WNBA Deal Extremely Unlikely Ahead of Oct. 31

The WNBA and the WNBPA face a critical Oct. 31, 2025 CBA deadline as the league prepares to add two expansion teams in 2026. WNBPA advisor Erin Drake and multiple reports say a new deal is "extremely unlikely" by that date. The core impasse is compensation: players want a revenue-sharing model tying salaries to league growth, while the league has favored a fixed-salary framework with proposed guaranteed increases and has offered significant guaranteed cap increases plus uncapped revenue-sharing mechanisms, though negotiators remain divided over how revenue would translate into player pay. Player leaders, notably Napheesa Collier, have amplified public pressure by criticizing league leadership and highlighting wide pay gaps, and many players still earn more from endorsements, overseas play, or alternative leagues. Missing the deadline would not automatically trigger a lockout and a short extension to continue bargaining is likely, but a prolonged breakdown could risk a work stoppage that would disrupt operations ahead of 2026.