ESPN, NCAA Sign $920M Extension: Record 40 Men’s, Women’s Championships
Thursday, January 4, 2024 at 02:57PM By Barry Janoff
January 4, 2024: Describing it as “another milestone for the NCAA positioning student-athletes first,” the NCAA and ESPN today unveiled an eight-year extension agreement for NCAA championships media rights.
The deal, which begins Sept. 1, 2024, includes domestic rights to what was called a record 40 NCAA championships – 21 women’s and 19 men’s events – and international rights to those same NCAA championships plus the Division I men’s basketball tournament.
Financial terms were not shared but were put at $920 million by industry analysts, about three-times the value of the current pact.
The pact continues ESPN’s exclusive coverage of the NCAA Div. I Women’s March Madness and the new Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament.
The Div. I Men’s March Madness airs in the U.S. exclusively on CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery platforms.
According to the NCAA, “With the significant increase in value of the new agreement, NCAA members will explore revenue distribution units for the women’s basketball tournament. The Div. I Board of Directors Finance committee began discussion of revenue distribution philosophies and new models this year, and those discussions will continue with membership in the coming year.”
“Finalizing this agreement ushers in yet another milestone for the NCAA positioning student-athletes first,” Linda Livingstone, chair of the NCAA Board of Governors and Baylor University president, said via the organization.
“Concurrent with the terms of the new media rights, several enhancements to student-athlete benefits across all three NCAA divisions will take effect, and this deal will help fund those important programs. And the national, integrated platform the family of ESPN networks provides will help grow the visibility of many NCAA sports, particularly for our women student-athletes.”
NCAA events have aired on ESPN platforms since 1979, the year of ESPN’s network launch. 
“ESPN and the NCAA have enjoyed a strong and collaborative relationship for more than four decades, and we are thrilled that it will continue as part of this new, long-term agreement,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said via the network.
“The ESPN networks and platforms will exclusively present a record number of championships, including all rounds of several marquee events that, together with the NCAA, we have grown over time.”
According to Pitaro, “This unprecedented deal also further strengthens The Walt Disney Company’s industry-leading commitment to women’s sports and will help fuel our continued growth, including in the critical streaming space.”
The 40 NCAA events included in ESPN’s new eight-year agreement include:
Men’s championships: soccer, football (FCS, DII and DIII), cross country, water polo, indoor track & field, swimming & diving, wrestling, ice hockey, gymnastics, fencing, volleyball, lacrosse, outdoor track & field, tennis, baseball and basketball (including DII semifinals and DIII semifinals and championship).
Women’s championships: soccer, field hockey, volleyball (including DII and DIII), cross country, indoor track & field, swimming & diving, basketball (including DII and DIII), ice hockey, bowling, gymnastics, fencing, beach volleyball, lacrosse, outdoor track & field, tennis, softball, and water polo.
Men’s National Invitation Tournament and Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament; NCAA Div I Men’s Basketball Championship (international rights).
“The NCAA has worked in earnest over the past year to ensure that this new broadcast agreement provides the best possible outcome for all NCAA championships, and in particular women’s championships,” Charlie Baker, NCAA president, said via the organization.
“Over the past several years, ESPN has demonstrated increased investment in NCAA championship coverage, and the Association is pleased to continue to provide a platform for student-athletes to shine. Having one, multi-platform home to showcase our championships provides additional growth potential along with a greater experience for the viewer and our student-athletes.”
Women's Final FoursEndeavor’s IMG and WME Sports served as the media advisor to the NCAA for the media rights negotiations.
“This groundbreaking new ESPN deal guarantees the NCAA significant increases in rights fees, investment in production and promotion, original content and storytelling, and multi-platform viewership options with a partner that has proven integral to the growth of its championships and women’s sports,” Hillary Mandel, evp/head of Americas for media at IMG, and Karen Brodkin, evp/co-head of WME Sports, said via the firms.
“Critically, it provides greater exposure for student-athletes across a record number of championships and capitalizes on the growing interest and fandom of women’s sports, which was a key focus throughout our in-depth evaluation and advisory work with the NCAA.”
NCAA Builds Women’s Sports With New Hoops Tournament
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