- Schedule to showcase defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces, reigning Commissioner's Cup presented by Coinbase champion New York Liberty, and Indiana Fever, which is positioned to add the No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm eight times each
Caption: The logo for the WNBA on ESPN (2023-present). | Photo credit: Barrett Sports Media.
- AT&T WNBA All-Star Game returns to ABC in primetime (Saturday, July 20 at 8:30 PM ET)
- Marquee opening week doubleheaders to feature Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Sun
The WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) and ESPN announced that the league's 28th season of play, set to begin on Tuesday, May 14, is highlighted by 25 national broadcasts across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.
During the upcoming year, the WNBA will team up with ESPN to televise up to 52 games starting with the WNBA regular season games presented by Google and extending through the WNBA Playoffs presented by Google, which contains up to 27 games, including the WNBA Finals presented by YouTube TV. For the second straight year, ABC presents exclusive live coverage of the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game. This year's All-Star Game takes place at the Footprint Center and is scheduled for Saturday, July 20 at 8:30 PM ET (5:30 PM PST).
Additional coverage will be provided by WNBA Countdown presented by Google - ESPN's official WNBA pregame show (similar to NBA Countdown for the NBA games) that the network introduced during the 2022 WNBA playoffs. At least 10 editions of the program will air preceding game broadcasts.
The ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 broadcast schedule starts on Tuesday, May 14, as part of WNBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax with a doubleheader that will showcase the Indiana Fever, adding 2024 WNBA Draft top overall pick and former Iowa standout Caitlin Clark to a roster that features 2023 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston, visiting the Connecticut Sun (ESPN2, 7:30 PM ET). The Sun are led by Alyssa Thomas, the 2023 Kia WNBA MVP runner-up and the league's all-time leader in triple doubles, and DeWanna Bonner, a five-time WNBA All-Star whose 6,881 career points rank third among current players.
In the second game of the evening, the Las Vegas Aces - led by two-time Kia WNBA Most Valuable Players A'ja Wilson and Candace Parker, 2023 All-Stars Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young, in addition to the 2023 Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Alysha Clark - tips off its quest to become the first team to win straight WNBA championships since the Houston Comets won the league's first four championships from 1997-2000, when they host the Phoenix Mercury (ESPN2, 10:00 PM ET). The Mercury is led by WNBA career points leader Diana Taurasi, nine-time All-Star Brittney Griner, and new additions in 2021 WNBA Finals MVP and three-time All-Star Kahleah Cooper and two-time WNBA All-Defensive Team selection Natasha Cloud. The game will be preceded by a WNBA Countdown presented by Google edition which will feature coverage of the Aces Championship Ring Ceremony and Championship Banner Unveiling at 9:30 PM ET.
WNBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax also includes a star-studded double dip on ABC on Saturday, May 18. Action begins with the New York Liberty, who reached the WNBA Finals presented by YouTube TV behind 2023 Kia WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart, 2021 Kia WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones, 2023 All-WNBA Second Team selection Sabrina Ionescu and seven-time WNBA assists leader Courtney Vandersloot, welcoming Clark and the Fever (1:00 PM ET). In the second game, the Los Angeles Sparks, featuring 2024 WNBA Draft No. 2 pick Cameron Brink and 2024 WNBA Draft No. 4 pick Rickea Jackson, visit the Aces (3:00 PM ET).
Caption: The WNBA on ESPN/ABC broadcast schedule for the 2024 season. | Photo credit: ESPN Press Room.
The 2024 WNBA on ESPN schedule will feature all 12 WNBA teams, with blockbuster matchups showcased throughout the year. Indiana Fever, featuring rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, two-time defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces & star-studded New York Liberty will be featured eight teams across ESPN platforms. Three of Indiana's first four games will air on ESPN platforms.
Las Vegas and New York, whose rosters featured a combined seven 2023 WNBA All-Stars and five 2023 All-WNBA Team selections, will meet twice across ESPN platforms this season. The teams will square off in the first re-match of the 2023 WNBA Finals on Sunday, June 15 at 3:00 PM ET on ABC & Sunday, September 8 at 4:00 PM ET on ESPN.
Additional Highlights of ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 Broadcast Schedule:
- In addition to the opening weekend broadcast featuring Boston and her team's No. 1 overall pick (Caitlin Clark) in the 2024 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm, coverage of the Fever is set for Monday, May 20, when they host the Sun - ESPN's first Indiana home game (ESPN, 7:00 PM ET). On Sunday, June 30, Indiana travels to Phoenix to face against Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury (ESPN, 3:00 PM ET), and on Tuesday, July 2, Indiana visits the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas (ESPN, 9:30 PM ET). The Aces announced that they are moving that July 2 contest vs. Indiana to T-Mobile Arena which can hold approximately 6,000-7,000 more seats than their current arena, the Michelob Ultra Arena.
- ESPN platforms will present two 2023 WNBA semifinals rematches when New York visits Connecticut on Saturday, June 8 (ABC, 1:00 PM ET), and Las Vegas hosts Dallas, led by All-Stars Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally (ESPN, 3:00 PM ET).
