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🏀 WNBA · 2026 season · $3.1B / 11-yr NEW DEAL
WNBA just got a $3.1 billion media deal. Here's where every game lives in 2026.
Cheapest path
ESPN+ · 1.99/mo — most regular-season WNBA games. Antenna picks up ABC Finals coverage free.
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Industry benchmark · TiVo Q4 2025
Sports fans now need 2.7 services on average to follow their team — up from 2.4 last year.
69% of sports viewers say it's getting harder. 36% just skip games not on their existing subscriptions. 42% say they're willing to pay MORE.
After 28 years of installs, here's the kitchen-table read: our recommendations below keep you to 2 services — below the industry average, with an antenna covering the gap. See our RSN + sports rights public dataset · Rick Baron, 28 yrs installs · TiVo source: Q4 2025 VTR
The WNBA's new 11-year, $3.1 billion media-rights agreement starts in 2026 — a 6.5× increase in annual value over the previous deal. Disney/ESPN/ABC + NBC/Peacock + Amazon Prime + CBS/Paramount+ + Scripps + USA Network all carry games. 216 national games per season. Here's the cheapest stack.
▶ Quick action
$29.99/mo — primary home for WNBA in 2026. Plus Amazon Prime games + ION Saturday triple-headers.
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Where every WNBA game lives in 2026
Game type Network Free OTA? Streaming
WNBA Finals ABC + ESPN ABC = YES ESPN streamer + Disney bundle Semifinals ESPN + ABC + Amazon partial Prime + ESPN streamer First Round Playoffs ESPN + ABC + ION + NBC partial (ION + ABC + NBC) Mix National regular-season games ESPN, ABC, NBC, Amazon Prime, CBS, Scripps networks some ABC + NBC + CBS Disney+/ESPN, Peacock, Prime, Paramount+ Local team games Local broadcast + sometimes Bally/FanDuel partial OTA Some teams have direct apps Commissioner's Cup Amazon Prime Video NO Prime required
The new partners + what each carries (2026)
Disney / ESPN / ABC — Top package + WNBA Finals. ABC simulcasts are free OTA. ESPN/ESPN2 cable required for most non-Finals games.NBC / Peacock — 48 games on USA Network + NBC primetime + some Peacock-exclusive games.Amazon Prime Video — 30 games incl. all Commissioner's Cup games + select playoff.CBS / Paramount+ — 20 games on CBS and Paramount+.Scripps Networks (ION, etc.) — Free OTA package, ~50 games per season.
Cheapest stacks by fan type
"Just the playoffs + Finals": Antenna for ABC + ION + NBC = $0/mo.
That's it. About half the playoffs are free OTA.
"Every nationally-televised game": Antenna + Peacock ($10.99) + Prime ($14.99) + ESPN Select via Hulu/Disney ($11.99) ≈ $37-38/mo seasonal.
"Specific team + national": Above stack + your team's RSN (Local Sports)/DTC app (~$15-30/mo if available). About $50-65/mo seasonal.
"All in": YouTube TV ($82.99) covers most cable channels + Peacock + Prime + Paramount+ for full coverage = ~$120/mo. Most fans don't need this.
What's new for the 2026 season
WNBA expansion: Toronto Tempo (13th team) joins for the 2026 season. Portland Fire and others coming 2028+.Caitlin Clark effect: ratings up 300% on multiple networks since 2024. Why the new deal is 6.5× bigger.ION on antenna: Scripps's free OTA channel carries ~50 games — biggest free WNBA path in 2026.Disney+/Hulu app merger: ESPN content increasingly behind the unified Disney+ app. Bundle pricing better than buying ESPN alone.
RSN (Local Sports) reality (it's better than NBA)
Unlike the NBA, most WNBA teams aren't locked into expensive RSN (Local Sports) deals. Many teams broadcast locally on free OTA channels:
Indiana Fever (Caitlin Clark): WTHR + FanDuel Sports IndianaNew York Liberty: MSG + YES NetworkLas Vegas Aces: Scripps OTA + MGM Resorts venue streamsSeattle Storm: Local KZJO OTA + Storm appMost other teams: Mix of FanDuel Sports family + national
Net: WNBA is genuinely cheaper to follow than the NBA because more of the games are free OTA and the RSN (Local Sports) problem is less severe.
Verified 2026-05-17 via project-docs/SPORTS-RIGHTS-MASTER.md
Re-verify quarterly — WNBA deals refresh as the league expands.
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