The Women’s National Basketball Association and its players’ union on Jan. 14 announced a collective bargaining agreement that will boost players’ salaries and improve their benefits, including providing a full salary for players on parental leave and an annual child care stipend of $5,000.

In the new contract, players will receive a 53% pay increase, raising the top salary to $500,000 — more than triple the maximum compensation under the previous contract. The agreement also provides better travel accommodations and revenue sharing, and it creates a new competition beginning in 2021 with a $750,000 purse for the winning team.

“For us to have that investment moving forward, it’s huge,” said Nneka Ogwumike, the president of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association. The agreement “provides a solid foundation for a league poised for greatness now and in the future,” she said.

Chicago Sun-Times, Jan. 14