The NCAA and ESPN have agreed to a new eight-year media rights agreement worth more than $115 million per year as the value of sports media rights continues to rise.
- IMPORTANT NOTES
- ESPN and the NCAA have agreed to a new television rights deal that will last from 2024 to 2032.
- The agreement is nearly three times the size of the existing one.
- Women’s sports will benefit from increased exposure and money as a result of the deal.
The new pact is worth about three times the present 14-year deal, which pays around $40 million each year. An NCAA representative confirmed that an additional 25%, or $28.75 million per year, will be used to offset production and marketing costs.
“ESPN and the NCAA have enjoyed a strong and collaborative relationship for more than four decades, and we are thrilled that it will continue as part of this new, long-term agreement,” Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN, said in a statement.
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The new agreement goes into effect on September 1 and lasts until 2032. It will have rights to 40 NCAA championships—21 women’s and 19 men’s—as well as exclusive championship coverage of all rounds for women’s basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, softball, baseball, and FCS football. It also gives the 40 titles and the Division I men’s basketball championship worldwide rights.
“Having a single, multi-platform home to showcase our championships provides additional growth potential as well as a better experience for the viewer and our student-athletes,” said NCAA President Charlie Baker in a statement. Women’s sports have been a bright spot in the changing sports media landscape, with record ratings in recent years. ESPN has benefited from the NCAA women’s basketball tournament and the WNBA playoffs, among other sports.
According to Baker, Endeavor’s IMG and WME Sports, who advised the NCAA on the contract, around 57% of the value is connected to women’s collegiate basketball, particularly. The NCAA stated that the huge increase in the value of the NCAA’s broadcast rights will allow it to investigate income distribution units for the women’s basketball tournament, which it began exploring last year. Last year, the women’s tournament was dominated by charges of unfairness, with numerous players claiming on social media that their facilities were substantially worse than the men’s.
“Several enhancements to student-athlete benefits across all three NCAA divisions will take effect concurrently with the terms of the new media rights, and this deal will help fund those important programs.” And the family of ESPN networks’ nationwide, integrated platform will help grow the profile of many NCAA sports, particularly for our female student-athletes,” said Linda Livingstone, chair of the NCAA Board of Governors and president of Baylor University.
ESPN and the NCAA have had a relationship for over 45 years, dating back to ESPN’s inception in 1979. The NBA is in the market for the next big professional sports rights. The league is in talks with a number of interested partners in order to reach a decision before the present contract expires after the 2024–2025 season.
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