CBS Makes Bid For NCAA Women's Tourney, But Waits On ESPN

During negotiations for the 11-year, $6B deal to televise the men's NCAA basketball tournament, CBS "agreed to the NCAA's proposal to pay $200[M] for 11 years for the women's tournament and 18 other NCAA championships," according to USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke, who reports that the CBS deal applies "if ESPN isn't able to renew" its deal for the women's event, expiring after the '01-02 season. CBS' offer represents a price increase to $18.14M per year for the women's event. ESPN has paid $2.7M per year during its seven-year, $19M deal. ESPN holds a "right of first negotiation" and expects to begin talks with the NCAA this summer (USA TODAY, 2/20). The increase for the women's tournament TV rights "would represent one of the highest TV rights fee increases in history" (USA TODAY, 2/20).