Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

WNBA All-Star 2024: ESPN Readies for Competitive Showdown Between WNBA Stars, Team USA

19/07/2024

WNBA All-Star 2024: ESPN Readies for Competitive Showdown Between WNBA Stars, Team USA VP, Production Sara Gaeiro: Well have our normal game hat on. By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital

Friday, July 19, 2024 - 12:27 pm

Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

The biggest WNBA season ever has reached its midway point and prior to a month-long Olympic break the league and its lead broadcast parter, ESPN, has descended upon Phoenix for All-Star Weekend.

On Friday, ESPN will televise the Skills Challenge and the 3-Point Contest at 9 p.m. ET while ABC will carry a special onsite edition of WNBA Countdown on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET followed by the All-Star Game from Footprint Center at 8:30 p.m. It's the second consecutive year the All-Star Game has been broadcast in primetime.

Hype aside, this year's All-Star Game features a uniquely poignant matchup as a team of WNBA All-Stars will face the U.S. Women's Basketball Team set to head off to Paris for the Olympic Games, which begin next week. With all of the unique matchups between WNBA and Team USA stars, the prospect of super rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese playing together for the first time, and the promise of mre eye balls than ever on the festivities, this is shaping up to be anything but your typical All-Star Game.

We've taken an approach that is somewhat different from a traditional All-Star Game where this is going to be very competitive, says Sara Gaiero, Vice President, Production at ESPN who oversees all women's basketball pro and college for the network. It's not going to be sort of exhibition style in terms of what you normally expect when you tune in to watch the All-Star Game. We very much conversed about how best to document and deliver, knowing that it will be competitive, knowing we've got these really unique pairings and matchings that will just generate interest. I think that will just provide some really fun elements for people. I think it's going to be very, very competitive. We'll have our normal game hat on, if you will, as opposed to more of an entertainment hat.

ESPN says that the camera complement on this event will rival that of the network's efforts during the WNBA Finals. Additionally, the production and operations teams will continue to lean into access through audio, including mic'd up players and coaches and in-game interviews.

Hopefully with some of the player mic opportunities that we have, we can gain some really cool insight into what it's like to be on that team, what the teammates are saying to each other, says Gaeiro. I hope that can be a really fun piece that just humanizes these players a little bit, and we get a little bit behind the curtain during the game with that level of access that we have.

The WNBA has been scorching hot through the first half of the season with ESPN setting numerous records, including the most-watched WNBA game on ABC ever (Indiana Fever vs. New York Liberty: 1.71 million on May 18), the most-watched WNBA game on ESPN networks ever (Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun: 2.1 million on May 14), and the most-watched WNBA game across all networks in 23 years (Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky: 2.3 million on June 23).

Going into the season, as with any season, the goal was to see an increase in viewership, Matt Kenny, VP, Programming and Acquisitions at ESPN said to ESPN Front Row. However, I'm not sure anyone could have expected the spikes we've seen this year. In addition, the fact that viewership has sustained throughout the season, smashing multiple records along the way, shows that this recent trend is not a novelty. Instead, it is evidence that this new audience is here to stay-and expand. One of the best aspects of ESPN is that the status quo is never an option. We will continue to collaborate across the company to celebrate, showcase and elevate the league, its players, rivalries and more. We have so much to be optimistic about, and in many ways, we are just getting started.

From my standpoint, adds Gaeiro, the visibility of being able to deliver what we're all experiencing boots on the ground [in Phoenix] is a great moment. We can share the WNBA with the world and that feels so great because the investment that the cities and the league are making in All-Star is definitely a change too from the previous three, four years that I've seen. You can see that excitement from people who are here. The crowds that are coming; the fans. You just feel it and that just speaks to the level of where the game is at right now, and that's what makes it fun.

Additionally, this game is a high-profile sendoff for the U.S. Women's Basketball Team, which plays its first game at the Paris Olympics on June 29 against Japan. The US is shooting for its eight consecutive Gold Medal and haven't lost an Olympic contest since 1992.

It's our opportunity to highlight what the Olympic team is going to prepare and get ready to go do in Paris, says Gaiero. We'll take that opportunity to go tell some of the stories for that team composition and what they've got ahead. That's a really unique opportunity for us, as well, as we hand it off to our NBC colleagues.
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2024/07/19/wnba-all-star-2024-espn-readies...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

06/10/2025

France Tlvisions Wins Prestigious 2025 EBU Technology & Innovation Award in Groundbreaking Collaboration with Dalet

France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...

04/09/2025

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Dalet Win Prestigious 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...

04/07/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Tadashi Nakamura, the Filmmaker Behind Third Act

By Lucy Spicer Editor's note: We are deeply saddened by the passing of Robe...

04/07/2025

Spotify Partners With The Reading Agency to Bring the Summer Reading Challenge to Life Through Audio

The Summer Reading Challenge has inspired children across the U.K. to embrace a ...

