The Confidential Breach: Inside the WNBA’s Leaked CBA Proposal and the Resulting Backlash
A discussion that was predicted to end at the beginning of January 2026 has dragged into another month. On February 2nd, a confidential meeting about the CBA was held for the WNBA to discuss the logistics of the upcoming 2026 season. The confidential nature of the proposal lasted less than 48 hours before being leaked, shattering the trust between the league and the WNBPA. The backlash from fans and players on the terms that have been proposed is tremendous and puts the league in a vulnerable position. This is not just a labor dispute, but a breach of trust that threatens the milestone 2026 season.
Players express strong feelings on the terms that were offered and threaten to strike if their demands are not met. Before the leak of the proposal, Natasha Cloud said in an interview that the players are not worried because all the power is in their hands. She expressed that players are upset, frustrated, and disgusted with the league while feeling a lack of value and worth from the people working for the CBA. Cloud also explained in the interview that if we saw the percentages they were presenting, we would be pissed off. Now that the numbers are visible, some commentators and fans are confused by the outrage, while others are upset for the players. Courtney Williams and Nastisha Hiedeman, during a conversation, explain that the league is allegedly prioritizing “expenses” like coaching salaries and facilities first, leaving the players with less than a 30 percent revenue share. Their argument is that it is fundamentally unfair for coaches to be considered a fixed expense while players, the literal product, are treated as a secondary variable.
After the leak of the proposal, some believe that the players believe that they should be compensated better, while others think that they should be grateful for what they are getting. Calling the players delusional for thinking they can receive a salary comparable to the NBA salaries. This sentiment was met with a statement made by Angel Reese expressing her desire for a salary that reflects her value and the growth of the game. Within the 37 bullet points of the leaked slide deck, a lot of people, including veteran leaders, found point 17 particularly insulting. This point suggests the elimination of team-provided housing, which would force players to navigate expensive rental markets in major cities on their own. Additionally, the 16th point focuses on paying retired players, which many active players see as an unethical distraction from the current needs of the roster.
The roster gaps mentioned in the ninth point also suggest that the expansion to 15 teams is not being met with the necessary support for bench depth. This makes the upcoming season feel like a house of cards. The situation is further complicated by the rise of the Unrivaled League. With CEO Alex Bazzell providing a significant financial safety net for players, the union now has the leverage to follow through on strike threats. The players have made it clear that they will not move until the league recognizes their worth. As the May tip-off approaches, the WNBA must decide if it is willing to risk its historic expansion year for the sake of an unbalanced proposal.