- On Sunday, June 16 (ABC, 3:00 PM ET), six-time All-WNBA Team selection Skylar Diggins-Smith returns to Phoenix with her new Seattle Storm teammates, including six-time All-WNBA Team selection Nneka Ogwumike, also in her first year with the Storm, and 2023 WNBA scoring leader Jewell Lloyd.
- Eight-time All-Star and 2012 MVP Tina Charles, who sat out the 2023 season, will visit the Liberty, a team that she spent six seasons with (2014-2019), on Sunday, June 30 (ESPN, 1:00 PM ET).
- The 2024 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, featuring a clash between the WNBA All-Stars who compromise the USA Basketball Women's National Team versus the remaining WNBA All-Stars on Saturday, July 20, is set for a primetime broadcast on ABC for the second straight season (8:30 PM ET). One day earlier (Friday, July 19), the Kia WNBA Skills Challenge and Starry WNBA 3-Point contest will also move into a primetime slot (ESPN, 9:00 PM ET).
- When the WNBA season is set to resume following the Paris Olympics, ESPN will showcase the Liberty at Sparks game at 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, August 15.
- All games across ESPN platforms during the regular season and postseason will stream live on the ESPN App.
Following the conclusion of the 2024 regular season on Thursday, September 19, ESPN will once again join forces with the WNBA to televise all playoff games. Wall-to-wall coverage of the WNBA Playoffs presented by Google and the WNBA Finals presented by YouTube TV will feature up to 27 nationally televised playoff games across ESPN platforms.
The complete 2024 WNBA on ESPN regular season schedule can be found below, with updates throughout the year in terms of announcer assignments and more (subject to change):
- WNBA on ESPN: 2024 Regular Season Broadcast Schedule (All Times Eastern and Subject to Change)
| Tuesday, May 14
. Fever at Sun - ESPN2, 7:30 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
. Mercury at Aces - ESPN2, 10:00 PM (ET) - Tiffany Greene, Debbie Antonelli, Angel Gray
| Monday, May 20
. Sun at Fever - ESPN, 7:00 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holy Rowe
| Saturday, June 1
. Sky at Fever - ESPN, 12:00 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Angel Gray
- Note: Originally scheduled for 1:00 PM (ET) on NBA TV.
| Thursday, June 13
. Storm at Wings - ESPN, 7:00 PM (ET) - Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Christine Williamson
| Saturday, June 22
. Sparks at Liberty - ESPN, 3:00 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
| Sunday, June 23
. Fever at Sky - ESPN, 4:00 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
- Note: Originally scheduled for 6:00 PM (ET) on NBA TV.
| Sunday, June 30
. Dream at Liberty - ESPN, 1:00 PM (ET) - Pam Ward, Rebecca Lobo, Angel Gray
. Fever at Mercury - ESPN, 3:00 PM (ET) - Mark Jones, Debbie Antonelli, Christine Williamson
| Tuesday, July 2
. Fever vs. Aces (T-Mobile Arena) - ESPN, 9:30 PM (ET) - Pam Ward, Debbie Antonelli, Angel Gray
| Sunday, July 7
. Wings at Aces - ESPN, 3:30 PM (ET) - Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Angel Gray
| Sunday, July 14
. Fever at Lynx - ESPN, 4:00 PM (ET) - Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Christine Williamson
| Wednesday, July 17
. Fever at Wings - ESPN, 7:30 PM (ET) - Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Angel Gray
| Friday, July 19 (WNBA All-Star Weekend: Footprint Center - Phoenix, Arizona)
. Starry WNBA 3-Point Contest & Kia WNBA Skills Challenge (Phoenix) - ESPN, 9:00 PM ET - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
| Thursday, August 15
. Liberty at Sparks - ESPN, 9:00 PM (ET) - Tiffany Greene, Carolyn Peck, Holly Rowe
| Wednesday, August 21
. Lynx at Aces - ESPN, 9:30 PM (ET) - Pam Ward, Carolyn Peck, Angel Gray
| Sunday, September 8
. Aces at Liberty - ESPN, 4:00 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
- Sources: ESPN Press Room
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Source: https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2024/05/espns-28th-wnba-season-tips-off-with-highly-anticipated-doubleheader-tuesday-may-14/
ReplyDelete🏀 🎙 WNBA Full Court Press: ESPN's 28th WNBA season begins with a doubleheader on Tuesday, May 14
| Tuesday, May 14
. 7:00 PM (ET) - WNBA Countdown presented by Google - ESPN2
LaChina Robinson, Monica McNutt & Carolyn Peck
. 7:30 PM (ET) - Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun - ESPN2
Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo & Holly Rowe
. 9:30 PM (ET) - WNBA Countdown presented by Google - ESPN2
LaChina Robinson, Monica McNutt & Carolyn Peck
. 10:00 PM (ET) - Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces - ESPN2
Tiffany Greene, Debbie Antonelli & Angel Gray
| Saturday, May 18
. 12:30 PM (ET) - WNBA Countdown presented by Google - ABC
Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike & Andraya Carter
. 1:00 PM (ET) - Indiana Fever at New York Liberty - ABC
TBD
. 3:00 PM (ET) - Los Angeles Sparks at Las Vegas Aces - ABC
TBD
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