WNBA, players union extend CBA deadline by 30 days to Nov 30

The WNBA and the players union agreed Thursday to extend their collective bargaining deadline by 30 days, postponing the expiration of the current CBA that had been set for Friday and giving both sides until 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 30 to reach a new contract, a person familiar with the decision said. The league proposed the extension earlier this week and the union accepted after negotiating sessions continued in New York.

Under the extension, players will retain access to team facilities and continue to receive medical benefits while talks proceed, league and union officials said. Players have also already been paid for the most recent season and remain covered by league health insurance through April 30, 2026, reducing immediate financial pressure on both sides and lowering the near-term likelihood of a strike or lockout.

Negotiators have intensified meetings in recent weeks as they seek a successor to the current agreement. The union opted out of the CBA last year to press for changes that include increased revenue sharing, higher salaries, improved benefits and a softer salary cap. The parties remain at odds on the distribution of league revenue and the structure of...