Part 5/9:
The controversy is amplified by ESPN's decision to invest in broadcasting rights for Athletes Unlimited and other sports while refusing to include rights for its basketball division, which raises questions about genuine viewership interest. The pattern of investment from major networks, encrypted with underlying media strategy, invites speculation about whether the push for female sports representation is more about optics than profitability.
Despite a multi-year agreement to air games for other sports under Athletes Unlimited, the absence of basketball programming contributes to the argument that there is little justified interest in women's basketball compared to other sports.