WNBA, DraftKings Enter Into Sports Betting and DFS Partnership

May 18, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives to the basket in the first quarter against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY SportsThe WNBA and DraftKings have announced a sports betting partnershipDraftKings will become an official sports betting and daily fantasy partner of the wNBAThe announcement comes at the heels of a widely reported $2.2 billion media rights deal

DraftKings and the WNBA will be moving forward together with a new gaming partnership.

Both parties announced the agreement this afternoon, which will see DraftKings become an official sports betting and daily fantasy partner of the WNBA.

DraftKings will receive rights to league and collecting team intellectual property, access to marketing, activation and hospitality opportunities around tentpole WNBA events, and the ability to utilize official league data feeds to support the gameplay experience for fans.

WNBA Has Seen ‘Tremendous Growth’

Matt Kalish, president of DraftKings North America, touted the partnership with the WNBA as a way for the company to enhance the experience for its users and WNBA fans.

“The WNBA has seen tremendous growth, which continues to be a bright spot in the sports world. We are proud to support the league in its efforts to continue expanding the game,” Kalish said in a press release. “It is a priority for us to deliver the most engaging WNBA content to DraftKings’ platforms and through our collaboration with the WNBA this season, we will be able to enhance the experience for millions of our customers and WNBA fans.”

As part of the deal, DraftKings will receive media exposure across WNBA’s media platforms, including serving as a presenting partner of the “WNBA Postseason Push,” a new league content platform that will feature highlights, social integrations, and odds updates on the latest WNBA standings during the final two weeks of the season.

The partnership with the WNBA adds to DraftKings’ basketball portfolio, as the company is also an official sports betting partner with the NBA.

“The WNBA is growing and expanding across the board, and partnering with industry leaders like DraftKings enables us to offer WNBA fans additional ways to engage with their favorite teams and players, responsibly and with integrity,” said Colie Edison, WNBA Chief Growth Officer, in a release. “This opportunity for DraftKings to lean in with us to support women’s sports will welcome more fans to the WNBA. We’re looking forward to working alongside DraftKings to further enhance innovation and equity in women’s sports.”

Newly Reported Media Rights Deal

The partnership also comes on the heels of a widely reported WNBA media rights deal. ESPN recently reported the league would receive about $200 million per year under the potential 11-year media rights deal, an annual increase of around $140 million from the present deal. This values the WNBA at $2.2 billion over 11 years, which some  believe is an undervaluation.

The WNBA has a current media deal that see the league receive about $60 million per year. It’s set to expire after the 2025 season.

The NBA negotiates the media rights deals for both leagues.