ESPN Launches 'Women's Sports Sundays' to Spotlight WNBA and NWSL Matches
ESPN is gearing up to launch a new sports programming franchise called "Women's Sports Sundays" to showcase women's sports that have often been overlooked. The program will air in primetime on Sundays during the summer and will feature top matchups from the WNBA and NWSL. This initiative marks a significant investment in women's sports programming by ESPN and reflects the growing interest in women's sports leagues like Unrivaled, a three-on-three women's basketball league.
The Vice President of Women's Sports Programming and espnW, Susie Piotrkowski, highlighted the importance of showcasing women's sports on Sundays, a day when some of the best programming is available. ESPN plans to run nine weeks of "Women's Sports Sundays" and will include bespoke studio programming around the games. The network also holds rights to various women's sports events, including the NCAA, Little League Softball World Series, and Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
According to Rosalyn Durant, ESPN's Executive Vice President of Programming & Acquisitions, "Women's Sports Sundays" is not an experiment but a long-term commitment by the network. ESPN has been actively working to build women's sports programming and attract sponsors. Financial-services firm Ally, which has a significant investment in women's sports programming, is expected to support the new Sunday program.
Other organizations, such as WPP Media and Publicis Media, have also pledged to increase their support for women's sports programming. ESPN aims to make "Women's Sports Sundays" a mainstay for sports fans, focusing on the quality of the games and athletes rather than the gender of the players. A dedicated team of ESPN staffers has been working on developing the concept for the program, which originated from ESPN's strategic decision to revamp its rights deal with Major League Baseball.
The new program will feature matchups, talent, and additional programming details that will be announced by ESPN in the coming weeks. "Women's Sports Sundays" represents a significant step in ESPN's commitment to promoting and showcasing women's sports on a regular basis.