WNBA Revenue Sharing Milestone: What It Means for Players, and What They’ll Actually Take Home

🏀 For the first time in league history, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) hit a profit benchmark that triggers revenue sharing with its players — a major milestone that reflects the league’s growth in popularity, merchandising, ticket sales, and broadcast value. The payout isn’t just symbolic; it carries actual money going to the athletes, and it signals a shift in how the value of women’s sports can be shared with the athletes driving that growth.

What Happened: Revenue Sharing Was Triggered

Under the 2020 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), a revenue-sharing clause kicks in once certain financial targets are met. For the 2025 season, the league surpassed that threshold — meaning a total of $16 million became revenue-sharing eligible. Half of that — $8 million — is being distributed directly to players who were active in the 2025 season, and the other $8 million is allocated to league marketing agreements. These are promotional opportunities where players represent the league and its partners, typically in offseason campaigns.

The ABACUS: How Much Money Players Will Actually Receive

So what does $8 million translate to for individual athletes?

It depends on how the league and union ultimately decide to distribute it. The CBA lays out rules, but the exact individual shares haven’t been publicly finalized yet; the union and league now have 60 days from notification to agree on the breakdown.

Here’s what we do know so far:

• $8 million revenue sharing pot — designated for 2025 players;

• $9.25 million in licensing revenue — generated from merch, jerseys, video games, trading cards, and other commercial deals from 2020 to 2025, to be shared among players based on years played; and

• Maximum licensing payout per player — capped at $50,000 for someone active every year from 2020 to 2025.

Because the $8 million revenue sharing is being distributed only to players who were active on 2025 rosters (13 teams), that means it could be split among around 150–160 athletes depending on roster sizes and free agent timing. Taking a simple average, that would hover around $50,000 per player, before taxes, but the actual individual payout may vary depending on the collective agreement the players and league negotiate.

On the licensing side, players who appeared in multiple seasons between 2020 and 2025 will receive a share of the $9.25 million pool, with the maximum capped at $50,000 for someone who played all five seasons. That means many players with shorter tenures might receive smaller amounts, while long-time stars get closer to that cap.

Before and After Taxes: What Players Might Actually Take Home

Important to understand: the figures above are gross amounts, before taxes. Athletes will owe federal, state, and (possibly) local income tax on these earnings, just like salary income. Because tax rates vary widely — based on where a player files, whether they have deductions, residency status, retirement contributions, and so on — there isn’t a specific number that applies to every player.

Here’s a general sense of how the tax situation could look:

• Federal taxes — these are progressive, meaning the first portion of income is taxed at lower rates, with top brackets going up to 37% depending on total income;

• State taxes — most WNBA players live or earn income in states with income tax (like New York, California, Connecticut, Minnesota), which could add 4% to 13% or more on top of federal;

• Local taxes — in some areas (like New York City), players may owe city taxes as well;

• FICA / social taxes — may apply differently to bonuses or postseason income.

Because players already earn significant WNBA salaries and potentially overseas income, additional revenue sharing is likely to be taxed at rates where roughly 30%–45% of gross income goes to combined federal/job tax and state/local taxes — though individual circumstances vary. Using that rough range, a $50,000 bonus could translate to roughly $27,500–$35,000 in take-home pay once taxes are withheld.

Why This Matters for the League and Women’s Sports

This revenue-sharing milestone is important for several reasons:

• It proves the WNBA can generate and share revenue beyond base salaries;

• It gives concrete money to players for the first time under this CBA’s revenue-sharing mechanism;

• It injects real leverage into collective bargaining, as players push for greater guaranteed revenue share in future deals;

• It signals increasing commercial value for women’s professional sports, as fans, broadcasters, sponsors, and stakeholders invest in long-term growth.

At the same time, a new CBA has not yet been ratified, and players and the league are haggling over how revenue sharing should work going forward, what percentage of gross revenue players should receive, and how salaries and benefits will be structured in coming seasons. With a March 10 deadline looming to finalize a deal before the 2026 season schedule is affected, the outcome of these negotiations could shape how future revenue sharing — and total compensation — works for players.

The Bottom Line 🏀⛹🏽‍♀️

The WNBA’s revenue-sharing milestone marks a historic first payout to players, with $8 million going to athletes who competed in 2025, and $9.25 million from licensing revenue to be shared among players across recent seasons. Based on simple averages, many players could see payouts in the ballpark of $30,000–$50,000 after taxes, though individual outcomes will vary depending on agreements and personal tax situations.

For fans, sponsors, and women’s sports advocates, this is more than a bonus; it’s a proof point that investment in women’s leagues can and should benefit the players who drive that growth.

Disclaimer: The payout figures referenced above are based on publicly reported totals and simple distribution estimates. Actual player compensation may vary depending on final league and union agreements, individual contract terms, residency, tax status, and other financial factors. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or tax advice.