With “Sunday Night Baseball” moving to NBC this season, ESPN revealed Thursday that it has chosen to fill its premium Sunday time slot with WNBA and NWSL games and ancillary coverage.
“Women’s Sports Sundays” will debut in prime time this summer. ESPN announced that 12 live games and studio segments will air over nine weeks.
“Sunday Night Baseball” was an ESPN staple for 36 years, but the network and MLB terminated their deal three years before it expired. NBC has committed to airing “Sunday Night Baseball” at least through 2028.
ESPN, for its part, believes it is catching up with two leagues on the rise.
“Women’s sports are experiencing continued momentum, and ‘Women’s Sports Sundays’ is ESPN’s next step in meeting that demand,” Rosalyn Durant, ESPN executive vice president of programming and acquisitions, said in a statement.
“This franchise is about much more than showcasing games – it’s about building a consistent, high-profile destination that reflects the passion, excellence and cultural impact of women’s sports today, while giving athletes and leagues the stage they deserve.”
Details regarding matchups and broadcast personnel will be announced at a later date.
According to Front Office Sports, more women’s sports, including college basketball, could be added to Sunday night programming in future seasons.
The NWSL season begins March 13 and continues through November. The league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of Boston Legacy and Denver Summit.
WNBA training camps are scheduled to begin April 19, ahead of kickoff on May 8, but a labor impasse threatens to delay the start of the season. The collective bargaining agreement with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBA) expired in January and negotiations over revenue sharing and salary structure have made little progress.
–Field level media
