The WNBA sent a new collective bargaining agreement proposal to the players' union on Sunday night, which includes provisions allowing young stars like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers to qualify for maximum salaries earlier in their careers, a person familiar with the deal told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Under the proposal, players on rookie contracts who are named to the first or second all-league team would become eligible for a maximum contract in their fourth year and would not be subject to a franchise tag designation following that extension. For example, Clark would be eligible in 2027, Bueckers in 2028, and Aliyah Boston this year.
The salary cap would rise to $5.75 million in the first year, a 280% increase from last year's $1.5 million, and grow to $8.5 million by the sixth year. Maximum salaries would increase from $249,000 to $1.3 million, and average salaries from $120,000 to $540,000 in the first year.
The league's revenue sharing model remains unchanged from its previous offer, proposing to give players more than 70% of net revenue, increasing as the league grows. The union had asked for an average of 26% of gross revenue, which the league considers unrealistic. For the first time, the league is distributing $8 million from revenue sharing to players from last season.
Kelsey Plum, a union vice president, said on Monday that securing a revenue sharing system for the first time is a significant achievement, but emphasised that negotiations will continue. If a deal is agreed by March 10, it could be signed by the end of the month, with the expansion draft for Portland and Toronto held between April 1 and 6.
