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Holly Rowe updates latest on CBA following WNBA All-Stars wearing 'Pay Us What You Owe" shirts

Chandler Vesselsby: Chandler Vessels07/20/25ChandlerVessels
wnba collective bargaining
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The WNBA players made a strong statement on Saturday at the league’s All-Star Game, wearing shirts advocating for higher pay. It came amidst ongoing negotiations between the WNBA and its players for a new collective bargaining agreement ahead of the 2026 season.

ESPN’s Holly Rowe offered an update during the All-Star Game on how the discussions on the new CBA have played out. She revealed that more than 40 players showed up to discuss things in a meeting with the league, including several stars. Their top priority was higher salaries.

“There is a feeling among the players, as they expressed in their meeting on Thursday, that they want to have a piece of the revenue, “Rowe reported from Indianapolis. “It has been record-(breaking) revenue for the WNBA and they have not been sharing that with the players. Over 40 players showed up to that face-to-face meeting, the first to negotiatie the CBA.

“The players said there was so many of them they had to get more chairs for the room. The thing we know about this league is that the players remain united in asking for what Napheesa Collier calls two things that they will not budge on: higher salaries for players and revenue sharing. Breanna Stewart, the executive committe, and Nneka Ogwumike said the talks were important. They thought that they were positive, but they want more from this WNBA.”

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told the Associated Press after Thursday’s meeting that both sides were in “listening mode.” After Saturday’s display from the players, it’s clear that there is still plenty more negotiating to go for both parties to get what they want.

Of 25 players polled according to The Athletic, roughly 70% listed a higher salary as being their biggest priority in the new CBA deal. That same report also stated that players were seeking a maximum salary of $1 million.

Current WNBA max salaries reach as high as $249,444 while the minimum is $66,000. The WNBA salary cap is currently just over $1.5 million, so quadrupling the supermax could indicate a salary cap of somewhere between $4 and $5 million.

Talks of a potential lockout have been rumored if the league cannot reach an agreement with its player by the end of October. If that were to happen, it would mark the first lockout since the league began in 1997. Players will hope that it doesn’t come to that, but it’s clear what they need in the new WNBA collective bargaining agreement for that to happen.