Why the WNBA’s new CBA is a big win
The WNBA, which turns 25 in 2021, took a major step toward solidifying its future Tuesday by reaching agreement with its players on an eight-year collective bargaining agreement through 2027.
Players from the league's 12 teams, including the founding member Phoenix Mercury, overwhelmingly voted to approve principle terms, Women's National Basketball Players Association president Nneka Ogwumike said during a conference call announcing the new CBA. The WNBA Board of Governors also must ratify the deal.
In November 2018, the players opted out of the previous CBA -- which was to run through 2021 -- effective after the 2019 season. That led to lengthy negotiations, extended multiple times, with the WNBA about how to improve salaries and working conditions in a partnership to grow the league going into its second quarter century.
"It was important to have a progressive, aggressive, bold CBA to drive the value that these athletes can provide, to drive that value from our revenue sources, and ultimately drive the revenue of our franchises up," said Cathy Engelbert, WNBA commissioner since July.
"We're the only professional women's sports league to last over two decades. We have an enormous opportunity. I believe if we can't do it, no one can. We're making a big bet at a time where we have this opportunity because the momentum and this movement around women's empowerment."
Max base salary rises to $215,000
Women's professional hockey players and the U.S. women's soccer team also are at the forefront of a push for improved compensation, which in the case of the WNBA going forward will include base salary, performance bonuses, prize money for a newly created in-season Commissioners Cup competition and league/team marketing deals.
The WNBA maximum base salary will rise from $117,000 in 2019 to $215,000 this year and increase three percent per year. Including all compensation, top players can earn more than $500,000 annually and average cash compensation will average almost $130,000.
The 2020 team salary cap is increasing to $1.3 million this year, up from $996,000, and also will increase three percent annually.
With higher salaries, WNBA players presumably will be under less pressure to play overseas and year-round, an issue since the league's creation in 1997 because international leagues pay up to $1 million to elite players. Mercury guard Diana Taurasi sat out the 2015 WNBA season, playing only in Russia.
"I think had something like this been available when I first came out of college, I probably never would have gone overseas," said Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird, who is on the WNBPA executive committee. "That's what's so great about what we have moving forward.
Everything that is in this deal is pointing towards the WNBA being extremely successful and being the preeminent league in the world."
OPINION: Historic CBA elevates WNBA as progressive, aggressive league
Maternity improvements
The WNBA already is the world's premier women's basketball league on the court with the only competition being the EuroLeague. The new CBA is a significant step to improving pay for that play as well as travel, maternity and family planning benefits, career development particularly advancing diversity in coaching and quality of life enhancements including mental health resources.
Players will receive full salary while on maternity leave (previously that was a team option), a childcare stipend of $5,000 and a two-bedroom apartment for players with children. Also there will be up to a $60,000 reimbursement for player costs related to adoption, surrogacy cryopreservation and fertility treatment.
Ogwumike said maternity/family planning provisions in the CBA were a "no-brainer. It was just a matter of how we could get it into this agreement to be serve our players. We really hope we can set a precedent for women in the workplace."
Engelbert, who worked at professional services company Deloitte up to the CEO position for 33 years before joining the WNBA, also believes the new CBA is progressive to the broader women's movement. And that a new WNBA Changemakers partnership with AT&T, Nike and Deloitte will drive revenue enhancement through marketing and sponsorships.
"This is multipronged," Engelbert said. "It's not just the Changemakers, but we're proud they allowed us to have the confidence in the value of this league.
"Our owners and teams are making significant financial commitments under this agreement. They're betting on women in team sports and the WNBA in a very significant way. We could not do this in any way, shape or form without them."
Schedule increase expected
The WNBA 2020 schedule is expected to be announced Thursday and reportedly will increase from 34 to 36 games. Additional information also will be released on the Commissioners Cup, expected to conclude with a final in August when play resumes after the Tokyo Olympics break.
The Mercury will be playing this summer at Veterans Memorial Coliseum while Talking Stick Resort Arena is under renovation.
WNBA-WNBPA collective bargaining agreement highlights
❚ Agreement for eight years from 2020-2027 with a mutual opt-out provision after six years.
❚ Annual maximum base pay increasing $215,000 with three percent annual increase.
❚ 53 percent increase in total cash compensation, consisting of base salary, performance bonuses, prize money for newly created Commissioners Cup competition and league/team marketing deals.
❚ Average cash compensation for all players averaging almost $130,000.
❚ Team salary cap increasing to $1.3 million in 2020 with three percent annual increase.
❚ Minimum $1.6 million in off season league/team marketing agreements, creating up to $300,000 in additional cash compensation for select players.
❚ Minimum $750,000 in prize money for special competitions starting in 2021.
❚ New 50-50 revenue sharing starting in 2021 based on the league achieving revenue growth targets from broadcast agreements, marketing partnerships and licensing deals.
❚ Unrestricted free agency for those with five or more years of service beginning with free agency period before 2021 season.
❚ Core player designation reduced from four to three years beginning in 2020 and dropping to two in 2022.
❚ Premium economy class air travel for all players in regular season.
❚ Individual hotel room accommodations for all players.
❚ Players to receive full salary while on maternity leave.
❚ New annual $5,000 childcare stipend.
❚ Two-bedroom apartments players with children.
❚ Family planning benefits up to a $60,000 reimbursement.
❚ Working with affiliated leagues, teams and sponsors to provide offseason job opportunities to prepare players for post-playing careers and advance diversity in coaching.
❚ Enhanced mental healthy
❚ A joint Nutrition Council.
❚ Access to experts in women's health on league policy committees.
❚ There are no immediate plans for expansion. for benefits.