NCAA Women's Tournament TV rights could have different look
ABC News
The NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament reported strong viewership numbers this week
In the weeks before the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, the big focus was on improving the experience for players, including expanding the “March Madness” branding to the event for the first time.
Broadcast rights and the millions of dollars attached to them will soon bcome more of a priority.
The NCAA championships package — which includes the women’s tournament and 28 other title events, though not the men's tourney — expires in August 2024. That means the bidding process for whatever packages the NCAA decides to market would likely begin next fall.
ESPN currently pays $34 million per year for that package of 29 events, which it agreed to in 2011. The Kaplan Report, which was commissioned by the NCAA after glaring inequities between the 2021 men's and women's tournaments were brought to light, estimated that the women's tournament could have a market value of $96 million to $101 million per year as a separate package.
