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WNBA exposed for excluding players from media rights deal
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- WNBA exposed for excluding players from media rights deal
The post WNBA exposed for excluding players from media rights deal appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The WNBA just announced a multi-year extension to its 11-year, $2.2 billion agreement with Scripps Sports from July 2024, keeping regular-season games airing on ION for the next decade and beyond. The deal marks a major move for the league's expanding future, especially financially, and the WNBA Players' Association (WNBAPA) argues that it should've been a standout moment for the players as well.
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In May, WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson told The Athletic that the union asked to be included in media rights negotiations, and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert "seemed inclined" to honor the request.
"The commissioner expressed support for their involvement in those talks. The union noted that it didn't happen this time," a WNBAPA member told Front Office Sports .
The rep elaborated that the union understands that involving players in media deal discussions is "unprecedented" but that it's "hopeful" Engelbert will follow through with including them in future negotiations.
Terms of the extension weren't disclosed, but the W's initial 3-year deal was reportedly worth $13 million annually. Since then, additional partners like ION and CBS could move the needle on the total dollar amount from $2.2 billion to $3 billion.
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After revealing the W's move, Engelbert released a statement detailing what the decision means for the state of the league.
"This new multi-year agreement reflects the growing excitement surrounding the league and the rising demand for WNBA games," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.
"Through Scripps' ION Network Friday Night doubleheaders, we will continue to showcase the world-class talent of WNBA athletes to even more fans nationwide."
As of May 2025, ION has seen year-over-year average WNBA viewership increase by 39% to an average of 550,000 per game. The league's deal is tied to the NBA's $77 billion contract with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon Prime Video, which will join CBS and ION as broadcast partners when it takes effect in 2026.
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