Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

WNBA Signs 11-Year Media Rights Deal With Versant To Expand Coverage Starting in the 2026 Season

Long-term partnership expands national coverage

Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Versant announced Tuesday it has signed a new 11-year media rights deal with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), expanding its commitment to women’s sports.

The agreement begins with the 2026 season and guarantees at least 50 WNBA games annually. Select playoff and Finals matchups will also be included in certain years, the company confirmed.

Versant, the parent company of cable networks and brands soon to be spun off from Comcast, has been aggressively moving into sports rights. Women’s basketball has been a particular focus, and the WNBA deal further strengthens its portfolio.

Versant Announces Media Rights Agreement to Broadcast WNBA Games pic.twitter.com/EuLhTnflnh
— WNBA Communications (@WNBAComms) September 30, 2025

Deal Builds on Record WNBA Growth Momentum

The agreement builds on a previous partnership struck in 2024, when Versant’s USA Network secured rights to broadcast WNBA games. Under the new arrangement, coverage will feature Wednesday night double-headers, a dedicated pregame show, and a postgame studio program.

“We’re incredibly proud to expand our multi-year partnership with the WNBA,” said Matt Hong, president of sports for Versant. “USA Network will be a destination for WNBA viewers all season long, as we showcase the star power across the league.”

For the WNBA, now in its 29th season, the deal comes at a moment of record growth. Television ratings, arena attendance, merchandise sales, and franchise valuations have all reached new highs. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert called the Versant agreement another important step in meeting demand for women’s basketball.

“As demand for women’s basketball continues to rise, partnerships like this expand the visibility and accessibility of our game,” Engelbert said in a statement.

The WNBA is already part of a larger rights package signed in July with Disney, Amazon, and Comcast-owned NBCUniversal as part of the NBA’s broader media negotiations.

That 11-year deal, valued at about $200 million per year according to CNBC, signaled a major shift in the league’s media presence. Earlier in June, the WNBA also finalized a separate agreement with Scripps’ Ion network.

Production details for the Versant broadcasts, including studio teams and commentators, will be released closer to the start of the 2026 season. With the addition of this package, USA Network will carry live women’s sports for eight months of the year.

Versant already holds a wide slate of sports rights, including Premier League, WWE, NASCAR, Olympic coverage, Atlantic 10 basketball, and golf through the Golf Channel. The new WNBA agreement solidifies women’s basketball as a centerpiece of its long-term programming strategy.