Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx scored the decisive basket in Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on October 10, 2024, according to a report by the National Basketball Association via Getty Images. Warner Bros. Discovery has confirmed that professional basketball will continue to be broadcast on TNT Sports.
A new women’s basketball league, Unrivaled, has entered an exclusive multi-year media rights agreement to televise its games on platforms including TNT, truTV, and the streaming service Max, although specific terms of the deal have not been disclosed. This three-on-three league was co-founded earlier this year by WNBA players Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, amidst a rising interest in women’s sports, particularly basketball.
This past season saw an increase in WNBA attendance and viewership spurred by rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, trends that have extended into the postseason and the Finals, featuring Collier and Stewart. This increased attention has prompted the expansion of the WNBA’s season from 40 to 44 games and its Finals series from five to seven games beginning next year.
Unrivaled is structured to operate before the WNBA season, providing players the opportunity to compete within the U.S. during the offseason instead of going overseas. Players will receive equity in the new league, alongside contracts promising the highest average salary in women’s professional sports history. Angel Reese, along with other top WNBA players, will participate in the league, alongside Stewart and Collier.
Starting January 17, Unrivaled will feature over 45 primetime regular-season games broadcast across TNT Sports platforms, including two games weekly on TNT on Mondays and Fridays, with additional broadcasts on truTV Saturdays. Highlights and content will also be available on TNT platforms such as Bleacher Report and House of Highlights.
Unlike other sports leagues, Unrivaled’s games will be exclusively aired on TNT Sports without multiple partners. Alex Bazzell, president of Unrivaled, emphasized the importance of building a consistent broadcasting home and the value of partners like Bleacher Report and House of Highlights in storytelling beyond the games.
The recent surge in WNBA interest has resulted in the league’s media rights deal being valued at $2.2 billion over 11 seasons, as previously reported. The WNBA’s agreement is part of a larger NBA media rights deal which, starting in the 2025-2026 season, includes Amazon, Disney’s ESPN, and Comcast’s NBCUniversal, marking the end of a nearly 40-year relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery’s Turner Sports. Warner Bros. Discovery has filed a lawsuit to retain rights, and the Unrivaled deal gives Turner Sports an alternative to continue broadcasting basketball pending the lawsuit’s outcome.
Unrivaled and TNT Sports are collaborating with Mediapro North America for audio and TV production. Charles Barkley, an esteemed broadcaster and NBA Hall of Famer, has stated his commitment to TNT Sports regardless of the NBA media rights situation. TNT Sports plans to create pregame, postgame, and studio content, with specific talent yet to be finalized. TNT Sports is expanding its sports coverage, which includes MLB and NHL, with additional rights to some college football playoff games and The French Open.
Unrivaled has an impressive lineup of investors, including TNT Sports. The league assured financial stability for players and stakeholders through at least 2028. Initially, Unrivaled secured investment from former media executives and athletes through ventures like Alex Morgan’s capital firm. David Levy and John Skipper led media rights discussions, and TNT Sports has also committed to investing in Unrivaled’s latest funding round. This investment aligns with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s strategy to involve intellectual property ownership in sports deals.
