With CBA In Place, WNBA Expands Deal With CBS, Eyes More Media Enhancements
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 02:12PM By Barry Janoff
March 25, 2026: With its new CBA pact with Players Union all but finalized and the 2026 scheduled in place, the WNBA has moved its attention to other priorities, including enhancing and expanding its media deals.
CBS Sports and the WNBA today unveiled an expansion to their seven‑year partnership through a new long‑term, multi-platform rights agreement.
Financial terms were not released.
Under the enhanced package, CBS Sports will feature up to 20 regular‑season games annually on the CBS Television Network and streaming live sson Paramount+.
CBS Sports will present 20 regular-season games for the upcoming 2026 season, marking the Network’s most WNBA games on broadcast television.
“The WNBA’s growth and cultural impact have never been stronger, and CBS Sports is proud to deepen our longstanding partnership with a league that continues to drive the evolution of women’s sports,” Dan Weinberg, CBS Sports evp-programming, said via the networtk.
“With our entire schedule of games on broadcast television, we are broadening the league’s reach and amplifying the WNBA’s momentum with best‑in‑class coverage that reflects the excellence of its athletes and resonates with fans.”
As part of the new pact, The WNBA Tip Off Show, CBS Sports’ pregame, halftime and postgame studio show, is returning.
It will and expand to support ten games, including six shows airing on CBS and Paramount+ and four digital-exclusive editions available via CBS Sports HQ.
The show will add Basketball Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie as analyst and CBS Sports reporter Jenny Dell as host, joining analyst Renee Montgomery.
Jordan Kent (play-by-play), Isis “Ice” Young (analyst) and Tiffany Blackmon (sideline) return as the WNBA on CBS’s lead broadcast team.
The full 2026 WNBA on CBS schedule will be unveiled prior to the season.
This past September, Versant and the WNBA unveiled an 11-year media rights agreement for USA Network to present WNBA games – including the regular-season and portions of the Playoffs and WNBA Finals in select years – beginning with the 2026 season.
“With our entire schedule of games on broadcast television, we are broadening the league’s reach and amplifying the WNBA’s momentum."
Versant Media Group, the independent American mass media company spun off from Comcast/NBCUniversal in January 2026, includes CNBC, MSNBC, USA Network and E!.
As part of the multi-year agreement which runs through 2036, USA Network will present at least 50 WNBA games annually, including coverage of the WNBA Playoffs and WNBA Finals games in select years beginning in 2026.
USA Network will broadcast more than 50 WNBA games in 2026, primarily in the form of Wednesday night doubleheaders. The network will also broadcast select playoff and WNBA Finals games alongside NBC.
USA has unveiled a 16-person team for its inaugural WNBA coverage roster.
Hall of Famers, former WNBA players and veteran broadcasters.Tamika Catchings and Chamique Holdsclaw will join longtime WNBA commentators Amy Audibert, Lea B. Olsen, and Carlan Gay.
Catchings will serve as a color commentator, while Holdsclaw will be a studio analyst.
Kate Scott and Meghan McPeak will serve as play-by-play commentators, Sarah Kustok will serve as a color commentator, and Elle Duncan will serve as studio host.
The league’s 30th season has new franchises in Toronto (Tempo) and Portland (Fire).
The season is scheduled to begin May 8 and the Playoffs presented by Google Pixel Sept. 27, with the Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase June 1-17 and the All-Star Game July 25 in Chicago’s United Center.
All 15 teams will play during opening weekend as part of WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax.
There will be two-week break when many WNBA players are expected to represent their respective nations in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026, Sept. 4-13 in Germany.
This week, the WNBA Board of Governors unanimously ratified the terms for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The seven-year agreement will begin with the 2026 season and run through 2032. The WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association are ow working together to finalize the long-form agreement.
“This marks the beginning of a bold new era of the WNBA – one made possible by the passion and dedication of the players, team owners, fans, investors, partners and the entire WNBA family,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said via the league.
“We remain focused on building on the unprecedented momentum around the league and preparing for our milestone 30 season, tipping off in May.”
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