A 2020 Deloitte report predicted that women’s sports would become a $1 billion industry in the coming years, with TV rights expected to be one of the main drivers. If history is any indication, that number seems fairly attainable.

The NWSL struck a reported $4.5 million, three-year media rights deal with CBS in 2020 — a huge jump from its early days on YouTube, which only brought in a few thousand viewers. 

With the league’s next set of rights up for grabs in 2023, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said she expects significant growth.

The NWSL’s ratings are nearing — and sometimes exceeding — those of MLS, which just signed a 10-year, more than $2.5 billion broadcasting deal with Apple.

• CBS drew more than 456,000 viewers for the NWSL preseason match between the San Diego Wave and Los Angeles’ Angel City FC.
• MLS’ opening match between New England and Portland only brought in 436,000.

Berman clarified that quality broadcasting windows are important for the league’s new deal.

Similarly, ESPN, which previously paid the WNBA $12 million annually, now pays $25 million annually for rights. Their deal is up in 2025 — and the 2021 season saw a 49% viewership increase from 2020.

NCAA Numbers

A NCAA-commissioned Kaplan Report found that the women’s March Madness tournament could have a market value of up to $101 million per year as part of a separate package. The NCAA currently receives $34 million for the women’s tournament and championships in 28 other sports.

DAZN is in negotiations to acquire rival sports and entertainment media company Eleven Sports, according to a report by the Financial Times. 

An acquisition would expand DAZN’s reach in Europe, where Eleven’s primary markets are Belgium and Portugal. Owned by Aser Ventures, Eleven also operates in Southeast Asia. 

• No deal between DAZN and Eleven is imminent.
• Aser Ventures is owned by Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani. 

DAZN’s potential bid comes in the wake of Eleven’s failure to secure a deal with BT Sport, a British sports channel provider under telecom company BT Group. BT Sport will now become part of Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal worth $773 million. 

A conflict over BT Sport’s desire to ensure that the network would remain available to its telecom customers created an opening for Warner Bros. Discovery to secure its 50-50 deal. 

Despite missing out on BT Sports’ coveted Premier League media rights, DAZN has still established a footprint in European soccer. In March, it struck a sublicensing deal with Spain’s Telefonica to broadcast all La Liga matches for $310.7 million annually over five years. 

DAZN also bolstered its boxing portfolio in June, landing a five-year deal worth over $100 million with boxing producer Matchroom to broadcast matches based in the U.K. and Ireland. 

Tough Losses

In February, DAZN reported that it lost $1.3 billion in 2020 due to the reduction and cancellation of live events during the pandemic. It generated $871 million in revenue that year.

The Competition and Markets Authority — a U.K. antitrust watchdog — is investigating a group of Britain’s top sports broadcasters regarding the purchase of freelance services. 

The antitrust regulator believes the broadcasters engaged in potential “cartel-like behavior.” 

• BT Group, IMG Media, Sky UK Limited, and ITV are all under investigation.
• At issue is pay offered to highly skilled staff members, including camera operators.
• The probe will date back to 2015, according to the Financial Times.
• All those under investigation have pledged to cooperate with the probe. 

The CMA, which believes it has “reasonable grounds to suspect one or more breaches of competition law,” hasn’t issued a probe into sports media since the early 2000s. 

Then, the CMA’s predecessor, the Office of Fair Trading, investigated a media rights pact that included British Sky Broadcasting, Channel 4, and the Racecourse Association.

The investigation resulted in no repercussions for those involved. 

Staying Busy 

In addition to its probe of British broadcasters, the CMA has been busy investigating other deals in sports and gaming. Last month, the regulator initiated an investigation into fashion retailers JD Sports, Elite Sports, and Rangers FC regarding fixed prices on Rangers apparel. 

The CMA previously fined JD Sports, along with Footasylum, $5.6 million in February for competition breach following an attempted merger in 2021.

The watchdog is also investigating Microsoft’s $68.7 billion deal to acquire Activision Blizzard.

One of football’s iconic venues is being revamped as part of a massive real estate project.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige recently signed off on a $400 million budget to construct a new stadium and entertainment district on the site of the condemned Aloha Stadium in Halawa.

The state is expected to select a new developer by the third quarter of 2023, with the original stadium being demolished later that year or early in 2024.

From there, construction on the new stadium will begin, with an expected completion in late 2025 — meaning it would be ready for the 2026 football season.

The new stadium is downsizing from a capacity of 50,000 to approximately 35,000.

The old Aloha Stadium was home to the University of Hawaii football team from 1975 through 2020, when the Rainbow Warriors moved to Ching Field on their Manoa campus in anticipation of the construction project. They’ll play at the new stadium.

But the venue is just one half of the entire project.

• The New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District (NASED) will develop commercial, residential, retail, hotel, and office buildings on 70-80 acres surrounding the site.
• Development is expected to be ongoing, and could reach its final form in about 20 years.

Return of the Pro Bowl?

Aloha Stadium was also famously the home of the NFL’s Pro Bowl almost every year from 1979 through 2016. It hasn’t been played there since.

A vibrant new entertainment district could be just the ticket to lure the NFL back.