Players demand a bigger revenue slice as WNBA eyes a May 8 start. Unresolved CBA talks cast doubt on the ambitious schedule.
WNBA free agency is unlikely to begin until early March at the soonest as collective bargaining negotiations between the league and players’ union remain unresolved, according to Front Office Sports.
Multiple league sources told Front Office Sports that an early March start represents a best-case scenario, and only if a new collective bargaining agreement is finalized by early February. That timeline would allow the league time to conduct an expansion draft and complete logistical planning before teams begin building rosters for the 2026 season.
In a typical year, WNBA free agency opens in early January, with most major signings completed by early February. Under the current circumstances, Front Office Sports reported that a delayed free agency would compress the offseason calendar, forcing teams to navigate roster construction while also preparing for the 2026 WNBA draft, which is scheduled for April 13. Training camps are set to open April 19.
The delay stems from stalled CBA negotiations. As of late last week, Front Office Sports reported that the WNBPA was still waiting for a response from the league to a proposal it submitted nearly a month ago. The proposal seeks significant changes to the league’s economic structure, including a 30% share of gross league revenue for players and a $10.5 million team salary cap.
The league’s most recent proposal outlines a different framework. Front Office Sports reported it includes a $1 million maximum base salary, with total compensation potentially exceeding $1.3 million through revenue sharing. The proposed salary cap would begin at $5 million and grow alongside league revenue, with roughly 70% of net revenue shared over the life of the deal.
Negotiations moved into a status quo period after the second extension of the original Oct. 31 CBA deadline expired Jan. 9 without an agreement and without a third extension. Under that status, Front Office Sports reported, talks can continue under the prior CBA’s operational standards, but free agency has been paused under a mutually agreed-upon moratorium.
Before free agency can open, the league must also finalize rules for an expansion draft involving the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire. Front Office Sports reported that general managers remain without clarity on key issues, including roster protection rules and whether pre-expansion transactions will be allowed.
Both sides have publicly emphasized a commitment to playing the league’s 30th season. Front Office Sports reported that ownership sources have indicated there is no interest in a lockout, while the union’s December vote to authorize a strike was framed as a measure of preparedness rather than an indication of imminent action.
The WNBA has never lost games to a work stoppage in its 29-year history. As Front Office Sports reported, the timing of free agency — and whether it begins in March or slips further — may hinge on progress made in the coming weeks.