The WNBA has considerably elevated its record-setting media deal.
The WNBA’s 11-year deal is value $3.1 billion with companions Disney (ABC/ESPN), NBCUniversal (NBC/Peacock), Amazon (Prime Video), Paramount (CBS), Scripps (ION), USA Sports (USA Network) and NBA TV, a supply aware of the league’s offers confirmed to Front Office Sports.
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The common annual worth of the brand new media deal is $281 million, about 6.5 instances greater than the deal’s AAV of $43 million. The WNBA added CBS, Scripps, and Amazon as companions over the previous couple of years, bringing their whole media income to round $60 million final yr.
In July 2024, the WNBA secured a $2.2 billion media deal over 11 years with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon, a portion of the NBA’s broader $77 billion deal. The WNBA has since added USA Sports and renewed offers with Scripps and Paramount to get to $3.1 billion.
The offers include “re-set” provisions after the third season (2028). If triggered, the perimeters can re-negotiate the phrases of the deal, together with size and price, nevertheless it’s unclear whether or not the supply may be triggered by the league, its companions, or each.
The supply stated there’s additionally income sharing included in the offers that might push the quantity above $281 million yearly. The league will obtain a portion of promoting and sponsorship income from any associate that “recoups its financial investment.”
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Under the brand new media offers, the WNBA secured a file 216 nationwide video games for the 2026 season, which began Friday. ION holds probably the most variety of video games (50), adopted by USA Network (48).
The WNBA playoffs shall be cut up between ABC/ESPN, USA, NBC/Peacock, and Prime Video. The breakdown is as follows:
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First Round: ABC/ESPN (two sequence), USA Network and Prime Video (one sequence every)
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Semifinals: NBC/Peacock (one sequence), ESPN/ABC (one sequence)
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Finals: NBC (Games 1 and 4), USA and Peacock (Games 2, 3, 5–7)
This yr would be the first time since 2000—the WNBA’s fourth season—{that a} Disney community won’t air the WNBA Finals.
The giant variety of companions throughout free TV, cable, and streaming has created a possible fragmentation challenge that’s plaguing all of sports activities. On Friday, Engelbert was requested in regards to the challenge.
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“The WNBA is not unique in this battle, right? It’s the free market that the U.S has in the media market because there’s a lot of participants,” Engelbert told Sports Business Journal.
Engelbert added that she feels there shall be “consolidation over time” amongst media firms.
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