ION and the WNBA Extend Their Multi-Year Agreement
The ION network will continue to broadcast WNBA regular season games on Friday nights, following a multi-year media rights agreement between the league and Scripps. The terms of the agreement, which will come into effect for the 2026 season, were not disclosed.ION began broadcasting WNBA games on Friday nights in 2023, with an initial three-year deal reportedly worth $13 million annually. In their season-opening Friday games, the debut of former UConn star Paige Bueckers with the Dallas Wings drew an average of 639,000 viewers, and the league debut of the Golden State Valkyries drew an average of 581,000 viewers. The May 30 matchup between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun averaged 851,000 viewers, becoming the most-watched WNBA game without Caitlin Clark in the history of the network. At the end of May, ION has experienced a 39 percent year-over-year increase in average viewership, averaging 550,000 viewers. The WNBA also broadcasts games on CBS and has an 11-year media rights package with Disney, NBC, and Amazon that comes into effect next season with an average value of $200 million per year. According to reports, members of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) were not included in the negotiations with Scripps. Commissioner Engelbert had previously expressed her support for the players’ union to be represented at the negotiating table for such discussions, which a union source acknowledged as “unprecedented,” but said the WNBPA “expects” this to be able to happen in future negotiations.This new multi-year agreement reflects the growing excitement around the league and the increasing demand for WNBA games. Through Friday night doubleheaders on the ION network, we will continue to showcase the world-class talent of WNBA athletes to even more fans across the country.
Cathy Engelbert, WNBA Commissioner
