The WNBA might still be in a financial deficit despite its explosion in popularity, but as long as it has the NBA to back it up financially there’s no reason why eventually the league won’t get the money, exposure and all of the chartered flights it wants.
The new TV contract that the WNBA envisions would expand on the current $60 million annual deal, but those numbers couldn’t be finalized until the NBA closed its mega deal because the WNBA’s money will be pieced out by the NBA.
But have no fear, because the NBA is loaded.
According to reports, the NBA agreed on a $76 billion media deal which starts in the 2025-26 season, with games set to be scattered across ESPN, ABC, NBC and Amazon Prime.
Now stop asking why NBA players are able to make $40 million to $50 million a year. The league is thriving, and the money could feed the other six continents two times over.
How Much Does New Media Deal Help WNBA?
The NBA is sitting pretty on an 11-year deal worth a reported $6.9 billion per season. Imagine a big bag and then Disney (ABC/ESPN), NBC and Amazon just throw wads of cash into that bag in order to secure the rights to NBA coverage. The NBA and WNBA will both get a boost in popularity this summer with the Olympics. Both leagues also have star players participating on various international teams.
According to Ben Strauss of The Washington Post, the WNBA, which has never turned a profit, is facing a $50 million deficit this season.
Even with all of the league’s record ratings and newfound success, according to Strauss:
“This year, the WNBA and its teams are still expected to lose around $50 million, according to two people with knowledge of the figures, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the league’s finances.”
The NBA has spent several years subsidizing the WNBA, and continues to do so today.
“The truth is, this league would be hard-pressed to exist without the NBA,” a WNBA team executive told Strauss.
Strauss reports that the NBA holds around a 60 percent equity stake in the WNBA.
WNBA Expansion and New TV Deal
Despite the financial setback and the hole the league is digging itself out of, it’s headed in an upward direction, so much so that the league recently announced expansion franchises in Toronto and the Bay Area, while currently in talks to add two more.
In addition to expansion, the league is currently working on a new TV deal, which was previously reported as being worth $60 million, a figure Strauss claims could triple in the years to come, especially if the league can hit its revenue marks.
It’s not an independent deal, however, as the exact amount is determined by the NBA, who brokered the deal as part of its own larger rights package. It then gives the WNBA a small piece. So maybe the TV deal will be even more significant than the amount reported months ago.
The NBA’s new TV deal annually almost triples the current agreement which began in 2015-16 and ends after the 2024-25 season. The new contract will kick in starting with 2025-26 and end in 2036-37.
Looks Like End Of The Road For Inside The NBA On TNT
Turner Sports (TNT) is not part of the new agreement. Turner Sports does have an opportunity to match a portion of the deal, which might be Amazon’s piece of the package, according to sports reporter Andrew Marchand. Ernie has said he would remain with the station and Barkley has said he will ride off into the sunset. Who knows what Shaq and Kenny will do.
Disney will pay $2.6 billion, NBC $2.5 billion and Amazon $1.8 billion annually in a deal that incorporates streaming into the fold more than it ever has in the past. Amazon positioned itself for this moment, as it already has a deal to stream WNBA games, and the league has developed a relationship with the company.
The league and Amazon agreed to a deal to broadcast games. The company adds this treasure to the $1 billion a year it already pays for “Thursday Night Football.”
The Return Of The NBA on NBC
The NBA is back on The Peacock network. Comcast’s NBCUniversal reportedly will pay $2.5 billion a year for its package, agreeing to a broadcast deal to carry the league’s third package of games. NBC takes over for Turner Sports.
The Finals are still scheduled to air exclusively on ABC and ESPN.
What the WNBA won’t do is fold from financial woes. With Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese making history as the first assists and rebounds leader both under 24 years of age, and the explosion in ratings, plus the bag the NBA just got from various media outlets, the NBA is healthy.
It’s up to the league how much it wants to invest in the WNBA, and, if anything, the women’s pro league is a stock that’s on the rise. Maybe Adam Silver opens up the bank account to help elevate the league even more.
