On October 21, Adam Silver ruffled some feathers over revenue sharing in the WNBA. "Share isn’t the right way to look at it,” citing the NBA’s far greater revenue. The players' union responded the same day with a pointed Instagram headline: “Don’t want to share?” Nearly two months later, Silver isn’t done yet.

And this time, he is better prepared. Silver has confirmed that he’s tracking the bargaining sessions “very closely.” He’s willing to join the prolonged negotiations alongside Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum if it helps finalize a deal.

“We’re integrated at the league office,” Adam Silver said ahead of the NBA Cup Finals in Las Vegas on December 16. “I talk to the people who are at the negotiating table on a daily basis.”

Well, his involvement makes sense because he’s got extensive experience. Silver played a key role in negotiating the NBA’s last three CBAs with the NBPA. So his presence could be highly beneficial. But he didn’t end here. 

 He even emphasized his long-term commitment to the league. “I remain optimistic we’ll get something done, whether that means I’m physically sitting at the table or not,” he said. “Mark and I have been involved with this league for essentially three decades. I care enormously about it. I want it to be successful, and I want the players to feel fairly treated as well.”

After all, the NBA still owns up to 42% of the WNBA shares. But the question is, will it actually help?

The WNBA CBA Negotiations

It has now been a year, along with a 30-day extension and a 40-day extension, and progress remains limited. The players have not budged from their core demand. The WNBPA is seeking approximately 30% of league revenue, while the WNBA reportedly prefers a figure closer to 15%. Sources continue to describe that gap as significant.

That’s quite less, as WNBA players get 9% of total revenue compared to roughly 50% of the share NBA players get.

While Silver had been criticised for his October comments on revenue sharing, he still maintains that he has “great relationships with many of the players.” That gives him confidence to believe that both sides are moving toward a solution.

And honestly, he’s right. From the league’s perspective, the proposed offer represents a major step forward. The WNBA has floated a $1 million maximum base salary and a projected average salary of roughly $500,000, which it views as massive pay increases.

The WNBPA, however, has remained largely silent on those figures. The union appears focused on negotiating through the current 40-day extension, which expires on January 9. What happens next could be critical.

With more than 100 players expected to enter free agency in 2026, the stakes are even higher.

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi