WNBA Agrees to Multi-Year Media Rights Deal With Versant, USA Network

The W continues to expand its coverage to allow more fans around the country to tune in.
The WNBA agreed to a new media rights deal with Versant.
The WNBA agreed to a new media rights deal with Versant. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The WNBA agreed to a new 11-year media rights deal on Tuesday with Versant, a new media company taking over NBCUniversal’s cable television networks including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel.

The main focus will be on USA Network, which will broadcast at least 50 games, including WNBA playoff and WNBA Finals contests in select years. Fans will see a split of coverage on USA Network and NBCU on NBC in the years Versant hosts the WNBA Finals.

Wednesday will be the weekly night showcasing a doubleheader of WNBA games, on top of having a pregame and postgame show. The new broadcasting deal will begin in 2026 and runs through 2036.

“Partnering with Versant and USA Network marks another significant milestone for the WNBA’s continued growth,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “As demand for women’s basketball continues to rise, partnerships like this expand the visibility and accessibility of our game.”

The WNBA agreed to an 11-year media rights deal with Disney, NBC and Amazon in July 2024. Additionally, the league has a multi-year agreement with ION to showcase games on Friday nights. The W continues to expand its coverage to allow more fans around the country to tune in.


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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.