ESPN Strikes a Big Deal with the NBA and WNBA

Disney and ESPN have renewed a very important deal with the NBA and the WNBA. Here is what that means for fans.

Disney and the NBA

Many basketball fans are aware of Disney’s longstanding position as the primary rights partner of the NBA and the WNBA. Disney is also the exclusive home of the NBA Finals and has been for some time.

This partnership with the NBA has made ESPN the preeminent sports digital platform. It is a hot commodity for Disney.

Spotlight on the WNBA

It was extremely important for ESPN to strike a deal to maintain this partnership. After all, the NBA and the WNBA provide premium content that attracts a young, diverse fanbase all over the globe! It draws so many people to ESPN.

Not only that but the WNBA has skyrocketed in popularity recently. In fact, according to Disney, game viewership has reached triple-digit increases!

Disney states that the “WNBA is a critical component of this agreement, as we have well established our commitment to women’s sports. We lead because we believe in it.”

The New Deal

The deal with ESPN involves a package, which includes premiere games as well as the NBA Finals. It is reportedly the most robust rights package of any league partner!

This means that fans will be able to watch all of Disney’s NBA and WNBA content on its flagship direct-to-consumer product. The deal also promises to facilitate first-of-their-kind collaborations between NBA and both Marvel and Walt Disney World Resort.

ESPN will continue to be the primary home of all things NBA and WNBA.

What do you think about the partnership between Disney/ESPN and the NBA? Let us know in the comments. And, be sure to pass the story along to the basketball fans in your life.