"NCAA and ESPN Commit to Women's Basketball with $920M Deal, Community Urges Further Action"
The NCAA has secured a new media rights deal for women's college basketball, valued at $65 million annually in an eight-year contract with ESPN. Despite the increase from the previous deal, there is disappointment among coaches due to the sport being bundled with 39 other championships. NCAA president Charlie Baker is under scrutiny for future decisions that could further enhance the sport's revenue and growth, such as implementing financial units for women's basketball and creating a third tier of corporate partnerships for NCAA championships. Coaches and industry experts are advocating for these changes to allow women's basketball to establish its value independently and to capitalize on its current momentum.