Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever brings the ball up court during the first half of a WNBA game against the Chicago Sky on August 30, 2024 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
Melissa Tamez | Icon Sportswire | Getty Images
The WNBA and E.W. Scripps announced on Friday a new, multi-year media rights agreement to carry Friday night WNBA matchups on Ion.
The new agreement also includes the “WNBA on Ion” studio show, the first weekly broadcast show dedicated exclusively to WNBA coverage.
The value of the deal was not disclosed, but media reports peg the original deal that expires at the end of the 2025 season at an average of $13 million annually.
The WNBA has been airing games on Ion since 2023. This season, the network will broadcast 50 regular season games. Ion is available on pay TV and streaming platforms in more than 128 million homes, according to a news release obtained by CNBC Sport.
The new agreement comes after Ion has seen huge growth with the WNBA and as the league gains in popularity thanks to stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
The network said WNBA Friday Night Spotlight viewership grew 133% year over year and more than 23 million unique viewers tuned into the coverage.
“Our robust partnership with the league has flourished, and we are thrilled to solidify ION’s status as the premier Friday night destination for WNBA action for years to come,” said Scripps CEO Adam Symson in the release.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the partnership with Scripps has helped the league expand its reach and visibility.
“This new multi-year agreement reflects the growing excitement surrounding the league and the rising demand for WNBA games,” she added.
The league signed an 11-year media rights deal with Disney, Amazon and Comcast-owned NBCUniversal last July as part of the NBA’s media rights negotiation. The WNBA’s portion of the deal is valued at about $200 million per year, CNBC previously reported.
— CNBC’s Lillian Rizzo contributed to this report.
Disclosure: Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC.
