New WNBA agreement finally frees Toronto Tempo to move forward
toronto tempo now have a clear path to complete roster construction after a landmark WNBA collective bargaining agreement was reached in principle early Wednesday morning ET. Lawyers on both sides are finalizing a term sheet ahead of union informational sessions, a player ratification vote and board approval before the regular season opens on May 8 ET. That milestone kicks off an accelerated off-season that begins with an expansion draft for Toronto and Portland expected right around the Final Four.
Toronto Tempo and the expansion draft
The agreement removes the major procedural block that had been holding up expansion mechanics: with the CBA terms settled in principle, the league can move to an expansion draft that will allow the new Toronto franchise to select from a pool of players. Rules about which players incumbent teams can protect and exactly how the draft will operate are still being worked out. The 13 existing teams will submit protected lists to the Tempo and Fire, and those two expansion sides will then determine their selections.
What the new CBA changes immediately
The deal reached in principle will produce the league’s first million-dollar players and forces front offices to act on compressed timelines. More than 80 percent of the league are free agents this year, and only two veteran players who are not on rookie contracts are currently signed for the season. Teams will need to interpret the new CBA in real time to decide which restricted free agents to extend offers to and which to tag, often with only days rather than weeks to negotiate.
Immediate reactions and named parties in motion
Lawyers on both sides are finalizing the term sheet that must be approved by players and the league’s board of governors. The players’ union will hold informational sessions with its membership to explain key terms, answer questions and prepare for a ratification vote that requires a majority to pass. The league’s board of governors must then approve the deal before it becomes official. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu are identified in the agreement context as the players who will lead colleagues into the new collective bargaining agreement.
Quick context
The college draft is scheduled for April 13 ET in New York, training camp begins April 19 ET, and there is a marquee game on April 25 ET in New York featuring Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever against the Liberty. Off the court, the league is marking its 30th anniversary and has a number of initiatives to finalize before the season tips.
What’s next
In the next day or so ET lawyers are expected to complete the term sheet, after which the union will run informational sessions, the players will vote and the board of governors will move to ratify the agreement. If ratified and approved, the schedule will compress: expansion draft planning will accelerate, franchises will make rapid free-agent decisions, the April 13 ET college draft and April 19 ET training camps will proceed under new CBA parameters, and teams must be ready for the May 8 ET regular-season opener. All of that activity will shape how toronto tempo build their first competitive roster and how the wider league navigates a crowded, fast-moving off-season.
