CBS Sports Network announces their plans to nationally air 40 WNBA games a year beginning next month. The CBS sports deal comes at the heels of the WNBA’s already rising 31% increase in viewership for ESPN2 and NBATV last year.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver described the deal as a “meaningful commitment to women’s basketball” which would likely double the national exposure for the WNBA for years to come.

The Minnesota Lynx will host the Chicago Sky in the CBS networks’ first game aired on May 25 (Saturday at 8:00 PM, ET).

Sweet Spill Opinion: Is it finally time for the WNBA to reach the status of their more popular male-dominated counterpart (NBA)? Will more people support the WNBA now that there will be more national exposure? It’s definitely worth finding out!