Things are not at all looking good in the WNBA. Initially, the CBA deadline was supposed to end on October 31, 2025. However, unable to come to a concrete conclusion, the WNBA proposed a 30-day extension of the deadline.
And since then, one full month has passed. Yet, the stalemate regarding the CBA negotiations has not been addressed. As the players are demanding a better revenue-sharing model, the league leadership is looking quite reluctant to grant them their wish.
This has resulted in widespread tension among the players. Personalities like that of Napheesa Collier lashed out publicly against the alleged lack of accountability from Cathy Engelbert. And this has resulted in Collier and Engelbert’s relationship worsening over the revenue-sharing conflict. Meanwhile, with the extended deadline now over, the WNBA has further proposed a 40-day extension.
What New CBA Extension Deadline Has The WNBA Proposed?
As per the news, the WNBA has proposed a further 40-day deadline to sort out the complications of the CBA negotiations. The latest set of agreements will be in effect from December 1, 2025, and will expire on January 9, 2026. However, either party can also terminate the agreement at any point with 48 hours’ notice.
As of now, it has been confirmed that the WNBPA has agreed to the deadline extension. The league cites the deadline extension as a way to prevent an immediate lockout and provide room for further discussions.
“The WNBA and WNBPA have agreed to extend the current CBA through January 9, 2026, with either party having the option to terminate the extension with 48 hours’ advance notice. The WNBA and WNBPA are continuing to work toward a new agreement,” the league said, in a statement issued to ESPN.
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Statement to ESPN from the WNBA: “The WNBA and WNBPA have agreed to extend the current CBA through January 9, 2026, with either party having the option to terminate the extension with 48 hours’ advance notice. The WNBA and WNBPA are continuing to work toward a new agreement.”
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) December 1, 2025
Surely, this further extends the long waiting period of the players. Meanwhile, there were some glimmers of hope as the league came up with a $1.1 million max-salary proposal. Unfortunately, the WNBPA rejected the same.
WNBPA Rejected WNBA’s $1.1 Million Max-Salary Proposal
In a recent report, the WNBA agreed to revenue sharing while offering a maximum salary of $1.1 million. They also pointed out that the maximum salary will be available to more than one player per team. Additionally, the proposal would have increased the new minimum and average salaries to $220,000 and $460,000, respectively.
However, WNBA Insider Alexa Phillippou stated that the WNBPA will not be accepting the proposed offer.
“I’m hearing that the players and the WNBPA do not feel like this proposal moves things forward. The issue that the players and the WNBPA seem to have with this proposal is that it does now meaningfully actually apply their request to have a revenue share system in the next (CBA). What they want, and the players have been really consistent in this message, is that they feel that the salary system needs to grow with the business,” said Philippou.
Philippou: WNBPA doesn't see proposed $1.1M max salary as moving negotiations forward.
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) November 20, 2025
Thus, with things looking more and more complicated, fans will be eager to see how things pan out in the future.