WNBA Negotiations Progressing, According to Adam Silver
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is quite familiar with how labor negotiations can often reach a critical point at the last minute. He mentioned on Saturday that the WNBA is nearing an agreement.
Although he stopped short of establishing a specific deadline for the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) to finalize a new collective bargaining agreement, he did express his desire to increase pressure on all parties involved. “What I want to accomplish is put pressure on everyone,” he stated.
During a press conference at All-Star Weekend, Silver remarked, “I’m encouraged by the increased interaction over the past few weeks. There seems to be more direct involvement from both players and team owners. I’m not directly in the negotiations, but I remain very engaged behind the scenes. My goal is to help facilitate getting this deal finalized, but we need to amp up the urgency and capitalize on the impressive momentum in women’s basketball.”
He further emphasized that the WNBA must secure agreements on college drafts, expansion drafts, and free agency as the start of training camp approaches in about two months. Negotiations have continued since the Aces claimed the championship in October.
Just last Friday, the WNBPA received the league’s counter-proposal—six weeks after they had submitted their own. However, notable gaps in discussions still remain.
The WNBA has suggested raising the salary cap to $5.65 million for the coming season, which, interestingly, is significantly less than the $10.5 million requested by the players’ union. Players are asking for as much as 30 percent of gross revenue, whereas reports indicate that the league is only offering 70 percent of net revenue, which aligns more closely with about 15 percent of gross revenue.
After some stalling in negotiations, there was a promising development with direct talks between representatives of both sides on February 2. Still, time is tight to avert a delayed season start.
This situation has led Silver to comment Saturday about the growing pressure to reach a resolution, stating, “I think it’s unfortunate the situation we’re in right now, both from a team and player standpoint. The WNBA is experiencing incredible momentum—it’s hard to ignore. In recent years, it really feels like the league is making great strides in fan engagement, financial success, and the popularity of the players.”
He added, “All signs are positive for the WNBA. Having been involved since its inception, I couldn’t be prouder to witness the league’s progress, especially now as we celebrate our 30th season.”
