WNBA's 2026 Media Deal Puts All 44 Indiana Fever Games Nationally
The WNBA announced a record 216 nationally broadcast games for the 2026 season as part of a new media rights deal. The Indiana Fever will become the first team in league history to have its entire 44-game regular-season schedule broadcast nationally. The deal includes the return of NBC as a broadcast partner, joining a lineup of linear and streaming platforms that includes ESPN/ABC, CBS Sports/Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, USA, ION, and NBA TV.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026 season will feature a league-record 216 nationally broadcast games.
- The Indiana Fever becomes the first WNBA team with its entire 44-game schedule broadcast nationally.
- NBC will broadcast WNBA games for the first time since 2002 as part of the new media rights deal.
- The broadcast lineup includes ESPN/ABC, CBS Sports/Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, USA, ION, and NBA TV.
Why It Matters
This media deal expands the WNBA's national footprint by placing a record 216 games across a wide array of platforms. Giving the Indiana Fever a full 44-game national schedule is a direct bet on a single team and star player to lift viewership for all partners. Unlike leagues consolidating rights, the WNBA is spreading its content across a mix of broadcast (NBC), cable (ESPN), and streaming (Prime Video, Paramount+). This hybrid model targets viewers across different consumption habits. The key data to watch will be viewership distribution across partners and whether this fragmented approach grows the total audience.
Read full article at justwomensports.com
Enjoy our coverage?
Add StreamingMeme as a preferred source on Google to see more of our streaming news at the top of your Search results.
Add as preferred source