The executive director of the WNBA players’ union, Terri Jackson, has expressed concerns that the league is being undervalued in the NBA’s recently approved media rights deals. With the NBA set to receive $2.2 billion over 11 years, Jackson questions how the WNBA, which is owned about 60% by the NBA, is being valued at just $200 million a year.
The WNBA’s current media deal of $60 million per year is set to expire after the 2025 season. With the potential for a new deal to more than triple this amount, players could see a significant increase in salaries. Currently, the top base salary is $242,000, which can be supplemented by overseas play.
The WNBA has seen significant growth in recent years, with record attendance and viewership, particularly in the current season led by rookies like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The league has also been ahead in terms of streaming, with games already available on Amazon Prime.
The new NBA TV rights deal will expand the league’s presence on Amazon Prime, with the potential for more revenue from deals with CBS and the ION network. The WNBA is currently showing 21 games this season on Amazon Prime, and it is likely that additional deals will be struck in the future to further increase media revenue.
Jackson believes that, given the current popularity and growth of the WNBA, the league should not be undervalued in the media rights deals and should receive a fair share of the revenue generated. The impending increase in revenue could have a significant impact on player salaries and the overall growth and sustainability of the league.
Source
Photo credit www.latimes.com