Changing the Game: Deborah Willig Discusses Impact of WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement on Women’s Professional Sports

The rapid growth of women’s professional sports is reshaping expectations for how elite athletes are compensated and supported. The Women’s National Basketball Players Association’s (WNBPA) historic new collective bargaining agreement reflects that momentum, delivering significant and historic improvements in pay, benefits and working conditions for WNBA players.

Managing Partner Deborah R. Willig, who served as outside counsel to the WNBPA during negotiations, spoke about the fight for fair treatment in recent interviews with Marketplace and the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) Podcast. She said the agreement was driven by both the league’s success and the players’ determination.

“It was perfect timing, but in addition, it was the resolve of the players,” Willig noted, pointing to the WNBA’s recent growth in ticket sales, sponsorships and media deals.

“There were a lot of wins, and frankly from my point of view as a negotiator for five decades, no givebacks,” Willig said. “First and foremost, which was the top of the list for the Players Association, was true revenue sharing. We faced a lot of hurdles, and we were very successful. The salary cap for 2026 is $7 million, and we expect it to grow over the life of the contract to at least $11 million. It’s a big deal.”

Willig emphasized that the agreement extends well beyond compensation. In addition to more than tripling the salary cap from 2025 to 2026, the agreement significantly increases pension benefits, ensures proper facilities, expands access to physicians, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, therapists and nutritionists, and expands family planning benefits.

“This is what elite athletes need and are entitled to,” she said, “and we finally secured these requirements for the players in the WNBA.”

Reflecting on the broader impact of the negotiations, Willig said the players understood the goal was not immediate pay parity with the NBA, but a fair share of the league’s growing success. “What they wanted was a piece of the pie,” she said. “And that’s what we achieved.”

Willig also highlighted the personal impact of this win on players’ quality of life. “We had several player calls to prepare for the ratification vote. At the end of the last call, one of the younger players in the league wrote in the chat, ‘Thank you all so much. This is life-changing.’ And that really was heartfelt,” she said. “It just made it sink in, the historic outcome of these negotiations.”

Listen to the interviews online:

Changing the Game: Deb Willig on the WNBPA’s Historic Labor Agreement – NAWL Podcast

The labor agreement reshaping the WNBA – Marketplace