NEW YORK — The WNBA sent a counterproposal to its players’ union on Friday for a new collective bargaining agreement that included continuing to pay for housing for all players this season, but not really changing its previous revenue-sharing offer, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because of the sensitive nature of negotiations.
In the league’s new proposal, which came three days after the union had given the WNBA an offer, the teams would pay for all housing this season. Then teams would pay for housing for players on minimum salary contracts as well as rookies in their first season, the person said.
They’d also pay for the housing of the two developmental players that teams would be allowed to have.
The union had asked for teams to continue paying for housing for players in the first few years of the new agreement, but in the last two years of the CBA, the franchises would no longer have to pay for housing for players who are making near the maximum salary.
The union in its offer earlier this week asked for an average of 27.5 per cent of the gross revenue — revenue before expenses — over the course of the CBA. That would include only 25 per cent in the first year of the new deal. In its previous offer, the union had asked for an average of more than 30 per cent.
The league said at that point that the revenue sharing percentage remained unrealistic and would cause “hundreds of millions of dollars of losses for our teams,” the WNBA said in a statement.
The WNBA’s proposal would give players more than 70% of net revenue. That would be their take of the profits after expenses are paid. Those expenses would include upgraded facilities, charter flights, five-star hotels, medical services, security and arenas.
If a new CBA isn’t agreed upon soon, it could delay the start of the 2026 season. It’s already delayed the expansion draft for Toronto and Portland and the start of a free agency frenzy.
“We still need to complete two drafts and free agency before the start of training camp and are running out of time,” the league said in a statement earlier this week. “We believe the WNBA’s proposal would result in a huge win for current players and generations to come.”
The previous CBA was announced in the middle of January 2020, a month after it had been agreed to. It could easily take two months from when a new CBA is reached to get to the start of free agency, which was supposed to begin last month. With a massive salary raise expected in a new CBA, 80% of players in the league are free agents this offseason, which makes this the biggest opportunity for player movement in the history of the WNBA.
A delay would hurt both sides. The season is supposed to start May 8 and every game missed is lost revenue, sponsorships, television money and fan support.
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