Women’s Basketball Teams to Receive Payments for NCAA Tournament Appearances

Nashville: Big news for women’s basketball! Starting this March, teams will finally get paid for their NCAA Tournament appearances, just like the men have for years. This change was approved at the NCAA convention, and it’s about time, right?

The NCAA members voted unanimously, which means everyone’s on board. This new pay structure is a game-changer. Women’s teams will earn performance units based on their tournament success. For instance, if a team makes it to the Final Four, their conference could see around $1.26 million over three years.

In the first year, $15 million will be distributed to teams, which is 26% of the women’s basketball media revenue deal. By 2028, that amount will increase to $25 million, or 41% of the revenue. This is similar to what the men’s teams received when their performance units program started.

This is a huge step forward, especially since the women’s tournament has been criticized for not having a units system until now. Louisville coach Jeff Walz expressed his excitement, saying it’s great that women’s basketball is finally getting the financial recognition it deserves.

The plan mirrors the men’s basketball unit program. Each of the 32 conferences with automatic tournament bids will get a unit, plus more for at-large bids. The longer a team stays in the tournament, the more units their conference earns.

Men’s basketball teams currently get 24% of a massive $8.8 billion media rights deal. Meanwhile, women’s basketball is valued at $65 million per tournament in a new deal with ESPN, which is a significant increase from previous contracts.

The NCAA has always shared March Madness revenue with member schools, and this change will help schools reinvest in their athletic programs. Last year, the women’s tournament had record viewership and attendance, proving that it’s gaining popularity. This is just the beginning for women’s basketball!