04/07/2025

Introducing CVP Auctions: Trusted Tech, At Auction-Only Prices

Introducing CVP Auctions: Trusted Tech, At Auction-Only Prices Brie Clayton July 4, 2025 0 Comments A New Destination for Film and Broadcast Gear at U...

04/07/2025

Unveiling China's Ecological Wonders with URSA Mini Pro 12K

Unveiling China's Ecological Wonders with URSA Mini Pro 12K Brie Clayton July 4, 2025 0 Comments Nature Documentaries Freeze Epic Momentsin Extrem...

04/07/2025

Create Any Planet in After Effects

Create Any Planet in After Effects Graham Quince July 4, 2025 0 Comments The Advanced 3D renderer in After Effects makes it really easy to import 3D o...

04/07/2025

Custom Gradient Colorize for Resolve Fusion

Custom Gradient Colorize for Resolve Fusion Simon Ubsdell July 4, 2025 0 Comments Digging into the theory of the gradient colorize process to build ou...

04/07/2025

NESN Gives Red Sox-Reds Matchup a Retro Makeover

Watching live sports on TV these days is a delicate balance for broadcasters how much information is too much?...

04/07/2025

FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for July Open Meeting

WASHINGTON As Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr works to achieve his goal of a very busy, productive summer at the FCC, the agency has rele...

04/07/2025

Other World Computing Launches OWC Guardian USB-C Hardware-Encrypted Portable SSD

Other World Computing Launches OWC Guardian USB-C Hardware-Encrypted Portable SS...

04/07/2025

CANAL+ Brings MotoGP to Vision Pro with Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive

CANAL Brings MotoGP to Vision Pro with Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive Brie Clayton July 3, 2025 0 Comments Experience MotoGP like never before as CA...

04/07/2025

Official trailer revealed for new season of BAFTA-winning Sky Original comedy Mr Bigstuff, coming 24 July

Friday 4 July 2025 Watch the trailer here https://youtu.be/Od5WpvWmDr8 Further...

04/07/2025

Join RT Radio 1 for The Pitch, a new series exploring the heart of Ireland's GAA Clubs

The Pitch comes to RT Radio 1 airwaves this Sunday at 7pm. The Pitch is a brand...

03/07/2025

Introducing: New Carts

For our Vario-Jib, as well as for a repertoire of weights, we now have carts that make transport easier...

03/07/2025

Introducing: Slider Drive Unit

One of our latest innovations: Slider Drive Unit! Our Vario Slider not only comes with improvements and new features, but also with its own drive unit! Our i...

03/07/2025

Introducing: ARRI EVO 360

The 360 EVO lives up to its name: 360-degree rotation not only on the pan axis, but also on the roll axis, enables filmmakers to take their creative visions eve...

03/07/2025

Panther at BSC EXPO 2025

What a buzzing few days at BSCExpo in London! We were thrilled to connect with so many talented professionals from the world of cinematography. A huge thank ...

03/07/2025

"The whole rig had to be detachable mid-episode

ADOLESCENCE - Shot with Panther Tower"The whole rig had to be detachable mid-episode Netflix limited drama series Adolescence has been gaining attentio...

03/07/2025

Advanced Communication Systems Unleash a Tactical Advantage in Modern Combat Operations

To achieve a true level of decisive overmatch, communication systems must be as ...

03/07/2025

Paramount's Ray Hopkins Joins Broadcasters Foundation Board

The Broadcasters Foundation of America has named Ray Hopkins, president of U.S. distribution at Paramount Global, to its board of directors....

03/07/2025

FCC Chair Carr Lays Out Infrastructure Policy Agenda

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. In his first major policy speech, Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr outlined his Build America Agenda for the agency'...

03/07/2025

TV Tech's Top NextGen TV Stories of 2025

As the industry is making a major push to transition to NextGen TV and develop new businesses that will fund the next generation of broadcasting, TV Tech's ...

03/07/2025

Netflix Rolls Out AV1 Film Grain Synthesis Streams for Film Content

Despite enabling its subscribers to watch films and TV shows in the highest possible resolution, Netflix has revealed it is taking things old school with the in...

03/07/2025

FCC's Gomez, Sen. Markey, Critics Blast Paramount-Trump Settlement

WASHINGTON In response to news that Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit by President Donald Trump, Democrats and other administra...

03/07/2025

Riedel Communications Unveils RefSuite Sports Ecosystem

WUPPERTAL, Germany Riedel Communications today launched RefSuite for professional sports workflows....

03/07/2025

LYNX Technik Appoints New Executive Leadership Team

WEITERSTADT, Germany LYNX Technik, a provider of modular signal processing solutions, has announced that founder and longtime CEO Winfried Deckelmann is steppin...

03/07/2025

CTA, NCTA, LPTVBA Meet With FCC to Oppose NAB's ATSC 3.0 Petition

WASHINGTON Representatives from six trade groups representing tech, pay TV, broadband, LPTV and other sectors recently met with Federal Communications Commissio...

