WNBA on ESPN

infobox television | show_name = WNBA on ESPN


format = Sports
runtime = 120 minutes+
starring = Doris Burke Pam Ward Terry Gannon Nancy Lieberman Rebecca Lobo
country = United States
network = ESPN2 (2002 - present)
ABC (2007 - present)

The WNBA on ESPN refers to the presentation of Women's National Basketball Association games on the ESPN family of networks. Under the title of "WNBA Tuesday", games are broadcast throughout the WNBA season on Tuesday nights on ESPN2 and Saturday and Sunday afternoons on ABC.

Announcers

During the 2008 season, WNBA games on ESPN featured broadcasters including Doris Burke, Terry Gannon, Nancy Lieberman, and Pam Ward. Rebecca Lobo and Heather Cox served as sideline reporters.

Previous play-by-play broadcasters have also included Dave Pasch, Mark Jones and Linda Cohn. Previous sideline reporters include Tina Dixon and Stephanie Ready.

Wired

One unique aspect of WNBA coverage on the ESPN family of networks is that many of the participants wear live microphones [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/wnba/news/story?id=2158590 Eavesdrop on Thibault, Whisenant] ] . Staring with the 2003 WNBA All Star Game (which aired on ABC), most games televised have involved coaches, players and referees being wired for sound. On some occasions, the sound of players and coaches talking will overlap with commentary; also, on several occasions, ESPN has had to mute the sound because of expletives.

Controversy

During the 2006 WNBA Finals, Detroit Shock head coach, and former ESPN NBA analyst, Bill Laimbeer became irritated [ [http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060906/SPORTS04/609060453/1052/sports Laimbeer not too happy with ESPN] ] by ESPN's coverage, quoted by the "Detroit Free Press" as saying:

Laimbeer banned ESPN from the Shock locker room for Game 4 of the series, and also refused to wear a live microphone for that game (as had been the custom throughout the regular season and the playoffs).

Connecticut Sun head coach Mike Thibault admitted that he does not like having a microphone on during games. He also said that he sometimes finds himself turning the microphone off.

Viewership

Broadcasts on ESPN2 receive an average of 200,000 to 300,000 viewers while broadcasts on ABC receive 600,000 to 700,000 viewers.

References