The upcoming meeting between the WNBA and the Players Association carries significant weight, and both sides are well aware of it. With the 2026 season just over three months away and negotiations stalled, Kelsey Plum has made it clear that Monday’s session could be pivotal.
A source familiar with the situation confirmed to USA Today that the meeting will take place in New York, with WNBPA leadership and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in attendance.
The union and the league have been deadlocked for months. On January 9, they agreed to a “status quo” period, which maintains the terms of the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and prevents either side from initiating a work stoppage without proper notice.
Kelsey Plum: “We know what’s at atake”
Speaking to reporters after an Unrivaled league game, Plum, who serves as WNBPA First Vice President, said the meeting will shed light on the state of negotiations. “I think we’ll learn a lot from this meeting,” she noted.
She added:
“I’m not trying to put it all on this meeting, but I think everyone understands what’s at stake.”
Plum emphasized that both sides are fully aware of the gravity of the situation. “The league has its timelines. We as players understand what’s at stake. I always come into anything I do with a great attitude, and I’m going to see the best in this,” she said.
Separately, New York Liberty guard Tasha Cloud warned, “It would be the worst business decision of any business to not literally pay the players that make your business go.”
The WNBA and the Players Association’s conflicting positions
According to USA Today, “A person with knowledge of the situation said the WNBA has not sent a counter because the union did not change its proposal.”
The league’s current offer to players includes:
- $1 million maximum base salary
- Nearly $2 million maximum extended salary over the life of a contract
- $250,000 minimum salary
- $530,000 average salary
- The possibility of increasing salaries by up to $780,000 over the life of contracts
Despite these offers, disagreements remain over:
- Whether profit sharing should be based on net or gross income
- The percentage of profit sharing
- The salary cap
As the Los Angeles Sparks star warned, much is at stake in Monday’s meeting.
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