The WNBA is set to rake in more than $2 billion over the next decade-plus under its new media rights deal, but the players’ union isn’t stopping there.
In a statement provided to the Washington Post, WNBA players’ association executive director Terri Jackson appeared to accuse the NBA, which negotiates deals in conjunction with the WNBA, of undervaluing the league’s broadcast rights value and condemn the leagues’ lack of transparency around these numbers.
“We look forward to learning how the NBA arrived at a $200 million valuation—if initial reports are accurate or even close,” Jackson told Kareem Copeland of the Post. “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.”
Statement from WNBPA Executive Director Terri Jackson on reported new TV deal – $2.2 billion over 11 years (The Athletic first)
“We have wondered for months how the NBA would value the WNBA in its media rights deal. With a reportedly $75 billion deal on the table, the league is…
— Kareem Copeland (@kareemcopeland) July 17, 2024
Details of the league’s new package emerged Tuesday night as the NBA Board of Governors voted to approve its deals with Disney, NBC Universal, and Amazon. The WNBA will receive an estimated $2.2 billion over 11 years from these three networks, or $200 million per year. That figure would quadruple the league’s current broadcast revenues, estimated between $50-65 million.
The WNBA is also expected to strike additional deals on its own. Scripps and Paramount Global are two existing partners that the WNBA could likely negotiate significant increases from.
Getting more than $200 million annually is a huge boon for the WNBA. Even the richest public projections had the league merely tripling its broadcast revenues. Still, the valuation and negotiation processes remain murky. The NBA negotiates these deals on the WNBA’s behalf, and often the women’s league is treated as a throw-in by the networks. The WNBA chose this by again lumping its broadcast rights with the NBA’s.
From a union standpoint, this makes it difficult to get a clear picture of the league’s finances now and in the future. It is Jackson’s job to know what the league’s broadcast, digital and licensing rights are worth. These revenue streams contribute to basketball-related income, which players receive a portion of, and the growth of those streams factors into how Jackson and the WNBPA can negotiate a future collective bargaining agreement.
The WNBPA can opt out of its existing CBA with the league in November. They almost surely will do so, in order to tap into the explosion of income that owners are reaping the benefits of this year as the league’s popularity rises around crossover stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A’ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu.
Rather than celebrate a significant win, Jackson is keeping pressure on the NBA and WNBA to be clear about the business and be ready for a fight.
[Kareem Copeland on X]
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.