WNBA, players agree to 30-day extension one day before CBA expires

The WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association agreed to a 30-day extension ahead of the current collective bargaining agreement’s Friday expiration date, according to The Athletic.

The agreement, reached Thursday night, postponed the deadline until 11:59 p.m. ET on Nov. 30 and delayed a potential work stoppage.

The players accepted the league’s offer to extend the current CBA as the two sides continue to meet at the bargaining table to hash out a deal.

In the meantime, though, players will still have access to their team facilities and receive medical benefits.

Negotiations for a new deal ramped up in recent weeks ahead of the deadline, though the two sides remain at odds. 

The WNBA submitted a proposal to the players union on Oct. 1, and the WNBPA responded with a counterproposal Monday. 

The biggest sticking point in negotiations has centered around revenue sharing and a complementary salary model. 

While the WNBA has never missed games due to labor disputes, it’s not unusual for negotiations to go beyond a current deal’s deadline.

During the last CBA cycle, the league and WNBPA didn’t ratify a deal until January 2020. 

But every one of the league’s offseason events — including the draft lottery, two expansion drafts, free agency and college draft — will be put on hold until a new CBA is finalized. 

The draft lottery usually happens in November or December. The Valkyries’ expansion draft took place Dec. 6, 2024. 

Free agency starts late January, while the college draft isn’t until April.