It seems that when it comes to sporting events, especially the championship games, that it is no longer about the sport; but the money.
On January 4, 2024, the sporting broadcast giant ESPN has signed a massive eight year deal with the NCAA worth $920 million to broadcast the championships in 40 collegiate sports. The deal is set to begin in 2025.
NCAA President Charlie Baker announced that the deal is worth an average annual amount of $115 million. According to Baker that is an increase of 300 percent over the previous deal. Speaking on the negotiations Baker said, “we had lots of conversations with lots of third parties and lots of interested parties, but we stayed with ESPN as long as they continued to make progress on the deal,. I do believe this was the best deal that was available.”
In a parity seldom seen in the broadcasting of sporting events, the deal includes the coverage of 21 women’s events and 19 men’s events including the Division I women’s basketball tournament, tennis, track and field, men’s and women’s gymnastics, women’s Division II and III volleyball, and the men’s and women’s Division II and III basketball championships. Formerly Division II , now the FCS football championship will air on ABC.
The popularity of women’s sporting events is growing as seen by the championship game between LSU and Iowa last year in women’s basketball when 10 million sports fans tuned in to the game.
ESPN charimen Jimmy Pitaro noted, “from day one, we made it very clear to Charlie (Baker) and team that we were interested in an extension on the exclusivity side as well as the fact that we were interested in acquiring more rights, not less.”
Baker has said that the NCAA will work on creating “performance units” for the conferences who succeed in the women’s tournament just like they do for the men.
CBS holds the rights to the men’s basketball championship through 2032. The contract is worth about $900 million.
feature photo credit: ESPN Facebook page