Dawn Staley Pushes Back on $920M ESPN Deal, Advocates for Women’s Basketball Equity

Dawn Staley Demands More for Women’s Hoops: “Let’s Go Back to the Table”

Dawn Staley has already cemented herself as a legend—an NCAA champion, Olympic gold medalist, and powerhouse head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks. Now, she’s adding “author” to her growing list of accomplishments with the release of her memoir, Uncommon Favor, a personal reflection on her journey from the streets of North Philadelphia to the national spotlight.

But at a recent book event in Columbia, South Carolina, Staley didn’t just look back—she looked forward. And her message was clear: women’s basketball is at a tipping point, and it’s time to renegotiate its worth.

“We’re in High Demand. Let’s Capitalize.”

Speaking to a crowd on May 29, Staley addressed the momentum behind women’s sports and called on the media to step up.

“I think we’re at our most popular state,” she said. “We’re in high demand. I do feel like we need to capitalize right now.”

Her comments came just days after attending SEC meetings in Florida, where the future of college sports was a central topic.

When an audience member shouted “more money” as the next step, Staley didn’t hesitate:

“We should get more money from ESPN,” she said. “We’re in a television deal. When we signed the deal three or four years ago, we weren’t where we are today. Let’s go back to the table and let’s talk about where we are today. Let’s negotiate in good faith.”

Is Women’s Basketball Still Undervalued?

Staley was referring to the NCAA’s current media rights agreement with ESPN—a massive eight-year, $920 million deal signed in January 2024 that includes 40 championships, including the Division I women’s basketball tournament.

On the surface, the deal appears to be a leap forward. It guarantees more prime-time slots, ESPN+ coverage, and introduces a “units” system to reward postseason success. It also values women’s basketball at roughly $65 million annually, nearly double the valuation of the previous package.

Still, some experts believe it falls short.

Media consultants John Kosner and Ed Desser, who conducted a landmark NCAA valuation in 2021, estimate the women’s tournament alone is worth between $81 million and $112 million per year.

“I just felt that there was more value to be had,” Kosner told Front Office Sports. “If you create a package that only one entity can really bid for, you don’t know the value of it.”

Record Viewership—and a Call for Fair Play

The timing of Staley’s comments couldn’t be more relevant. The 2024 NCAA women’s championship game between Iowa and South Carolina drew 18.9 million viewers—four million more than the men’s title game. The semifinal between Iowa and UConn pulled in 14.2 million, and the tournament as a whole averaged 2.2 million viewers, a 121% increase from the previous year.

Even with superstar Caitlin Clark moving to the WNBA, viewership remains strong. The 2025 title game between UConn and South Carolina still pulled 8.6 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million.

Regular-season interest also hit new highs. The 2024–25 season was the most-watched women’s college basketball regular season on ESPN since 2009, averaging 280,000 viewers per game, up 3% from the previous year and 41% over two seasons.

South Carolina, once again, led the nation in attendance for the 11th straight year—drawing an average of 16,437 fans per game.

“You can’t tell me that when we have a sell-out crowd that the concession stands aren’t making money, right?” Staley asked.
“You can’t tell me that businesses, restaurants, hotels, aren’t making money off of women’s basketball. So when you say women’s basketball isn’t a revenue-producing sport, you got to take an account for all of it.”

Time for a Redefinition of Value

The current media structure, Staley argues, fails to capture the full economic impact of women’s basketball. Bundling it with 39 other championships undermines its standalone value.

“I want ESPN to step up to the plate,” she said. “Give us a little bit more from collegiately to the WNBA.”

Experts agree. Back in 2021, Kosner and Desser recommended the women’s basketball tournament be separated from the NCAA’s bundled deal and sold independently to better reflect its market value. The NCAA declined.

Kosner believes that decision locked women’s basketball into a “second-class” status, making it harder for fans, sponsors, and networks to invest fully:

“It locks in second-class citizenship,” he said.
Under the current deal, even brands that want to sponsor the women’s tournament must first purchase rights to the men’s events.

Staley’s Stand: A New Era for Women’s Hoops

With her book now released and her platform growing, Dawn Staley isn’t just sharing her personal story—she’s challenging the business model of women’s basketball.

Her plea is simple but powerful:

“Let’s negotiate in good faith.”

It’s not just about a bigger paycheck. It’s about rewriting the rules. And for a sport that’s finally drawing the attention it deserves, that negotiation might be the next major play.