• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

ESPN Doubles Down on WNBA Coverage, Adding 13 More Games During Bubble Season

  • The games – which now include at least four with every team – will air across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, as well as on the ESPN App.
  • The league kicked off the 22-game 2020 season on July 25, which is being played in a bubble-like environment at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
sue_bird_and_teammates
Sep 9, 2018; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Storm guard Sami Whitcomb (far left) and guard Jewell Loyd (24) and guard Sue Bird (10) celebrate after defeating the Washington Mystics in game two of the WNBA Finals KeyArena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Already scheduled to offer its largest regular-season WNBA slate of games ever, ESPN is adding 13 more broadcasts this season, bringing its total to 37. 

The games – which now include at least four with every team – will air across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, as well as on the ESPN App. ESPN’s networks are also the television home of the WNBA playoffs.  

In April, the 2020 WNBA draft hit a six-year viewership high, averaging 378,000 viewers on ESPN. That was up 59% from 2019 and 26% from 2018, when it aired on ESPN2, according to Sports Media Watch. 

The league kicked off the 22-game 2020 season on July 25, which is being played in a bubble-like environment at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The opening game between the Los Angeles Sparks and Phoenix Mercury averaged 540,000 viewers on ABC, making it the most-watched WNBA opener since 2012, ESPN said. Viewership was up 20% from the league’s first game in 2019.

The increased broadcast footprint will allow the league to shine a bigger spotlight on its growing group of popular players, like Sue Bird, Candace Parker, and Diana Taurasi. Sabrina Ionescu, the former Oregon Duck who became the first player in NCAA history to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds, made her debut for the New York Liberty on July 25 – the team is scheduled to appear on ESPN networks five more times.

In 2013, ESPN inked a deal to keep the WNBA on its networks through the 2022 season for $12 million per year. By 2016, as part of its negotiations with the NBA, that amount more than doubled to $25 million – still just one one-hundredth of what ESPN pays for the men’s league. 

Ahead of the 2019 campaign, CBS got in on the action with a multiyear 40-game deal for an undisclosed fee. This season will mark the first time that CBS will broadcast a game on the CBS Television Network, while the remaining games will air on CBS Sports Network.

Additional games will air on NBA TV or WNBA League Pass, and teams also have local TV deals. 

ESPN commentators will continue to call the games remotely from the network’s Bristol, Conn. campus while Holly Rowe adds on-site reporting. Booth teams include play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco with analyst Rebecca Lobo, and play-by-play announcer Pam Ward with analyst LaChina Robinson. 

ESPN’s expanded commitment comes as WNBA players continue to be at the forefront of social justice causes, and the storylines surrounding play are among the most buzzworthy ever. 

The league announced it would dedicate the bubble season to raising awareness about social causes, including the creation of a Social Justice Council to “be a driving force of necessary and continuing conversations about race, voting rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and gun control amongst other important societal issues.” Other efforts include warm-ups with the messages “Say Her Name” and “Black Lives Matter.” Both the Liberty and the Seattle Storm walked off the court prior to the pre-game national anthem on opening day. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Napheesa Collier

WNBA, Players Remain Far Apart With CBA Deadline Days Away 

A union lawyer says a deal will not be reached by Friday.
Colin Cowherd

Colin Cowherd Reflects on Hall of Fame Career and Why His Show..

“Once you’re on television and people have a remote, you’ve got to speed it up.”
Oct 26, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a three-point shot in the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center.

NBA Betting Scandals Overshadow Wembanyama’s Superstar Leap

Wembanyama is following the path of Shohei Ohtani in MLB.
May 20, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers and LA Sparks co-owner Todd Boehly watches during game three of the Western Conference Finals for the 2023 NBA playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.
exclusive

Mark Walter’s Lakers Buy Includes Dodgers Co-Owner Todd Boehly

Jeanie Buss will retain a roughly 15% stake and remain team governor.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
YouTube/ Multiple streaming services appear on a Roku TV.

YouTube in Another Carriage Dispute, This Time With Disney

ESPN and ABC could be dropped from the No. 4 U.S. pay-TV distributor.
May 17, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) shakes hands with New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) after the top of the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium.
October 23, 2025

Mets, Yankees, and the Nielsen Debate That Won’t Go Away

Weeks after the end of the MLB regular season, viewership issues remain.
Oct 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) keeps the ball away from Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) during the second half at Paycom Center
October 23, 2025

NBA’s NBC Return Draws 5.9M Viewers, Best Opener Since 2010

Thunder vs. Rockets peaked at 7.1 million viewers.
Sponsored

Why Alexis Ohanian Is Betting Big on Women’s Sports

Alexis Ohanian reflects on his evolution from Reddit cofounder to one of today’s most dynamic sports investors.
Brian Windhorst
October 23, 2025

Brian Windhorst Details Emergency Landing on Omaha–L.A. Flight

The pilots and flight attendants had a communication issue.
October 22, 2025

YouTube Stars Help Bring Back Golf Channel’s ‘Big Break’

The show will return in 2026 after an 11-year hiatus.
Candace Parker
October 22, 2025

Candace Parker Wants NFL-Style Coverage From NBA Media

Amazon will stream its first NBA doubleheader Friday.
Netflix
October 21, 2025

Netflix Staying on the Sidelines As TNT Sports Parent Seeks Buyer

The streaming giant shows little interest in acquisition possibilities.