The WNBA has secured a new media rights deal that includes a reevaluation of its value after the 2028 season due to the league's increasing popularity. The deal, negotiated as part of a broader $77 billion NBA agreement with media partners, is worth $2.2 billion for 11 seasons, with an average of $200 million per year.
The trio of NBA partners, Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon, did not assign specific values to the WNBA initially but worked with Endeavor Group's media consulting team to assess the value of the league's rights, which were initially valued at about $125 million per year. However, the NBA pushed for a higher value for the women's league, ultimately convincing its media partners to allocate an average of $200 million per year for the league.
The media partners have agreed to reassess the value of the rights after the 2028 season, with the $200 million per year cost serving as a floor value. The league will work with a third party to assess a possible increase in rights based on various factors such as TV ratings, expansion, and changes to the length of the regular season or playoffs. While the media partners are not obligated to pay more based on the reevaluation, they will be incentivized to do so.
The WNBA has seen success in its current season, with 16 nationally televised games breaking the 1 million viewership mark, setting a league record. The league also has the opportunity to raise additional revenue through partnerships with other media companies and an advertising revenue share if certain metrics are met. Overall, the WNBA's new media rights deal reflects the league's growing popularity and potential for increased financial success in the future.