WNBA finalises multi-billion dollar media rights package amid rising team valuations
The Women's National Basketball Association has secured a suite of new broadcasting deals with major partners, yet the league's executive director has raised concerns regarding the initial pricing structure relative to recent financial performance
The WNBA has finalised a comprehensive suite of new domestic media rights agreements worth $3.1 billion over ten years. This package, which averages $281 million annually, comprises separate pacts with Paramount/CBS, Scripps/Ion, and Versant/USA. These agreements are designed to distribute 216 regular season games nationally for the current season, marking a significant expansion in broadcast inventory compared to previous arrangements.
These new contracts operate alongside an existing 11-year, $2.2 billion deal secured two years ago with Disney/ABC/ESPN and Comcast/NBC/Peacock. While the new domestic partners will handle the bulk of the current season's schedule, the existing agreement with the ABC and NBC families is scheduled to commence in 2026. Concurrently, a separate media deal was announced in Canada for the expansion franchise Toronto Tempo, involving Bell Media and its rightsholder TSN.
Despite the scale of the new financial commitments, WNBA Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson has publicly questioned the valuation of the initial agreement. Jackson argues that the deal should better reflect the league's rapid growth trajectory, rising team valuations, and increasing viewership numbers. She has stated that the value of media rights must move in tandem with these metrics and that future deals should account for this reality with players involved in the process.
Recent financial data supports the league's assertion of accelerated growth. Updated valuations released by CNBC indicate the average WNBA team is now worth $460 million. Notably, the Golden State Valkyries have become the first women's sports team valued at over $1 billion, despite entering the league less than three years ago with a $50 million expansion fee.
Other expansion franchises have similarly seen their asset values surge following entry fees paid in recent years. The Toronto Tempo are valued at $325 million after a $115 million fee paid in 2024, while the Portland Fire are valued at $380 million following a $125 million fee paid two years ago. These figures suggest the league has outgrown the media rights framework before the new cycle has fully begun.
To address these concerns, the league and its media partners have agreed to a three-year adjustment option. This mechanism allows the parties to revisit the value of the deals to reflect growth, a strategy mirroring the approach taken by the NWSL in its recent contract expansion. With new franchises planned for Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia by 2030, such mid-deal re-evaluations are expected to become a standard feature of the league's commercial landscape.
