NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA submitted a new CBA proposal to the players union on Sunday night that would include allowing some young stars like Kaitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers a chance to earn max salaries sooner, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.
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The new proposal comes two days after the union’s latest proposal, which would allow first- or second-team all-league players on their rookie contracts to be eligible for a max contract in the fourth year and become ineligible for franchise tag designation after an extension.
For example, Clark will be eligible for a max contract in 2027 and Bueckers will be eligible for a max contract in 2028. Aliyah Boston will be eligible for a max contract this year.
The first-year salary cap is $5.75 million, a 280% increase from last year’s $1.5 million. By the sixth year of the deal, that number will increase to $8.5 million. The deal will result in a first-year maximum salary increase of more than $1 million, from $249,000 to $1.3 million, and an average salary increase from $120,000 to $540,000.
The league has not changed its previous revenue sharing model. The WNBA proposes to provide players with more than 70 percent of net revenue, and that number will rise as the league continues to grow. Earlier this week, the union asked for an average of 26% of total revenue (before fees) during the CBA period in its offer. This only includes 25% for the first year of the new agreement. The league says that number is unrealistic.
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Getting the league to agree to a revenue-sharing system for the first time is “something we’re fighting for,” league vice president Kelsey Plum said Monday in preparation for the Unrivaled semifinals, and the WNBPA can continue negotiations on the fee credits the league will receive.
“I’ve always been a person who focuses on gains rather than gaps,” Plum said. “Honestly, I think if you look at where we’ve come from, shoot, since I’ve been in the league to now, now that we’ve gotten a revenue share, it’s a huge win.
“Obviously, we’re going to continue to negotiate. I can’t stress that enough. Like we’re not just going to reconcile. I want to be very clear about that. But I’m very proud to be a part of this opportunity to change women’s sports.”
For the first time, the league is giving players $8 million from last season’s revenue share, as the league generated enough revenue to trigger revenue sharing for the first time in its history.
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If a collective bargaining agreement is agreed upon before March 10, it is likely to be signed by the end of this month. According to a schedule obtained by The Associated Press, expansion drafts for new franchises in Portland and Toronto would be held sometime between April 1 and 6.
Free agent qualifying offers, including the franchise player tag, will be sent out on April 7-8. Teams will then have three days to negotiate with more than 80 percent of their free agents. The signing period is from April 12th to 18th.
Training camps will open the next day and the season will begin on May 8.
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball