The murmurs about the WNBA’s new CBA go beyond players’ salaries and revenue-sharing clauses. While the main provision of the agreement warrants discussion of these historic revamps, a recent revelation sheds light on a $14M clause honoring the players who shaped the league’s very foundation.

The new CBA was finalized last week, nearly two months after the WNBPA and the league found themselves in the same boat and reached a tentative agreement. Most of the first-hand changes across the league are well known. The salary cap increased steeply to $7M, with players receiving 20% of revenue sharing.

According to an exclusive report from Front Office Sports reporter Colin Salao, the new CBA also includes a “Veteran Payment Recognition” clause that provides veteran players like Sue Bird and Tina Charles with a substantial amount.

This clause applies to all players who retired before the 2026 season. However, all such players must have played in the league for at least 5 years. The league has outlined a payment scheme for veteran players, based on their experience as well.

For instance, a player who has played for 5-7 years will earn around $30,000 from the WNBA. Meanwhile, players like Bird and Charles, who have served the league for 12+ years, will get $100,000. As per Front Office Sports, this payment scheme also has a slight exception.

This provision gives special recognition to players who have previously won an MVP Award. It’s kind of a game-changer in this regard. Because ticking that box means the player will automatically earn the maximum ($100,000), regardless of how many years they have played in the league.

Players like Cynthia Cooper (just 5 seasons) and Yolanda Griffith (just 9 seasons) will benefit from this tweak. From an overall perspective, this $14M “Veteran Payment Recognition” is a great way for the WNBA to foster a sense of inclusion among these veteran players.

Bird and Charles, who tirelessly played in the league when the salary was far from the $1M that we’re talking about now. Furthermore, the luxuries of charter travel and league revenue sharing weren’t prevalent during their period either. As a result, it seems fitting that these players are finally getting their due from the league.

Of course, it isn’t as extensive as the system that exists in the NBA. The latter has several plans, like the traditional NBA Players’ Pension Plan and NBA Players’ Legacy Fund. The NBA even established a system to recognize the ABA players, who aren’t eligible for the NBA pension plan.

Of course, the NBA has much deeper revenue pockets than the WNBA, which allows it to fund so many lucrative initiatives. The WNBA will need many more decades to reach that status. But this $14M provision under the WNBA’s new CBA is at least a start towards the direction the NBA is heading, and the former players of the league are quite optimistic about this change.

Former Players Were Highly Leaning Towards the WNBA’s Veteran Recognition Scheme

ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo, who played in the WNBA for 5+ years, has shared her two cents on the impact of the Veteran Recognition Scheme. Lobo played for teams such as the New York Liberty and the Connecticut Sun during her career.

But her career was cut short largely due to a series of injuries she sustained during this period. Under the recognition plan’s payment scheme, Lobo will earn $30,000. Speaking about it in an interview with Front Office Sports last month, Lobo said she welcomed the move.

“I’m sure there are a certain number of [retired players] who it will make a real impact on their lives,” Lobo said. “For the current players to kind of appreciate the history of the game and where they are now as a result of some of the women who came before them, that was magnanimous and certainly a surprise.”

The fact is, the WNBA is blooming. While it isn’t as valuable as the NBA, recent reports suggest the league is moving in a positive direction. The multi-billion-dollar media rights deal is one of the best examples of this growth. Similarly, through expansion, the league’s impact is spreading further.

Given these factors, it’s just a matter of time before the revenue strengthens further. And amid this, it was only fitting that the league honors the players who walked so that the league can now run at full pace.