gave a nod to their few processes, like booking the arenas, making travel arrangements, and even making a plan for the roster over the period.
But a WNBA analyst highlighted one key issue that is actually the hidden weakness of the league when it comes to building relationships with players. Teams like New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever face league-high three back-to-back sets, while the Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings won’t be playing back-to-back games in the complete season.
As per WNBA analysts, such mistakes matter when you have competitors like Project B and Unrivalled taking care of their players with crisp schedules.
WNBA Left Vulnerable Due To Strong Competition From Unrivaled And Project B
A WNBA reporter, Annie Costabile, was on Rachel Annamarie DeMita’s podcast, ‘The Courtside Club’, where she spoke about the CBA issues and also the physicality that Caitlin Clark is facing in the league.
She even opened up on the silent issues that the WNBA is facing, making it less attractive for the players. She said, “Yeah, I think it comes down to the travel issues or not even travel issues, but where they’re currently playing, which we know is in Unrivaled, and what their game schedule’s like, what their training schedule is like. Elizabeth Williams is in Turkey, which is obviously completely different from traveling across the world. Their commitments to where they’re playing now don’t supersede these negotiations, but there’s a real issue.”
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The Unrivaled games are played in one arena with at least a rest day included for every team in the schedule. While Project B is yet to start its journey, the new league also proposed to operate on a similar format, avoiding the travelling and packed schedule issues for the players.
Moreover, the analyst also highlighted the duration of the WNBA season and its competitors, which is even more tiring for the players. In return, the league is even paying less money than the Unrivaled and Project B offer.
While the league can’t address such issues in just one season, but made an offer that it hopes would satisfy the WNBPA in order to get the season on the court.
WNBA Putting In Its Best Efforts In Current CBA Proposal
After over one year of discussion, the league came out with its fourth proposal, which could be its highest offer against the players’ demands. In the proposal, the league is giving players a 400% hike in their salary, making the supermax base salary $1.1 million in 2026 and the average salary $465,000.
The WNBA submitted its latest CBA proposal to the players, a source told ESPN.
— espnW (@espnW) February 7, 2026
This ended a more than six-week wait from the players association for a counter to its last offer.
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Moreover, the league proposed two developmental player spots per team, more guaranteed contracts, and the introduction of salary cap exceptions for pregnant players and players with season-ending injuries, which will lessen the stress on the players and teams, keeping them healthier for the season.
One key aspect which is not in public now is the revenue-sharing model that could improve the salary numbers, getting closer to its rivals at least on the commercial terms.