The WNBA is experiencing a surge in popularity, largely driven by the growing interest in star player Caitlin Clark. This increased attention could translate into significant financial gains for the league.
According to Front Office Sports, the WNBA is poised to potentially quadruple its annual television rights revenue in upcoming negotiations. Currently, the league’s 12 teams share a modest $60 million per year from their TV and streaming deals. These rights are distributed among Disney, Amazon Prime Video, CBS, and Ion.However, with new long-term agreements on the horizon, the league’s annual payout could soar to around $240 million. This would mark a major milestone in the WNBA’s growth and financial success.
Increased attention in the WNBA, thanks to Caitlin Clark among others, could mean big bucks
According to Front Office Sports, the NBA is spearheading the negotiations for the WNBA’s new television rights deals. The NBA, which owns over half of the women’s basketball league founded 28 years ago, is playing a crucial role in these discussions.
At the same time, the NBA is also engaged in its own negotiations with several media companies for long-term television rights deals valued at $75 billion, which will extend through the 2030s. These parallel discussions highlight the significant financial opportunities on the horizon for both leagues.
According to The Washington Post, the NBA is soliciting a unified bid from media companies that combines the values of both NBA and WNBA rights. This approach means some media companies are not assigning a specific figure to the WNBA rights. This could result in the NBA’s massive deal significantly benefiting the WNBA, or it might indicate that the WNBA’s rising popularity is being treated as an afterthought—or perhaps a mix of both.
Front Office Sports notes that the WNBA has reserved the option to negotiate a separate media deal if they find the NBA’s offer unsatisfactory. While Caitlin Clark may not be the sole reason for the increased attention, her impact as a major catalyst is undeniable.
The league has achieved its most-watched opening month ever, with an average of 1.32 million viewers tuning in on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, Ion, and NBA TV. This is a substantial increase from 462,000 viewers previously. Additionally, viewership among people of color has risen by 60 percent, with a 96 percent increase among Black viewers and a 67 percent increase among Hispanic viewers.
Television viewership, in-person attendance, and merchandise sales are all up this year
In-person attendance is also experiencing significant growth, with the WNBA enjoying its best-attended opening month in 26 years. By the end of May, the league had attracted 400,000 fans to live games.
Additionally, sales of WNBA-branded merchandise have skyrocketed, increasing by 236 percent year-over-year. This surge in merchandise sales further highlights the league’s growing popularity and commercial success.
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