ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro and EVP of Programming & Acquisitions Rosalyn Durant reflected on their long-term deal with the NBA, saying the recent rise of the WNBA provided additional motivation to extend.
"He's pretty muscular" 😂 WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark is opening up about her encounter with Aaron Judge earlier today.
“There’s a lot of demand for WNBA content right now, which, from our perspective, is fantastic,” Pitaro said at a press conference. The conference came after the league confirmed long-awaited rights deals with Disney-ESPN, NBCUniversal and Prime Video, worth a reported $77 billion over 11 years.
"We're seeing a rising tide now, where we're seeing our competitors in the industry really rallying behind women's sports in general and behind the WNBA," Pitaro continued. "And that's a good thing! We love the momentum around women's sports in general, but especially around the WNBA."
The NBA created the WNBA in 1996, but it’s only in recent years that television ratings and arena attendance have increased. Rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who had memorable fights in college, have helped boost the professional league’s appeal, as sports like women’s soccer, college softball and gymnastics have huge television ratings.
