On Tuesday, the WNBA announced a new media rights deal in an international market.
The multi-year deal is with TNT Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland, covering a minimum of 16 regular season games each year. An unknown amount of playoff games, the WNBA All-Star Game, and WNBA Finals are also included.
TNT Sports will air primetime weekend games throughout the deal. The 2024 WNBA regular season begins on Tuesday, May 14, and runs through Thursday, September 19. TNT’s first game is the New York Liberty-Washington Mystics matchup on Tuesday, May 14, which will air at midnight on Wednesday, May 15 in the UK and Ireland.
Both TNT and the WNBA praised the deal in the release, with Warner Bros. Discovery Europe’s Trojan Paillot touted the company’s commitment to women’s sports in the UK and Ireland.
Trojan Paillot, SVP Sports Rights Acquisitions and Syndication, Warner Bros. Discovery Europe, said: “We are delighted to show the elite athletes that star in the WNBA beginning with the 2024 season, strengthening our women’s sport offering in the UK and Ireland which already includes Premiership Women’s Rugby, UEFA Women’s Champions League football, and Women’s UFC. The opportunity to broadcast the WNBA is another step to reflecting the diversity of our audience, while at the same time complementing our current basketball rights such as the NBA.”
Colie Edison, Chief Growth Officer, WNBA, said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with TNT Sports to bring the excitement of the WNBA to fans in the UK and Ireland. There is incredible momentum around women’s basketball in the region, and now fans will be able to more easily follow their favorite WNBA teams and players throughout the season.”
Domestically, the WNBA’s media rights will hit the market in 2025. The league has deals with CBS, Prime Video, Scripps Sports, and most crucially, ESPN.
[WNBA]
