{"id":827008,"date":"2026-03-22T11:25:23","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T11:25:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/827008\/"},"modified":"2026-03-22T11:25:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T11:25:23","slug":"the-wnbas-pay-explosion-plus-more-buzzer-madness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/827008\/","title":{"rendered":"The WNBA\u2019s pay explosion, plus more buzzer madness"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Pulse Newsletter \ud83d\udce3 | This is The Athletic\u2019s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here<\/a> to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox.<\/p>\n

Good morning! Ensure you know how to operate your\u00a0dancing robot<\/a>\u2019s kill switch today. Inside:<\/p>\n

Big Deals: The WNBA\u2019s historic CBA, by the numbers<\/p>\n

Fear not! After months of anticipation, we will indeed have a 2026 WNBA season (and an on-time one, at that) after the league and WNBA Players Association\u00a0agreed to and signed the new landmark CBA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Moving forward, players will be paid more \u2014 a lot more \u2014 than ever before: This season\u2019s lowest-paid player will earn more than 2025\u2019s highest-paid players. For example, incoming rookie Azzi Fudd\u2019s minimum WNBA salary in 2026 will be more than eight-year veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell made on a super-maximum salary in 2025.\u00a0Wild<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We touched on this earlier this week, but felt like circling back because the numbers are astounding, and well-deserved. Let\u2019s get into some:<\/p>\n

$1.4 million:\u00a0This season\u2019s super-max salaries under the new CBA. Stars like A\u2019ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart are expected to earn such numbers, and will individually make only $100,000 less than any entire WNBA team last season.<\/p>\n

$300,000:\u00a0This season\u2019s minimum salary. Fever forward Brianna Turner\u00a0said on X<\/a>\u00a0her 2019 rookie salary was $44,207, and that a minimum salary like 2026\u2019s seemed \u201cunfathomable years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

$600,000:\u00a0The new average salary, once revenue is factored in. (This does make me wonder, will players also need\/want\/continue to play overseas for additional salary?)<\/p>\n

20 percent:\u00a0The gross league revenue players will receive.<\/p>\n

$7 million:\u00a0This year\u2019s salary cap, nearly five times the previous amount of\u00a0$1.5 million\u00a0in 2025.<\/p>\n

As most things go, this CBA is relative. The new agreement hinges on that of 2020\u2019s. The negotiations six years ago set the stage for players to demand more, and they did: The maximum salary nearly doubled (to nearly $250,000) and players were granted maternity benefits. Our Chantel Jennings explains how the 2020 CBA was considered a genuine win \u2014\u00a0until it wasn\u2019t<\/a>, spurred by the unforeseen and monumental growth of the league (thanks largely to the Caitlin Clark-led 2024 draft class).<\/p>\n

But back to the present, where there isn\u2019t much time to look anywhere but forward. It\u2019ll be quite the abbreviated and busy offseason, with more deals and handshakes to come:<\/p>\n

Knowing CBA negotiations were taking place in 2026, union leaders previously advised players to\u00a0position themselves as free agents this year<\/a>, even if that meant accepting shorter-term contracts, so that they could capitalize on the new salaries afforded by the CBA.
\nThe potential free-agency frenzy is bookended by the expansion draft (likely April 6, for new teams Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo) and the WNBA Draft (April 13). Preseason games start April 25.
\nThere are lots of big names in this free-agency cycle. Find them\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The \u201cNo Offseason\u201d podcast also\u00a0succinctly explained the new pay structure<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n

And I can\u2019t leave you without sharing my favorite WNBA fact, as a native New Yorker: The Liberty\u2019s mascot, Ellie the Elephant, is an ode to Brooklyn. In 1883, elephants were marched across the Brooklyn Bridge after it was built to dispel any concerns about its structural integrity. So, Ellie became the team\u2019s official mascot ahead of its move to Brooklyn\u2019s Barclays Center in 2021.<\/p>\n

Funky? Sounds more trunky to me.<\/p>\n

News to Know\"PORTLAND,<\/p>\n

Madness reigns at night<\/p>\n

It was a fantastic evening of basketball. You had No. 11 Texas, who had lost five of six heading into the First Four, playing stifling defense against No. 3 Gonzaga in the second half and nailing the Zags\u2019 coffin with a Camden Heide corner 3. Then Nebraska-Vanderbilt one-upped that with an absolute humdinger \u2014\u00a0four lead changes in the final couple of minutes, ending as a half-court heave from Vandy\u2019s Tyler Tanner went halfway down and out again. So close:<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

Anyhow, Nebraska heads to its first-ever Sweet 16. And plucky No. 12 High Point, after stunning No. 5 Wisconsin in the first round, did themselves proud by hanging tough in an eventual loss to No. 4 Arkansas and freshman scoring machine Darius Acuff Jr. It was fun. For much more on those games and other Day 2 highlights, head here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

