WNBA on CBS

WNBA on CBS
Also known asWNBA on CBS Sports
GenreWNBA basketball telecasts
Theme music composerTaylor Ralph
Opening theme"Queen of the Court"
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons8+
Production
Producers
  • Deb Boulac[2]
  • Jason Ross
  • Bill Thayer
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time120 minutes+
Production companyCBS Sports
Original release
Network
ReleaseMay 25, 2019 (2019-05-25)[1]
Related

The WNBA on CBS is the branding used for presentations of Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) games produced by CBS Sports and broadcast on the CBS[4] television network and CBS Sports Network in the United States.

Background

Terms of the deal

On April 22, 2019, CBS Sports Network and the WNBA struck a deal[5][6] to televise 40 games in primetime and on weekends during the 2019 season. The games broadcast on CBS from local broadcasts already airing on the WNBA's streaming site, WNBA League Pass.[7]

Production

Initially, most games were broadcast via clean feeds provided by the league and the home team's regional broadcaster. Beginning in the 2024 season, the games carried on the CBS network are now produced in-house by CBS Sports, with the clean feed productions now used solely for games on CBS Sports Network.[8]

Schedules

The 2021 season had 100 games broadcast on national networks, including 40 on CBS networks.[9] On June 19, 2021, CBS broadcast[10] a WNBA game between the Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky[11] with Lisa Byington providing the play-by-play and Lisa Leslie providing analysis. On June 26, 2021, CBS broadcast a game between the Washington Mystics and Dallas Wings.

The remaining national broadcast schedule for the 2022 season was released in April and May 2022—including two regular season games on CBS and 38 on CBS Sports Network.[12]

2024 was the first year of a two-year deal with CBS Sports.[13][14] Also in 2024, CBS Sports aired 20 regular-season games, with eight airing on CBS and 12 airing on CBS Sports Network.[15]

Commentators

See also: List of current WNBA broadcasters, CBS_Sports_Network § Basketball, and CBS_Sports § Notable_personalities_(past_and_present)

Play-by-play announcers

Color analysts

Sideline reporters

Viewership

The two games on CBS on June 19 and June 26, 2021 averaged about 427,000 and 567,000 viewers[44] respectively.

For 2024, CBS Sports enjoyed its most watched regular season ever for the WNBA[45]. CBS Sports average 1.10 million viewers. That's up by 86% from the previous year.

The most watched game in WNBA on CBS history is the June 16, 2024 contest between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, which averaged 2.25 million viewers[46].

