The WNBA and its players’ union are locked in a high-stakes negotiation that could determine whether the 2026 season starts on time. After more than a year of talks and a grueling five-day in-person bargaining session, union president Nneka Ogwumike says two major issues are still blocking a new collective bargaining agreement: revenue sharing and team-funded housing.

Ogwumike made it clear that these aren’t minor details. “It’s very important for us to nail those two things down”, she said during negotiations on Saturday. “We want to make sure that we can get that”.

Let’s break down what’s actually being fought over. Revenue sharing is the bigger of the two issues, and it comes down to how the WNBA counts money. The league’s been proposing deals based on net revenue (basically, money left after expenses are paid), while players have been pushing for gross revenue (the total money coming in). When negotiations started, the union asked for 40% of gross revenue but came down to 26% as talks progressed. Meanwhile, the league had been offering more than 70% of net revenue to players. That’s a massive gap, and it’s the real elephant in the room.

But here’s where it gets interesting: housing is also a huge deal, and it’s been getting a lot of attention lately. Since the WNBA started, teams have covered player housing costs. Now the league wants to change that arrangement. The union’s current proposal asks teams to keep paying for housing in the first few years of the new deal, but eventually phase it out for players earning close to maximum salaries. The league, on the other hand, wants to pay for all players’ housing for just one season, then only cover housing for rookies, minimum-salary players, and a couple of developmental players.

Why does housing matter so much? Because many WNBA players still struggle financially despite playing professional basketball. Having teams cover housing is genuinely meaningful support. “Housing is big, you know, and housing is really big”, Ogwumike said. “People understanding this negotiation has really shown how meaningful something like a housing benefit is, especially for the women in the W”.

The clock is ticking. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said they need a deal by Monday to avoid messing up the season schedule. The preseason games start April 25, and before that there’s an expansion draft for Portland and Toronto, free agency, the college draft, and training camps to coordinate.

If these two issues get resolved soon, May 8 is still a realistic start date for the regular season. But if negotiations drag on much longer, players and fans could see real disruptions. The WNBA is finally getting mainstream attention thanks to players like Caitlin Clark, which makes this moment feel even more critical. Getting a fair deal done quickly is essential for keeping that momentum going.