03/07/2025

Dan Whealy Acquires Heartland Video Systems

PLYMOUTH, Wis. Dan Whealy has acquired Heartland Video Systems and will be its new owner and president, the systems integrator said....

03/07/2025

Filmmaker Jay Holben Releases The Directors Guide to Ever...

Acclaimed filmmaker, educator, and industry veteran Jay Holben has released his most ambitious work to date: The Director's Guide to Everything a sweeping...

03/07/2025

Capturing the Moment - Pruski Photographs Dyke Day LA wit...

For Los Angeles-based photographer Scout Pruski, documenting the annual Dyke Day LA is a way to honor and give back to the city's legacy queer community and...

03/07/2025

New Reinvented Chimera V-Flat Panel Frame Kit

Modular, Travel-Ready Solution Matthews Studio Equipment launches the new Chimera V-Flat Panel Frame Kit, the lightweight and modular, ultra-durable alternativ...

03/07/2025

Dalet Flex LTS Release Elevates Content Workflows with Ne...

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the release of Dalet Flex 2025.6 LTS (long-term support), introdu...

03/07/2025

Lightware launches LARA Wizard to help integrators simpli...

Lightware's LARA Wizard makes it quicker and easier than ever to set up audio-visual (AV) room automation and control configurations, ensuring anyone, from ...

03/07/2025

Alfalite obtains NCAGE and TAA certifications strengtheni...

Alfalite, the only European manufacturer of LED screens, has obtained both the NCAGE Code (NATO Commercial and Government Entity) and TAA (Trade Agreements Act)...

03/07/2025

WIN streamlines complex live production with nxtedition

nxtedition is implementing a new solution for WIN Network, based in its headquarters in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The nxtedition integrated platfo...

03/07/2025

ORS Group and Insys Video Technologies unite under one br...

ORS Group and Insys Video Technologies today announce the launch of a new joint brand identity: Big Blue Marble. The move reflects the evolution of a long-stand...

03/07/2025

Evergent Proves Cross-Industry Power of AI for Japanese G...

Evergent, a global leader in customer lifecycle management and monetization solutions for subscription-based businesses, today announced the successful results ...

03/07/2025

LYNX Technik Appoints New Executive Leadership Team to Dr...

LYNX Technik, provider of modular signal processing solutions today announces an executive leadership transition, effective July 1, 2025. Markus Motzko has been...

03/07/2025

Chaos Releases V-Ray for Blender

Chaos Releases V-Ray for Blender Brie Clayton July 2, 2025 0 Comments Production-Proven Renderer V-Ray Arrives Natively in Blender for the First Time;...

03/07/2025

Calvin University Adds Blackmagic Replay to Broadcasts and Streams

Calvin University Adds Blackmagic Replay to Broadcasts and Streams Brie Clayton July 2, 2025 0 Comments Replay workflow joins 14 Blackmagic Design cam...

03/07/2025

Berklee's Gospel Performance Program Welcomes Jonathan Nelson as the Herb Alpert Visiting Artist

Berklee's Gospel Performance Program Welcomes Jonathan Nelson as the Herb Al...

03/07/2025

Get Ready for Even More Action! Netflix Has Confirmed the Third Season of the Brazilian Original Series 'Criminal Code'

Back to All News Get Ready for Even More Action! Netflix Has Confirmed the Thir...

03/07/2025

Get ready for even more action! Netflix has confirmed the third season of the Brazilian original series Criminal Code

Back to All News Get ready for even more action! Netflix has confirmed the thir...

03/07/2025

Centralized Cross-Platform Campaigns and Unified Sales Workflows with WO Fusion

In today's fragmented media landscape, advertisers expect more than just reach - they want seamless cross-platform campaigns that deliver measurable results...

03/07/2025

** MEDIA ALERT ** Shonen Jump Store Hosting Los Angeles Pop-up During Anime Expo 2025

** MEDIA ALERT ** Shonen Jump Store Hosting Los Angeles Pop-up During Anime Exp...

03/07/2025

Sky Arts Unveils New Mozart Season, Celebrating the Legacy of Classicals Greatest Maestro

Thursday 3 July 2025 David Harewood and Matthew Broome in Mozart: Genius for Hi...

03/07/2025

Sky announces 2025 Sky WNT Fund Recipients

The Sky WNT Fund supports Womens National Team players with a 30,000 bursaryThursday 3 July 2025 Sky Ireland has announced the four recipients of the 2025 Sky...

03/07/2025

GeForce NOW's 20 July Games Bring the Heat to the Cloud

The forecast this month is showing a 100% chance of epic gaming. Catch the scorching lineup of 20 titles coming to the cloud, which gamers can play whether indo...

02/07/2025

Release Rundown: What to Watch in July, From FOLKTALES to Oh, Hi!

Hege Wik and Odin appear in FOLKTALES by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institut...