Collier remains confident the WNBA season will play, but significant compromises are needed as revenue splits and player benefits remain key sticking points.
Amid the longstanding differences that there are, as collective bargaining talks intensify between the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, Minnesota Lynx forward and WNBPA vice president Napheesa Collier confidently mentioned she expects the 2026 season to be played.
“I’m confident it will happen, but it won’t come without compromise,” Collier told USA Today, acknowledging both the urgency and the tension surrounding negotiations.
However, the union recently submitted a revised proposal that includes a request for 27.5% of gross league revenue over the life of the agreement, which is down from its earlier 31% ask. The proposal also includes adjustments to team-provided housing, another key sticking point in discussions.
Despite those concessions, sources familiar with league projections have suggested the current proposal could result in significant long-term financial losses, underscoring the gap that still exists between both sides.
Collier, however, emphasized that the players are prepared to stand firm.
“Well, someone’s gonna have to fold, aren’t they?” she said, reflecting the reality that neither side can fully dictate terms without movement from the other.
If we take things into a broader context, it only gets complex. More than 100 free agents remain unsigned, two expansion franchises have yet to finalize rosters, and the upcoming draft is scheduled before training camp opens in April. Without a finalized agreement, scheduling disruptions become increasingly likely.
On top of that, league officials maintain they have already put forward meaningful structural changes, including a new revenue-sharing framework tied to league and team growth, a rising salary cap, and projections that would significantly increase both average and maximum salaries over the life of the agreement.
Additional proposals reportedly include expanded benefits, improved facilities standards, enhanced travel accommodations, and adjustments to rookie scale contracts.
Still, for players, the central issue remains transformational growth. Collier pushed back against narratives suggesting the union is being unreasonable.
“This is our livelihood,” she said. “This is our job, our passion. We want to be out there.”
Behind the scenes, sources indicate the union’s priority is securing a deal that reflects the league’s recent commercial momentum without “negotiating against themselves.” The desire to play in 2026 remains strong, but so does the determination to secure long-term structural gains.
For now, both sides continue to meet. Whether compromise arrives quickly enough to prevent disruption remains uncertain, but Collier’s confidence signals that, at least publicly, the players believe a deal is still within reach.