Five Points That Will Become Key To The PWHL's Next CBA

When members of the PWHPA signed a collective bargaining agreement with the PWHL prior to the inaugural season, it was a first of its kind deal. The PWHL became the first league to have a CBA in place before the league itself was even formed. It came with immediate protections for players and benefits that had never been guaranteed before. 

But it also came with significant gaps, and areas for improvement. It was a gamble to sign the eight-year deal they did before knowing what the league would look like, what issues would arise in a start-up league, how wildly popular the league would become almost instantaneously, and in a vote conducted by such a small percentage of the actual labor pool. 

At the time, PWHPA players represented less than 29% of the 90 players selected in the 2023 PWHL Draft, a number which climbed to 40.7% of the pool when you added in the 18 players signed prior to the draft. When it was all said and done, roughly only 37% of the players who competed in the inaugural season of the PWHL were permitted to vote on the conditions of the league's first ever CBA. It was a deal that represented the needs of some, but not all players in the league, and omitted some crucial aspects of player rights and compensation other leagues are now focusing in on deals done since the signing of the PWHL's CBA.

It's why when the players can work with the league to re-open the CBA, there will be many items on the list to consider. 

If and when the PWHL signs a multi-million dollar media deal, it's not a shift in revenue that will trickle down to players. Why? Because there is no mention, as exists in many CBAs, of revenue sharing derived from broadcasting and media rights deals. The WNBA recently signed a deal that pays the league approximately $281 million annually. One season of that revenue influx for the PWHL would pay their current 12-team league salaries for the next 15 seasons. The league has said their first chance for a major deal will come after year five when their current agreements expire. If it's a financial windfall for the league, the players may need to put pressure on the league for better compensation levels. The same could be said for merchandising. Currently, there is little share for players of league merchandise, including players whose personalized jerseys are hot sellers. The PWHL's merchandise has flown off the shelves, and the league continues to pump out product and new styles. The league's fan base has arrived ready to spend on merchandise, but right now it's being done without a boost to the players.

The PWHL will never attract all of the world's best players, and keep them, without the minimum salary being raised. The WNBA made a massive move in their own salary rights this year, and nobody is expecting the PWHL to reach for the same level immediately, but the minimum PWHL salary is stuck at only $38,245. It's a number that has kept many focused on preparing for other careers, working second jobs, and spending their summers making appearances and running camps to earn extra money. When the PWHL and PWHLPA guaranteed three-year $80,000+ contracts for six players per team, it was a wonderful start, but only for the players making those contracts. The WNBA jumped from $66,000 to more than $270,000 for their league minimum salaries for this season. The PWHL's league average salary will climb to just a hair over $60,000 this season for the first time. The PWHL's league average will only climb above the WNBA's previous league minimum in the eighth and final year of the current CBA rising to $67,643. That season, in 2031 however, there will still be many PWHL players making $43,045, which will be the league's minimum that season. It's not a liveable wage. Players may be apt to accept the figures they're facing were the rest of their treatment on par with other professional leagues, but it isn't. There is no viable retirement pathway through being a PWHL player alone, housing allowances aren't sufficient without players keeping roommates, and most of those on the lowest paid contracts can have those deals terminated at any moment. The PWHL's plans gave young players who joined the league in year one an advantage over all future graduates as well, as many were able to grab those $80,000 contracts. Since then, many top draft picks, including veteran professionals from Europe, have been forced to settle for deals under the league average due to circumstances, such as being under contract in Europe, not due to talent. Increased pay for playoffs is another item, as many players see drops in compensation in the postseason.

Players who sign one-year contracts can be cut at any moment. Last season it was seen for some who signed as free agents in the offseason who were cut in training camp. Others were bounced between reserve and league-minimum salaries, or released outright. In a league without an affiliate system, players cut midseason in the PWHL are often out of work and out of luck as European clubs have, for the most part, signed their import players and don't have roster spots left. The PWHL has adapted some "rules," although rules in the league have been changed quietly many times over without public knowledge. For now, multi-year contracts are guaranteed, but all one-year contracts can be terminated with severance given, but when the severance is done, those players are not paid the remainder of the contract signed. The NWSL moved many protections for players including guaranteed contracts in their new CBA. The PWHL is operating using a CBA that was copied nearly verbatim from the NWSL's old, now obsolete CBA. In the NWSL's new deal, they not only guaranteed contracts, but they gave players the power in terms of movement. If there's one area a new CBA will need to better define, it's how the league manages reserve players. In all likelihood, there will not be reserves by the time a new CBA is negotiated. Right now reserves have no protections and make only $15,000 a season. Reserves who don't get into the lineup, it can be career ending for a bubble player to have their development and game readiness stifled. Larger roster sizes, with guaranteed contracts, are likely targets.

Currently, the PWHL is limited to 32 games under the CBA. The league has used the CBA on many occasions as the lone justification for the season schedule. The league itself has many large gaps in their schedule, punctuated by a 6-7 month offseason for teams and no summer league or offseason options for players like those in the WNBA have through European leagues and Unrivalled. The league started at 24 games, and went to 30 games the past two seasons. They have yet to announced, with the 2026-27 season rapidly approaching, if they'll climb to 32 games this season, or stay at 30 games despite the league growing to 12 teams. Soon, with the inclusion of PWHL Takeover Tour games, it will be difficult for fans to see each team in the league, if the league stays at 30 games. In terms of driving revenue, ticket sales have been a major boost for the PWHL, along with merchandise sales and broadcasting surrounding the Takeover Tour. Adding games will help the league fill lengthy in season scheduling gaps, reduce the offseason break where the league loses momentum and interest, and drive more revenue. It won't be a tremendous change to start, but seeing the league climb to 40 or more games would be logical. It's enough to add a month to the season calendar, keep the PWHL Takeover Tour rolling, and to ensure the gaps are filled. There may also be some discussion of other events. For example, the current CBA mentions an All-Star game, where players are paid for participation. The league however, had no obligation to run the event, and through three seasons, has yet to host an all-star event.

In the NWSL's new CBA, teams cannot trade players without the full consent from the player. In the PWHL, players can be traded without their consent. The NWSL also did away with their entry draft making all players not under contract free agents. It gave the best talent globally the option to choose their destination, and contract term, with protections, in the NWSL. The PWHL still has restricted free agency for drafted players as well, keeping them within the organization that drafted them for at least two years. Along with this, the NWSL also abolished their draft. The NWSL waned to lure more top players from outside of North America, and one way to do that was to allow international talent the ability to choose their destination and freely negotiate a contract. It allows the teams who treat players better, and have the finances available to offer liveable wages to players, to attract talent. It force teams to improve their conditions, coaching, and culture. With the number of European players who delayed coming to North America, and many who still have not made the decision to join the PWHL, giving more freedom to veterans over a certain age, as a minimum, would open doors for the PWHL to attract more talent. Players will want choice, freedom in their movement, guarantees in the contracts they sign, and equal opportunities to sign for what they're worth, no matter when or how they entered the league.