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As the college basketball season begins tonight, there is arguably more intrigue for the women's side of the court this year compared to the men, Tim writes.

Why it matters: The growth of women's sports will be tested by how this year's women's basketball season can follow up last year's record-breaking run, which comes as the NCAA considers whether it should sell those rights separately.

The big picture: The NCAA's rights deal with ESPN for its championships ends next August and is likely to unbundle the women's basketball championship from those for its next deal. 

While major conferences such as the Big 12 and SEC negotiate their own rights, the NCAA controls the ones for its championships, with a major exception being the College Football Playoff.

Up until now, the NCAA has bundled the rights to its championships, except for the men's basketball tournament and both men's and women's Division I golf.

ESPN has paid the NCAA roughly $40 million annually during its current 12-year deal. A report in 2021 found that the women's tournament by itself would be worth $81 million to $112 million in annual rights fees. 

Along with women's basketball, the NCAA is considering separate agreements for women's volleyball, the Frozen Four, College World Series and Women's College World Series.

Yes, but: Breaking out those sports could make it harder for lesser-viewed ones — such as swimming, gymnastics, bowling and fencing — to garner TV dollars because those sports rely on being packaged with more popular ones.

Be smart: The epic rivalry between Iowa's Caitlin Clark and LSU's Angel Reese drove record viewership of the 2023 NCAA championship game, and both players return this season.

Both are entering their senior season and will likely be among the top draft picks in next year's WNBA draft, boosting the growing pro league as well. 

NCAA Women's basketball season tips off ahead of media rights deal

1 big thing: Women's sports boom

Angel Reese (right) and Caitlin Clark from the 2023 women's basketball championship game. Photo: Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Sports agency Excel Sports Management has acquired rival agency REP 1 Football to expand its footprint on America's biggest sport. 

Why it's the BFD: Excel is one of the largest and most powerful sports agencies in the country and the deal makes them an instant contender for football players, Tim writes.

Details: Rep 1 Football will be renamed Excel Football. The agency's co-founder and CEO of football Ryan Tollner and president of football Chase Callahan will serve as co-heads of Excel Football.  

Of note: Excel's clients feature top NBA players like two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and golf legend Tiger Woods. 

Excel isn't completely foreign to football: The agency represents Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and University of Miami's coach Mario Cristobal. 

Its media clients include NFL RedZone host Scott Hanson and ex-NFL players-turned-broadcasters Matt Ryan and Alex Smith. It has also represented Peyton Manning for his brand deals. 

Rep 1's client roster includes Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams' receiver Cooper Kupp and former NFL quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. 

Excel Sports Management buys Rep 1 to expand football business

2. The BFD: Excel tackles football representation 

Illustration of the football, money tongue, and basketball emojis.

Want more media deals? Check out the Axios Pro Deals Tracker beta.

• Zelus Analytics, an R&D firm providing advanced data-driven insights across several sports, acquired TourIQ, a golf analytics firm. https://axios.link/461lAJv

• Saudi Arabia reportedly has expressed interest in acquiring a multibillion-dollar stake in Indian Premier League, the world's top cricket organization, Bloomberg reports. https://axios.link/3QIrHxW

• Saudi Arabia is also seeking to buy two professional tennis tourneys owned by Endeavor (NYSE: EDR) unit IMG. https://axios.link/3u1WPzG

• Imax (NYSE: IMAX) signed a deal with EVT for five new Imax with Laser systems across Australia and Germany. https://axios.link/3SsxbOM

• Ibotta, a Denver-based digital marketing firm, hired Goldman Sachs and Citi to lead a 2024 IPO that could value the company at $2b, per Bloomberg. It has raised over $200m from firms like Kleiner Perkins, Koch Disruptive Technologies, GGV Capital, Great Oaks Venture Capital, Teamworthy Ventures and FJ Labs. https://axios.link/49jTR9B

3. Deal flow

• Hugh Johnston, is leaving his CFO role at PepsiCo and joining Disney as  senior EVP and CFO. He begins Dec. 4. https://axios.link/3MxPpKG

• Will Lewis was named the new CEO of The Washington Post. He starts in January. https://axios.link/3skjHK3

• Alex Vargas is out as CEO of Recurrent Ventures after one year in the role, Adweek reports. He will be replaced by Andrew Perlman, a co-founder of the media company, who will be the firm's third CEO in three years. https://axios.link/49iJrav

• Sean Marshall, former SVP of global sales at Klaviyo, joined Asymmetric Capital Partners as an entrepreneur-in-residence. https://axios.link/3FKYYlY

• Dave O'Connor has been named president of Time's production arm, Time Studios. https://axios.link/3QjkG56

4. Movin' on up (or out)

😬 For every hit TV show, there are more than 100 misses (Bloomberg)

"Fewer than 5% of the original programs on Netflix last year would have triggered performance bonuses under the new contract between the Writers Guild of America and major studios, according to research from Digital-i, a London-based data provider," Lucas Shaw writes.

🎙️ Taylor Swift's replica "1989" surpasses sales of original album (FT)

"Blockbuster opening-week music sales have become a rare feat in the age of digital streaming. Over the past decade, only five albums have managed to sell 1mn copies in the first week of their release, four of which were Swift's," Anna Nicolaou writes.

😔 Starz to lay off more than 10% of employees ahead of Lionsgate spinoff (CNBC)

"Departing the U.K. will scale down the company's operations and potentially prepare it to merge with or acquire another U.S.-based media asset, such as A&E Networks or Paramount Global's BET," Alex Sherman writes.

5. Channel surfing

Illustration of a remote control in the shape of a surfboard leaning against a VW bus.

🇬🇧 Situational awareness: "A trio of British news executives have been named to lead top U.S. news organizations as they navigate an unprecedented period of disruption," Sara Fischer writes.

🌴 Programming note: Tim is headed back to Los Angeles for the week. Say hi if you're around! 

@tim_bays: "Lessons in Chemistry" on Apple TV+. I was surprised to learn this wasn't based on a true story. 

@kerrymflynn: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole. Traveling to Maui today to see my sister and nieces. 

✏️ Thanks to Michael Flaherty for editing and Katie Lewis for copy editing this newsletter.

Thank you for reading Axios Pro Media Deals! Please ask your friends, colleagues and LSU fans to sign up.

November 06, 2023

1 big thing: Women's sports boom