FDU coach calls for neutral sites<\/p>\n

No 15 seed has ever advanced in the women\u2019s tournament \u2014 No. 2 seeds are 128-0 in the first round \u2014 but Fairleigh Dickinson managed to at least give Iowa a solid scare, trailing by a bucket in the final four minutes before the Hawkeyes pulled away, 58-48. Afterward, FDU coach Stephanie Gaitley was gracious but said it\u2019s time for the women to play on neutral courts in the early rounds. Iowa coach Jan Jensen told her she agreed, Gaitley said.\u00a0Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Also yesterday: Probably the tourney\u2019s best game so far featured an incredible false ending when Clemson\u2019s Mia Moore raced down the court to drain a wild 3-pointer against heavy contact, only for it to be ruled a fraction late. USC then won 71-67 in OT. Brutal.\u00a0More on that and other Day 2 takeaways here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

More news:<\/p>\n

Team USA flag football\u00a0mopped the floor<\/a>\u00a0with teams made up largely of\u00a0NFL pros. Interesting.<\/p>\n

Ho-hum, another career\u00a0NBA\u00a0record for\u00a0LeBron James. This time it\u2019s games played, passing\u00a0Robert Parish. And after 1,612 of them, he remains\u00a0very good<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile\u00a0Kevin Durant\u00a0moved into fifth<\/a>\u00a0on the\u00a0NBA\u2019s all-time scorer list, displacing one\u00a0Michael Jordan.<\/p>\n

MLB umpire Bill Miller\u00a0was caught on a hot mic saying \u201cplease be a strike\u201d during an ABS pitch challenge. Two amazing things: 1. It\u2019s not the first time he\u2019s been caught on a hot mic. 2. He wanted to be wrong!\u00a0Read\/watch<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Pirates\u00a0reassigned baseball\u2019s top prospect, 19-year-old\u00a0shortstop Konnor Griffin, to minor league camp.\u00a0More here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Trae Young\u00a0could be done for the year<\/a>, which sure suits the tanking\u00a0Wizards.<\/p>\n

Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl\u00a0will miss the rest of the regular season but hopes to return during the playoffs with the help of \u201cHealing Hans.\u201d (Who?<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf0\u00a0Find more news here 24\/7<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Watch Guide<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa Arsenal vs. Manchester City
12:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+
The Carabao Cup final carries extra weight this year. Premier League leaders Arsenal are chasing a historic quadruple \u2014 the league title, both domestic cups and the Champions League. With no major trophies since 2020, they could mark the beginning of\u00a0a new era<\/a>\u00a0with a win here. City are nine points behind in the league, but have a game in hand and could do serious damage to the Gunners\u2019 psyche by playing spoilers.\u00a0Check out all the subplots here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa NCAAW: Second round
12 p.m.-10 p.m.
ESPN networks
It stands to be another competitive day, with three 4-5 matchups on the slate. And while two-seed LSU is a legit contender and will be heavily favored against Texas Tech (3 p.m., ABC), this is an intriguing styles clash: the nation\u2019s top scoring offense against a stingy Red Raiders defense.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa NCAAM: Second round\u2028
12:10 p.m.-9:45 p.m. ET
CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV
A particularly strong block on CBS: Two-seed Iowa State could be without injured star forward Joshua Jefferson against a Kentucky fueled by vibes after Friday\u2019s dramatic finish (2:45 p.m.), followed by a HOF coaches showdown in Kansas-St. John\u2019s (5:15 p.m.).<\/p>\n

Get tickets to games like this here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Pulse Picks<\/p>\n

\n Illustration: Dan Goldfarb \/ The Athletic; Doug Pensinger \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

Anthony Evans was the head coach at Norfolk State when it pulled off one of March Madness\u2019 biggest upsets. The key, he says?\u00a0Don\u2019t think like an underdog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I am a sucker for an unhinged minor-league baseball team merch drop and\u00a0a bunch of new ones just got released<\/a>! I am debating between the Pawtucket Hot Wieners and the Fort Wayne PufferBellies. \u2014 Noah Chestnut<\/p>\n

Gotham FC\u2019s path to lifting its second championship trophy in three seasons was every bit intentional. Here\u2019s\u00a0how to build an NWSL title-winning roster<\/a>, according to the club.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m all about a one-bowl bake, and you might already have all the ingredients on hand for this\u00a0customizable carrot cake<\/a>. Maybe even better as leftovers! \u2014 Torrey Hart<\/p>\n

Zach Harper\u2019s NBA Misery Index is back.\u00a0Extremely scientific<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Quick explainers! When oil prices go up, what else?\u00a0A lot<\/a>! And yes, that\u2019s a bird angling\u00a0for a cigarette<\/a>. Puff, puff, nest. \u2014 Chris Sprow<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Athletic Show\u201d covers this week\u2019s full slate of basketball news, from the WNBA CBA deal to NBA expansion and March Madness. Stream it on Fire TV,\u00a0The Athletic\u00a0app or\u00a0wherever you get your podcasts<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: The\u00a0timeout-that-wasn\u2019t<\/a>\u00a0during the crazy end to regulation in Santa Clara-Kentucky.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udceb That\u2019s all for now! Say hello at thepulse@theathletic.com<\/a>, and check out our other newsletters<\/a>.<\/p>\n