Media rights deals indicate the increasing value of women’s sports, but they’ve also illustrated the need for salaries, amenities, and benefits in line with that premium price.
The impact of the ongoing influx of media investment was evident in the lineup at the Deep Blue Business of Women’s Sports Summit on Tuesday in Manhattan, which included the presence of new, developmental leagues like League One Volleyball (LOVB) and the United Soccer League (USL) Super League as well as the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries expansion franchise.
Among the recent highlights, in 2023, the National Women’s Soccer League entered a four-year, $240 million broadcast deal with CBS, Disney, Amazon, and Scripps that was the largest of its kind at the time.