NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA and its players' union agreed to a moratorium for league business Monday.
The moratorium, which was confirmed by the league, was necessary because the sides failed to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement or an extension of the current one by Friday night’s deadline.
The sides are continuing to negotiate in good faith on a new CBA and are far apart on salaries and revenue sharing.
The moratorium will halt the initial stages of free agency in which teams would seek to deliver qualifying offers and franchise tag designations to players.
Before the moratorium, the WNBA, under U.S. labor law, had a status-quo obligation to allow teams to send out qualifying offers under the expired CBA agreement. Sunday was the first day that teams would have sent out offers to players.
While the moratorium makes sense for both sides, they are still far apart on key issues.
The league’s most recent offer last month would guarantee a maximum base salary of $1 million in 2026 that could reach $1.3 million through revenue sharing. That’s up from the current $249,000 and could grow to nearly $2 million over the life of the agreement, a person familiar with the negotiations told the AP earlier this month. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
Under the league’s proposal, players would receive in excess of 70% of net revenue — though that would be their take of the profits after expenses are paid. Those expenses would include upgraded facilities, charter flights, five-star hotels, medical services, security and arenas.
The average salary in 2026 would be more than $530,000, up from its current $120,000, and grow to more than $770,000 over the life of the agreement. The minimum salary would grow from its current $67,000 to approximately $250,000 in the first year, the person told the AP.
The proposal would also financially pay star young players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, who are all still on their rookie contracts, nearly double the league minimum.
Revenue sharing is one of the major sticking points in the negotiations.
The union’s counter proposal to the league would give players around 30% of the gross revenue. The player’s percentage would be from money generated before expenses for the first year and teams would have a $10.5 million salary cap to sign players. Under the union’s proposal, the revenue sharing percent would go up slightly each year.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
FILE - The WNBA logo is seen near a hoop before an WNBA basketball game at Mohegan Sun Arena, May 14, 2019, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Dominik Szoboszlai was hero and villain for Liverpool as the home side broke down a spirited Barnsley 4-1 on Monday to set up a FA Cup fourth round tie against Premier League rival Brighton.
The Hungarian midfielder gave Liverpool the lead after eight minutes when he silenced the travelling fans with a stunning 30-meter strike.
Jeremie Frimpong made it 2-0 when he cut in from the right and fired home a fierce left-foot shot.
But Szoboszlai offered Barnsley a way back into the game five minutes before halftime with a calamitous mistake that will feature in blooper reels for years to come.
His attempted backheel six meters in front of his own goal was poorly planned and shockingly executed and the chasing Adam Phillips only had to tap the ball into the empty net to make it 2-1.
“Sorry to the team,” Szoboszlai told broadcaster TNT Sports. “I made it hard for us with an easy mistake. Football happens and we move on.”
The midfielder was also lucky not to give away a penalty early in the second half as Barnsley made a mockery of its League 1 status.
The Yorkshire club took the game to its more storied rival and with the match still in the balance Liverpool coach Arne Slot was forced to call on his big guns, bringing on Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Ibrahima Konate after an hour.
However, much of the action continued to revolve around Szoboszlai.
He cleared a Phillips shot off the line at one end and then set up Wirtz moments later only to see him blaze the ball over the bar.
Wirtz made amends six minutes from time when, with the visitor's energy levels dropping, he took an Ekitiké pass and curled a lovely shot into the far corner.
Ekitiké made it 4-1 in stoppage time when he tapped home a Wirtz cross.
It was an unfortunate end for a visiting team that acquitted itself admirably against a team 57 places above it in the league pyramid.
“I thought we were outstanding,” Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane said. “We got a bit tired at the end but we started so well. They brought on top player after top player.
“I wanted the lads to put in a performance that they could come away from and be immensely proud of and they can certainly do that."
Although the scoreline flattered the home side the result was Liverpool's 11th straight game without defeat and a sign of its ability to grind out results. Liverpool has not lost since November to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Brighton will come to Anfield on the weekend of Feb. 14.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Barnsley's Corey O'Keeffe, left, and -mu73- fight for the ball during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Liverpool and Barnsley in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Barnsley's Vimal Yoganathan guards Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Liverpool and Barnsley in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong celebrates after scoring during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Liverpool and Barnsley in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Barnsley's Adam Phillips celebrates after scoring during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Liverpool and Barnsley in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai reacts after scoring during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Liverpool and Barnsley in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
