The WNBPA and the league have been locked in a tense standoff for months over the new CBA, with the Cathy-Collier saga only fueling fears of a possible lockout. As the WNBA Finals play out and the crucial October 31 deadline nears, uncertainty continues to hang over the league’s future. Yet, there may be a glimmer of progress. Reports suggest the WNBA has decided to increase player bonuses for the 2025 Finals, an encouraging move that hints negotiations could finally be heading toward resolution.

According to recent reports, the WNBA has raised the Finals bonuses to $22,908 per player for the championship team and $8,521 per player for the runners-up. Last season, winners earned $20,825 while runner-ups received $7,746, making this year’s increase roughly $25,000 in total for the winning roster. While the boost may not seem huge, it signals progress toward better player compensation. Yet even with the increase, there’s an interesting twist to the bonus structure that has drawn attention.

Despite winning the WNBA championship, players on the title-winning team still earn less in bonus money than the Commissioner’s Cup champions. This stems from a clause in the 2020 CBA that set aside $750,000 specifically for special competitions. After leading her team to the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup title, Caitlin Clark highlighted the disparity, saying, “You get more [money] for this than you do if you’re the [WNBA Finals] champion. It makes no sense.”

Another notable aspect of this prize money increase is how quietly it was handled. By now, it’s well known that the WNBPA and the WNBA remain locked in intense CBA negotiations, a situation that drew even more scrutiny following Napheesa Collier’s exit interview. Given the ongoing tension, it would have made sense for the league to make a public announcement, perhaps as a PR boost. Instead, the WNBA opted to implement the bonus changes quietly, without fanfare or widespread notice.

After the increase in prize money, the fans will hope that the negotiations will gain some momentum and get sorted out as soon as possible. The league is heading into a crucial phase with two new expansion teams coming in. The last thing the league needs is a delay that stops their momentum. But if the recent reports are to be believed, there is no quick resolution in sight for the negotiations.

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Revenue-sharing debate fuels WNBPA-WNBA rift amid ongoing Finals

As anticipation built for the 2025 WNBA Finals, all eyes were on Cathy Engelbert’s pre-finals press conference. Following Napheesa Collier’s explosive remarks, fans and media alike were eager to hear how Engelbert would respond. While she generally struck the right tone, one moment hinted at further tension between the two. The strain was evident even before their scheduled one-on-one meeting, which had been intended to address the fallout but now seemed increasingly uncertain.

Tensions between the two escalated when Napheesa Collier chose not to attend the planned meeting with Cathy Engelbert. What could have been a chance for mediation and progress quickly unraveled after Engelbert’s remarks, which effectively cast doubt on Collier’s credibility. With the meeting canceled, the fragile CBA negotiations remain at a standstill, leaving both sides at an impasse and the league’s labor discussions shrouded in uncertainty.

While the league has proposed a notable pay increase for players, the WNBPA remains firm in its demand for a revenue-sharing model, fairly. Their insistence stems largely from a lack of transparency, as fans and players alike have repeatedly questioned how league revenue is allocated throughout the season.

A revenue-sharing system would address these concerns, providing clearer insight into earnings of $200 million and its judicial spending. However, it also carries inherent risks as players’ salaries could decrease significantly if the league experiences a major revenue shortfall, making the proposal both promising and precarious. But how long will the standoff continue?