Women's hoops community sees new NCAA-ESPN deal as first step - ESPN

Members of the women's basketball community say the new eight-year NCAA deal with ESPN that will pour an estimated $65 million annually into the sport reflects the growth of the game.

Now many are looking for one missing piece that is important to them: a revenue-sharing program that gives performance units for success in the NCAA tournament.

«It's a great step forward, and it really shows how much progress has been made in just one year, really,» UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. «I think this definitely paves the way for a units program similar to the men. There's still a lot left that we can accomplish, and I look forward to it.»

That might be more of a formality at this point.

NCAA president Charlie Baker indicated that the institution is committed to adding revenue sharing for women's basketball. For that to happen, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors Finance Committee has to first put forth a proposal. The Division I board of directors is meeting next week in Phoenix, so a future timetable could be discussed.

«Once schools see a return on their investment in a given sport, they'll invest more in the sport,» said former MAAC commissioner Rich Ensor. «No question that it will drive more focus if you have revenue sharing. It's a way coaches can increase their own salary scales because many times salaries aren't equitable between men's and women's [programs]. That's because a lot of times the men's program brings in a lot more revenue than the women's.»

There's virtually no chance the revenue sharing would be in place by this year's NCAA tournament as the new deal doesn't start until September and it would be extremely difficult to get a system in place in just two months.

«We need that part of it to happen. Not, you