What WNBA Commissioner Had to Say After Reaching Verbal Agreement With Union on New CBA

The WNBA and the Women's National Basketball Players Association reached a verbal agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement that still needs to be ratified by the players and the WNBA board of governors but it should lead to the season starting on time.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert had this to say to reporters in the wee hours of Wednesday morning after the deal was agreed upon.

"The progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league and it's underscoring a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game,” Engelbert said, via ESPN.

"It's [been] a process, but we're very proud to be leading in women's sports, and these players are amazing, and we're going to have an amazing 30th season tipping off in May."

ESPN’s Shams Charania has provided details of the deal, per sources:

Details of a landmark WNBA collective bargaining agreement, per ESPN sources:

- New salary cap starting at $7 million, up from $1.5 million
- Average revenue share of nearly 20% across deal
- Supermax starting at $1.4M
- Average salary in range of $600K, minimum above $300K

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 18, 2026

WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson added:

"I think this can be summed up in two words: player empowerment ... players coming to the table and standing on business and being reminded of the collective voice and of what it means to be in a union and the power of this union," Jackson said. "They never forgot it, and they have taken it, like they always do, to the next level."

Both the WNBA and the union declined to provide details of the deal but it will allow the league to begin the regular season on time on May 8.

"This deal is going to be transformational," WNBA star Breanna Stewart said. "It's going to build and help create a system where everybody is getting exactly what they deserve and more, from on the court and off the court aspects. Just excited that we can tell our fans that we're going to be back."

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as What WNBA Commissioner Had to Say After Reaching Verbal Agreement With Union on New CBA.