As expansion talks surrounding the men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments loom, it seems that any extra revenue generated through increased inventory won’t come from the women’s side.
According to a report by Amanda Christovich in Front Office Sports, ESPN is not required to pay additional rights fees should the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament expand beyond 68 teams. Discussions around expansion to either 72 or 76 teams have largely centered around the men’s tournament, though NCAA president Charlie Baker has indicated that any increase in field size would also include the women’s competition.
Of course, the primary reason expansion is being looked at is to generate more revenue for the event. Prior reporting indicates that, like ESPN, CBS and TNT Sports — the rightsholders to the men’s tournament — have a similar provision in their contracts that would make it so they are not required to pay extra in the case of expansion. However, both CBS and TNT Sports are reportedly engaged in talks that would include a modest increase in rights fees should the tournament expand.
The women’s tournament is included in ESPN’s larger media rights deal with the NCAA that includes the championship events for more than 40 other collegiate sports. The deal, which was agreed to in 2024, values the women’s tournament at $65 million annually. The men’s tournament, which is operating on an eight-year extension that will take CBS and TNT Sports through 2032, earns the NCAA about $1.1 billion per year.
Per FOS, “because ESPN wouldn’t be increasing its fees for an expanded women’s event, the extra fees paid by CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery would have to be sizable enough to financially justify expanding both tournaments.” The report suggests “decisions would have to be finalized in the coming weeks” should the NCAA wish to implement expansion for the upcoming season.