WNBA Blasted Over Reported Schedule Overhaul in Latest CBA Proposal
On December 1, ESPN WNBA insider Alexa Philippou reported several key details on the league office's most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) proposal to the players' association, which arrived in the wake of the two sides agreeing to a new deadline of January 9, 2026.
"Right now, [the league is] offering a deal with a salary for players at the maximum, with a $1 million guaranteed base; projected revenue sharing pushing those total earnings for maximum players to more than $1.2 million," Philippou said, per an X post from her account.
"The average salary projection for this deal... is projected to exceed $500,000. The projected minimum salary is projected to exceed $225,000, sources tell me. And the salary cap would actually increase to $5 million a year, and sources said [it] would be tied directly to revenue growth each year of the CBA," she continued.
Additional WNBA CBA Proposal Details Anger Fans
While this report suggests that the league office is offering most things that the players are seeking, a December 2 report from Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports added other aspects of the most recent proposal that are raising eyebrows.
"The league has removed team housing from proposals submitted to the Women’s National Basketball Players Association—including the most recent—several league sources told Front Office Sports," Costabile wrote. "Teams have been required to provide players with in-season housing since 2016."
She also added, "The league has also proposed lengthening the season, including an earlier start date that is expected to interfere with the NCAA tournament and potentially other leagues such as Project B. The start date for training camp could be as early as mid-March, sources indicated. The current 44-game regular season runs from mid-May to early September."
BREAKING: The WNBA has proposed cutting team housing in addition to an earlier start date, according to multiple sources.
— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) December 2, 2025
The start date for training camp could be as early as mid-March, sources indicated, which would come with serious implications. https://t.co/xfkLCOQRY6
Both the reported removal of player housing and this schedule change are sparking a lot of negative buzz from fans, who are making their frustration apparent on social media.
"I don't really care about Unrivaled/Project B but I care a lot about the NCAA Tournament and having your training camp directly conflict with it puts your rookies at a severe disadvantage, or rather, even more of a disadvantage than they are already at considering the whirlwind of activity they already go through... expand at the back half of the season where nothing is happening outside of the NFL and early season NBA/hockey," X user @cc22report wrote.
"The housing is fine since they are making more money , maybe exemption for rookies. But early start hard No," added @sohali2012.
@amyartsier said, "I hope they reject it because removing team housing is wildly unfair. And an earlier start date is crazy- and unsafe for the players coming from college."
"So guess future rookies that are still playing in the ncaa tournament will miss part of training camp?? And get literally zero days rest before become professional???" wrote @Chanceg88.
So guess future rookies that are still playing in the ncaa tournament will miss part of training camp?? And get literally zero days rest before become professional???
— Chance Goff (@Chanceg88) December 2, 2025
"This not not fair to the rookies!!!! Training camp already close enough to their college graduation as it is!!!!!!!!" said @INHBTTT_26.
"Not even touching how ridiculous it is to propose starting a season in March (how would you even have a team without all its players for the first month), what about trades and players getting cut? They’re going to sign leases then have to move to a different city or move home?" added @TooManyCatS1210.
@scottde07820838 added, "Hey rookies we know it's tough coming from college/March Madness into the draft & only getting 3-4wks to recuperate before competing in training camps to try & make it into the professional ranks SO were going to make it harder you will now come in after the draft a month behind".
Hey rookies we know it's tough coming from college/March Madness into the draft & only getting 3-4wks to recuperate before competing in training camps to try & make it into the professional ranks SO were going to make it harder you will now come in after the draft a month behind
— scott devlin (@scottde07820838) December 2, 2025
"That’s a no.. you can’t start the season before the college season is done and you literally have players who will be coming into the league ," wrote @Kelly23Patty.
"It doesn’t make sense to move the season up to March and make your rookies miss WEEKS of valuable training camp time, PLUS obliterate the already tiny gap btwn the NCAA tournament and the season," journalist Chelsea Leite added.
"HA! This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen.
"No housing and a start date as early as mid-March...when the NCAA season is still going on?" wrote @SkimMilkey.
HA! This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen.
— Skim Milkey (@SkimMilkey) December 2, 2025
No housing and a start date as early as mid-March...when the NCAA season is still going on? https://t.co/pD0nbeI6hw
It's hard to imagine the players will agree to this proposed schedule change.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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