WNBA hits revenue-sharing target for first time in 2025 season, a person familiar with the matter confirmed Competitor. ESPN first reported.
The CBA does not enumerate specific revenue targets, only the mechanisms required to trigger revenue sharing. The league generated enough revenue that it could share $16 million with players. $8 million of that amount will go toward the league marketing agreement, a program designed to allow players to promote the WNBA and its partners during the offseason. According to the collective bargaining agreement, players can earn up to $250,000 each offseason through the LMA. The other half ($8 million) will be given to 13 teams to be shared among the players.
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Unions have the discretion to decide how to allocate funds. Under the terms of the 2020 CBA, the WNBPA received its annual league revenue report on Feb. 9 and had 30 days to decide on a payment structure.
In 2020, the CBA introduced a revenue sharing system, allowing players to share the excess if they exceed certain goals. This target increases by 20% each season and continues to accumulate throughout the trading period. Therefore, although the WNBA’s revenue in the 2024 season has increased significantly, the league’s revenue has dropped significantly due to the impact of the epidemic in 2020 and 2021, so the cumulative total cannot be cleared.
In 2025, the league’s salary cap is $1,507,100 per team. In addition to salary, players can receive additional compensation ($500,000 per team) by winning the Commissioner’s Cup, All-Star bonuses, end-of-season awards and winning playoff series.
The collective bargaining agreement expired on January 9 after two extensions, and its revenue sharing model will no longer be valid in the new collective bargaining agreement. While players and the league remain divided over how to share WNBA revenue, both sides have proposed a system that would tie revenue directly to the salary cap, rather than involving separate expenses.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Women’s National Basketball League
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