Historic WNBA Revenue Sharing Revealed, How Much Money Will Players Get?

Players from the WNBA are receiving a collective payout of $8 million after the league's revenues reached a benchmark that was set in the previous collective bargaining agreement, according to ESPN's Katie Barnes.

"This shows our value and how what we're fighting for makes sense and how we should keep fighting," said Indiana Fever forward Brianna Turner, who's the treasurer for the Women's National Basketball Players Association.

Barnes provided details of the revenue-sharing plan:

"Under the 2020 CBA, players would receive 50% of shared revenue — defined in the CBA as the amount of revenue over a predetermined threshold minus 30% for expenses. In 2025, the players' portion of shared revenue amounted to about $16 million, according to the union. Of that, $8 million will be paid to players who were active in 2025, the union said. As mandated by the CBA, the other half ($8 million) will be allocated to league marketing agreements, which are offseason initiatives offered to some players to promote the league and its partners."

The WNBPA will also be disbursing $9.25 million to around 250 players with money generated from licensing deals between 2020-25. Those payments will be capped at $50,000.

To reflect the WNBA's overall growth, Barnes reported the WNBPA had $280,000 to distribute from licensing revenue in 2016-19.

"We've grown as a union and put our name, image and likeness into a collective package," 10-time All-Star and WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike told Barnes. "The union exists for us to be able to represent all players, so I think it's a great way for all players to be able to share in the growth."

Monday's news comes as the WNBA and WNBPA remain deadlocked in negotiations over a new CBA.

During All-Star Weekend, NBA commissioner Adam Silver told reporters he's "encouraged that there has been more back-and-forth over the past few weeks."

"What I would love to do is put pressure on everyone," he said. "Often, things tend to get done at the 11th hour. We're getting awfully close to the 11th hour when it comes to bargaining."

That prompted a response from Ogwumike on Cari Champion and Jemele Hill's Flagrant and Funny podcast.

"I actually was a little bit confused when Adam said that because as players we have certainly had a sense of urgency so much so that we've moved a substantial amount on this portion of the agreement that we know is going to allow everything else to fall in place," the Seattle Storm star said (via High Post Hoops' Elaine Blum).

The WNBA intends to open the 2026 regular season on May 8.