The WNBA has made great strides.
On Tuesday, The Athletic reported on the WNBA’s upcoming media deals. Worth about $2.2 billion in 11 yearsThis marks a groundbreaking financial investment in the women’s league.
The NBA negotiated a WNBA media deal alongside its larger media rights deals with Disney (ESPN/ABC), NBC and Amazon, with each of those companies reportedly going to have their own WNBA package.
The NBA’s Board of Governors approved a new 11-year, $76 billion broadcast deal on Tuesday, but a final decision is still pending as TNT’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, argues it can match one of the proposed new partners and is considering whether to do so.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed Tuesday that media deals have not yet been finalized.
The WNBA has seen a huge increase in viewership and popularity this season thanks to the emergence of a talented rookie roster led by stars such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Rekea Jackson and Camila Cardozo.
The game averaged 1.32 million viewers across the ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and CBS networks, triple last season’s average of 462,000.
May was the most attended opening month of the WNBA season in the past 26 years, with half of all games sold out and attendance up 156% from last year.
Arenas across the WNBA league also filled to an average of 94% capacity.
“What’s happening right now in women’s basketball is confirmation of what we’ve always known: The demand is there and women’s sports is a worthwhile investment,” said Corey Edison, the WNBA’s chief development officer. statement Back in May, “We are encouraged by the increased engagement we’ve seen across all areas, especially as we welcome new and diverse audiences into our fandom. As the league embraces this growing momentum, the WNBA continues to see sustained growth.”
Long-standing tensions over WNBA players flying commercially while NBA teams fly on private jets were eased when WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the league would launch a full charter program for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, which she described as “a testament to the continued growth of the WNBA.”
W Current CBAThe CBA, which runs through 2027, allows the league’s top players to receive cash compensation in excess of $500,000. The eight-year CBA, which began in 2020, marks the first time in WNBA history that the average cash compensation exceeded six figures, according to WNBA.com.
While a better CBA, such as the NBA’s 50 percent guaranteed media rights, is needed, the influx of money from new media deals could help boost player salaries and ensure that emerging stars like Clark, who is making just $76,535 in base salary, don’t start at less than $100,000 a year.
When Clark, a University of Iowa product who broke Pete Maravich’s NCAA basketball career scoring record, was selected first overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 draft, it sparked a heated debate about the pay disparity between WNBA and NBA players.
He was selected first overall by the Indiana Fever. AP
Brink, a rookie for the LA Sparks who recently suffered a season-ending torn ACL, highlighted in an interview how low women’s basketball players are paid. Flaunt Magazine.
“To be honest, it’s hard to cover living expenses on a female basketball player’s salary, especially year-round,” said the 22-year-old. “That’s why endorsement deals are so important and I’m so grateful for the brands that I work with, because that’s what makes up the majority of my income, not my basketball salary.”
Media rights revenues, which have increased from $50 million a year previously, will now be around $200 million, providing more funding for both players and teams.
The new contract would exceed Engelbert’s goal of “at least doubling” the value of the league’s current contracts.
“The ecosystem, essentially the sports ecosystem, needs to be strengthened.” Engelbart said in an interview with “NBC Nightly News” anchor Harry Jackson on Sunday. “And we’re really excited to have that happen in the upcoming media rights negotiations and with our corporate partners. The phones haven’t stopped ringing.”
