Clark Effect? WNBA Reportedly Set to Get Massive Cash Boost, But League Is Unhappy
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
What a turnaround.
From being in a place of practical irrelevancy as recently as just six years ago, to drawing record-setting crowds today, the WNBA is as vibrant and thriving as it ever has ever been — maybe, ever.
Due in no small part to the supernova popularity of Indiana Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark (and the red-hot interest in her on-court rivalries with the likes of Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese), the WNBA has become relevant.
That newfound relevancy has contributed to a whopping increase in the cash flow that will soon be going into the league.
The problem is, as ESPN reported, that new influx of cash isn’t commensurate with the WNBA’s perception of its own self-worth.
The NBA, which owns the majority of the WNBA, is on the verge of signing a bonanza of a television rights deal.
“The NBA’s board of governors approved that league’s next media rights deals with Disney, NBC and Amazon Prime Video at its meeting Tuesday, moving the league one giant step closer to finalizing the 11-year agreements that will be worth about $76 billion,” ESPN reported.
Because of the relationship between the NBA and WNBA, the WNBA is effectively a part of this media deal, as well.
The new deal gives the WNBA roughly $200 million per year — a stark increase over the $60 million per year the league was previously getting.
“We have wondered for months how the NBA would value the WNBA in its media rights deal,” WNBA players union executive director Terri Jackson said in a statement, per ESPN. “With a reportedly $75 billion deal on the table, the league is in control of its own destiny.
“More precisely, the NBA controls the destiny of the WNBA.”
“We look forward to learning how the NBA arrived at a $200 million valuation — if initial reports are accurate or even close,” Jackson continued. “Neither the NBA nor the WNBA can deny that in the last few years, we have seen unprecedented growth across all metrics, the players continue to demonstrate their commitment to building the brand, and that the fans keep showing up.
“There is no excuse to undervalue the WNBA again.”
The new media deal values the WNBA at about $2.2 billion over 11 years, according to Front Office Sports, and begins in 2026.
FOS still stressed how much of a boon this was for the WNBA, despite Jackson’s disagreements.
“At its floor, the new deal triples the league’s media-rights revenue; at its ceiling, it would increase it by something closer to a factor of six,” FOS reported. “At $200 million a year, it is about the same amount of money that was the entire revenue figure — not just media rights — for the league in ’23.”
The WNBA is currently in the midst of a season break and will resume on Aug. 15 after many of the league’s players return from the Summer Olympics.
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