While the NBA media rights deal has been a cause of concern for many on account of their favorite Inside crew dismantling, right now, it’s gaining attention for an altogether different reason. You must have heard what the WNBA Executive Director Terri Jackson had to say about the projected 11-year, $76 billion deal. Out of this staggering amount, $2.2 billion is estimated to go to the WNBA.

Director Jackson didn’t take too kindly to the news. She remarked that the women’s basketball leagues have often wondered how they’d be treated in such an event. And with the kind of mind-blowing amount reported, the NBA was certainly “in control of its own destiny. More precisely, the NBA controls the destiny of the WNBA.” Furthermore, she pointed out that WNBA has also contributed to the overall metrics. It certainly is not the same league that the former NBA Commissioner David Stern founded in 1996.

And the addition of Caitlin Clark has only served to further ingratiate the WNBA as a household name and gain more international traction. “The players continue to demonstrate their commitment to building the brand, and the fans keep showing up. There is no excuse to undervalue the WNBA again,” Director Jackson said. But it just didn’t sit well with two highly respected media veterans – Chris Broussard and Rob Parker.

In the latest episode of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard & Rob Parker, the pair dedicated over 12 minutes to dissecting Terri’s words and the overall impact of the WNBA on the NBA and vice versa. In fact, the duo seemed to have come ready with a list. Here’s the first. “They’re not making money. They’re not breaking even, they’re losing money. And the only way they still exist, for all the great athletes and players in that league, is because the NBA has carried them literally,” Broussard said.

This was in reference to a report that Adam Silver had shared back in 2018. The WNBA loses roughly $10 million every year and per a Washington Post article last month; the league is estimated to lose about $50 million this season! So these were Chris’ reasons for his first pointer. As such, Broussard believes, it gives the NBA every right to decide what percentage of their media rights revenue they want to share with its women counterpart.

“They’re giving $2.2 billion to the WNBA. It comes out to like $200 million a year. And that’s an increase of $140 million. They were getting $60 [million],” he points out to Parker. After reading out the above-mentioned comment of Terri Jackson, Chris then proceeded to ask Rob his thoughts on the matter. Suffice it to say that they weren’t flattering, either.

Rob Parker gives his take on Director Jackson’s claims of WNBA being undervalued

Hearing Terri Jackson’s opinion, Parker’s first response went like this. “Give the NBA back the last 29 years of losses that it recouped. You want to do that first,” he stated. Chris immediately pointed out that calculating the $10 million from 1997 would roughly come somewhere around $200 and $260 million. Having reached an understanding there, Parker continued detailing his views.

“The NBA kept it [WNBA] alive. I know for a fact that when people sign deals, Chris, with people they would say, ‘You got to contribute to the WNBA.’ ‘If you want to make a deal with us, some portion has to go to the WNBA.’ This was David Stern’s baby. One of his legacies, so he tried hard to keep it afloat … If you want to go out on your own and work your own deals, I say have at it … I welcome you to detach yourself from the NBA and go do your own thing because, they will come running back in a New York minute!”

As mentioned above, all these arguments basically stem from the ground factor – finances. With the ‘Caitlin Clark effect’ slowly spreading, there certainly have been changes. The NCAA women’s Final Four set broadcasting records with her arrival. The Indiana Fever tickets sell like hotcakes, not to mention her merchandise is quick to fly off the shelves, as well.

According to a Bloomberg feature released in late April 2023, the WNBA secured a record number of corporate sponsorships and generated $75 million in revenue in 2022. It was the largest amount in women’s sports history! In 2023, the amount further increased to $200 million, exactly as it predicted would happen. Furthermore, per Sportico’s franchise valuation reports, the 12 WNBA teams brought in a combined $158 million in revenue in 2023.

So, yes, in a way Stern’s baby is taking slow, but sure steps towards progress and development. Sure, the numbers and the like do not jump out at you. But the WNBA hasn’t had a boost like the one Clark has brought with her either. So, can we really fault Terri Jackson or others who agree with her for speaking their mind about what they believe to be an affront? Have your say in the comments section.