See also

References

  1. ^ "WNBA announces game-changing television partnership with CBS Sports". Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  2. ^ Hernández, Kristian (May 24, 2024). "WNBA Tip-Off 2024: CBS Sports Commits to Women's Pro Basketball With Full Onsite Productions". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  3. ^ Maloney, Jack (April 10, 2024). "2024 WNBA schedule: CBS to nationally broadcast 20 games, including three featuring Caitlin Clark and Fever". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  4. ^ Kleen, Brendon (July 10, 2024). "CBS' Saturday morning WNBA broadcasts are perfect example of league investment paying off". Awful Announcing. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  5. ^ Steinberg, Brian (April 22, 2019). "CBS Sports, WNBA Strike TV Deal". Variety.
  6. ^ Megdal, Howard. "New CBS Deal With WNBA Is Latest Reminder Of League's New Revenue Streams". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  7. ^ Dominguez, Mariana (April 24, 2019). "Column: CBS Sports and the WNBA teaming up is great for women's sports". The Daily Campus.
  8. ^ Hernández, Kristian (2024-05-24). "WNBA Tip-Off 2024: CBS Sports Commits to Women's Pro Basketball With Full Onsite Productions". Sports Video Group. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  9. ^ Ward, Zack (2021-05-03). "WNBA to have 100 nationally televised games". Swish Appeal. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  10. ^ "2021 WNBA TV schedule". Sports Media Watch.
  11. ^ "Chicago Sky Announce TV Schedule for 2021 Season". WNBA. May 10, 2021.
  12. ^ Kria, Nikki (May 4, 2022). "Twitter announces a diverse slate of premium content partnerships at 2022 Digital Content NewFronts". Twitter. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  13. ^ Lucia, Joe (April 10, 2024). "CBS Sports announces new multi-year deal with WNBA". Awful Announcing. Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  14. ^ Spangler, Todd (April 5, 2024). "Amazon Prime Video Extends WNBA Exclusive Streaming Pact for Two More Years". Variety. Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  15. ^ Maloney, Jack (April 10, 2024). "2024 WNBA schedule: CBS to nationally broadcast 20 games, including three featuring Caitlin Clark and Fever". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on April 11, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  16. ^ Bucholtz, Andrew (June 3, 2021). "Mispronunciation of WNBA players' names by broadcasters and in-arena announcers is leading to calls for change". Awful Announcing. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  17. ^ "The Big West Media Personalities". The Big West. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  18. ^ "Pat Boylan: Sports broadcaster - Home". patboylanbroadcasting.com. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
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  21. ^ "Angel Gray". ESPN Press Room. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  22. ^ Hatfield, Jenn (August 5, 2020). "Three, Two, One, Showtime: Debbie Antonelli Discusses Calling WNBA Games from Home". Her Hoop Stats. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  23. ^ "Game Preview: Dallas Wings vs. Los Angeles Sparks – July 13". Dallas Wings. July 13, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
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  25. ^ "Meghan McPeak: Blazing Her Path". The Edge Leaders. January 8, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  26. ^ "YES Network Becomes Official Regional TV Partner of WNBA's New York Liberty". New York Liberty. May 22, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  27. ^ Adams, Kim. "Kim Adams, Sports Reporter & Basketball Analyst". kimadamssports.com/. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  28. ^ "Chicago Sky Announce 2024 National Broadcast Schedule". Chicago Sky. April 10, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  29. ^ Hendricks, Maggie (May 29, 2019). "'I think it's underappreciated': Color analyst Jordan Cornette wants to be a Chicago Sky evangelist". The New York Times. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  30. ^ "Game Preview: Fever Meet Aces Again in Las Vegas on Monday Night". Indiana Fever. June 26, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  31. ^ "CBS Sports - WE NEED TO TALK - Talent". Paramount Press Express. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  32. ^ "Game Preview: Fever Meet Mercury at Home Sunday Afternoon". Indiana Fever. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  33. ^ "Game Preview: Dallas Wings at Minnesota Lynx – June 2". Dallas Wings. June 2, 2024. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  34. ^ "LA Sparks Announce Local Broadcast Schedule". Los Angeles Sparks. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  35. ^ "TUNE-IN ALERT: ACC Football On The CW Kicks Off Saturday, September 9 With Cincinnati Bearcats At Pitt Panthers". Nexstar. September 8, 2023.
  36. ^ "JULIANNE'S BIO". JULIANNE VIANI. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  37. ^ "Isis Young". Maxx Sports & Entertainment Group. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  38. ^ Young, Grant (June 17, 2024). "Caitlin Clark's Head-Turning Comment About Chemistry with Aliyah Boston Will Catch WNBA's Attention". Athlon Sports. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  39. ^ O'Neill, Robert (March 7, 2024). "Terrika Foster-Brasby announces extension with CBS Sports". Awful Announcing. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  40. ^ "About me - Maggie Hale". maggiehalee.wixsite.com. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  41. ^ "Game Preview: Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty – September 10". Dallas Wings. September 10, 2024. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
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  43. ^ Hernández, Kristian (May 24, 2024). "WNBA Tip-Off 2024: CBS Sports Commits to Women's Pro Basketball With Full Onsite Productions". Sports Video Group. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  44. ^ "CBS Sports' WNBA Viewership Continues to Rise, Delivering the Most-Watched WNBA Game on CBS". Twitter. June 29, 2021.
  45. ^ "WNBA Delivers Record-Setting 2024 Season". WNBA. September 27, 2024. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  46. ^ Deitsch, Richard (June 18, 2024). "Fever vs. Sky on CBS is most-watched WNBA game in 23 years". The New York Times. Retrieved December 25, 2024.