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ESPN Signs NCAA 920 Million Eight-Year Media Rights Renewal

ESPN and the NCAA have finalised a new, eight-year sports rights deal priced around $920 million over the agreement duration – valued higher than four times the previous pact with the Disney-owned sports company. By: Dylan Low

The new media-rights deal will begin effect on September 1st, for NCAA championship events. The pact consists of domestic rights to a record 40 NCAA championships: 21 women’s and 19 men’s events — and international rights to those same NCAA championships with the March Madness Division I men’s basketball tournament.

NCAA president Charlie Baker stated the new ESPN agreement has an average annual value of $115 million, an increase of above 300% over the last deal with ESPN spanning 14 years.

The NCAA have claimed that, “The significant increase in value of the new agreement,” its members will research “revenue distribution units for the women’s basketball tournament.” As stated by the collegiate sports organization, the Division 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.”

Entirely, more than 2,300 hours of NCAA championships will be available on ESPN’s linear and digital platforms annually, alongside more than 800 hours of the collegiate championships on ESPN linear networks every year.

ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro unveiled in a statement, “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.

“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. 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.”

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