WNBA Wants More Media Rights Money Ahead Of Caitlin Clark Debut

It's a wild time in the sports media rights landscape, with individual sports leagues looking to increase revenues, and media companies dealing with declining ones.

And a sports league surprisingly believes it has a hot property that deserves more money: the WNBA.

The WNBA and NBA are attempting to put together a joint continuation of their current deal with ABC and ESPN, according to Front Office Sports. The WNBA though, believes it currently has a stronger hand and an undervalued media package. And with the most popular female basketball star, Caitlin Clark, heading to the WNBA next season, the WNBA may have a case. 

Sources told Front Office Sports that the WNBA could look to separate its negotiations from the NBA, if it believes it's not getting the right amount of money and exposure. Existing agreements pay the WNBA around $60 million per year, though the hope is to increase that to anywhere from $80-100 million. Whether that's with the existing television and streaming partners, or elsewhere.

But can Caitlin Clark's debut really generate enough hype to push WNBA media rights up 33 percent to 66 percent?

Guard Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates after breaking the NCAA women's all-time scoring record during the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on February 15 in Iowa City, Iowa.  (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Caitlin Clark Set To Rescue WNBA's Media Rights?

By now, the Caitlin Clark Effect is well known. Fan interest in her games has led to gigantic ratings for women's college basketball, sell-out crowds and even a debate over whether or not she was bigger than the men's version of March Madness. 

READ: Is Caitlin Clark Bigger Than The Men's NCAA Tournament? Clay Travis Debates Topic On Social Media

Her recent announcement that she'd turn pro for the upcoming WNBA season unsurprisingly, generated substantial interest. But is it enough to push the WNBA into the next level for sports leagues? It's a tough question, without an easy answer.

The best guess though, is despite Clark's fame, any surge of viewership in the WNBA may be short-lived. Sure, there will be a rush to watch her first game with her new team, and maybe even her first season. Indiana Fever home attendance will undoubtedly increase, as well as road games when Clark plays.

WNBA ratings have also increased, averaging 462,000 viewers per game on national TV. The WNBA Finals even reached 728,000 viewers per game. If Clark's team makes the Finals, those numbers would likely be shattered. The NBA Finals though, had 11.65 million viewers. And that's after a massive, self-inflicted ratings decline.

No one doubts that Clark will have an impact. The issue, however, is sustainability. It's never been easy for the WNBA to retain interest and viewers. And depending on one player to permanently change that might be expecting too much. Maybe it'll draw a new group of long-term fans to the league, or maybe it'll be a smaller effect that focuses exclusively on games in which Clark participates. 

What happens if she struggles in the WNBA, or if her team still finishes near the bottom of the standings? 

Then again, what happens if she dominates, continues to make headlines and reaches the Finals? That may be enough to generate momentum and justify a much bigger media package. You can't fault the WNBA for trying, but whether or not it succeeds might depend a bit too much on just one person.