ABC/ESPN Excited For WNBA Postseason Coverage In Revamped Format

ABC/ESPN Excited For WNBA Postseason Coverage In Revamped FormatThe Finals moves to a best-of-seven series in 2025By Mark J Burns, SVG Contributor

Friday, September 12, 2025 - 12:28 pm

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The WNBA postseason kicks off Sunday with a completely revamped playoff format from years past, including each team in the first round receiving at least one home game and the Finals moving from a best-of-five series to best-of-seven.

As the WNBA Playoffs begin this weekend, ESPN's WNBA Countdown is expected to be on-site more frequently. Here, the crew preps to broadcast from Gainbridge Fieldhouse during the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend. (Photo: Doug McSchooler / ESPN Images)

We're excited to tip off the WNBA Playoffs after a record-setting season of growth for ESPN, says ESPN Coordinating Producer Rodney Vaughn. The storylines, the talent and the competition have connected with fans in a big way, and we can't wait to build on that momentum. As the exclusive home of the playoffs, we're prepared for up to 29 games and will continue giving fans inside access through in-game interviews, live mic and coach and player perspectives.

He added that the network will highlight multiple storylines in its postseason coverage, such as the New York Liberty's quest to repeat as champions, the Minnesota Lynx's dominant season where the franchise set a regular season wins record (34) and the Golden State Valkyries' appearance in the postseason, the first-ever for an WNBA expansion team.

Those are just a few of the great storylines we're excited to follow - and we know even more will unfold along the way, Vaughn says.

Jarrett Baker, ESPN Sr. Manager, Remote Operations, explains that ABC/ESPN is using a REMI model (with talent on site) for every game in the first round. One semifinal series will be a REMI production like 2024, while the other semifinal will be a REMCO production, with the graphics team and four of the show's seven EVS operators working in Bristol, Conn.

Our work on REMCO during the WNBA regular season enabled us to use the REMCO model in the Finals as well, he says. Along with graphics, three of the show's eight replay positions will be based in Bristol for the penultimate series.

During the Finals, Baker noted that the network will have a robust on-site presence for each of the games, similar to 2024. However, this year, a director will now be on site to integrate studio coverage. Last year, the company used a REMI model for its wraps coverage.

In addition, the Finals broadcasts will once again have some of ABC/ESPN's cornerstone visual elements, including virtual shot distance tracking, virtual graphics and virtual on-court sponsorship.

Meanwhile, the camera complement for the 2025 postseason is almost identical to 2024, according to Baker. Certain first round games will leverage cloud-based super slow mo. Two cameras will be super slow mo for each of the semifinal games.

Once the network reaches the Finals, three of the point-of-view cameras will be upgraded to Dream Chip cameras as they improve image quality under the baskets and at the official review position, Baker says. Four cameras will have super slow mo technology for each of the Finals broadcasts.

Our production team is excited to deploy a Sony 4800 with the cinematic Fuji 25-1000mm at one of the slash positions during the Finals as well, Baker says. Great things happen when you combine superb camera work with shallow depth of field and ultra slow motion. Baker also expects an increased on-site studio presence for the Finals.

For the mobile units during the WNBA postseason, ABC/ESPN will work with several third-party organizations, including F&F Productions, Game Creek Video, Live Media Group, Mobile TV Group and NEP Group. The other additional rental vendors are CMSI, CP Communications, Faction Media, Jaybird Jibs, NEP Media Services, NEP Specialty Capture and West River Light and Sound.

Approximately 500 people are involved in the production of the WNBA postseason across all of the venues and postseason rounds.

The onsite operations team for ABC/ESPN includes Chris Calcinari (SVP, Content Operations), Dennis Cleary (Sr. Director) and Jarrett Baker (Sr. Manager) along with Operations Specialists Tom Clark and Jake Mankin. Other contributing personnel are Sr. Operations Producers Kristianna Bryant, Diane Dovjak, Traci Flohr, and Tracy Howe, in addition to Operations Producers CJ Chalverus, Clay Dabney, Bob Eisenstaedt, Alice Garrett, Erik Guyton, Dwayne Jones, Hauna Moore, Michelle McNally, Courtney Ottrix, and Andrew Schneider. The Operations Coordinators are Briana Peters, Luis Lopez, and Lisah Bobowicz.

Supervisor Jeff McGuire and Technical Operations Manager Marissa Bonertz are part of the REMCO Operations.

Support from Bristol includes Crewing Supervisor Paula Grahame, Crewing Coordinator Sam Robuccio, Crewing Coordinator Max Morales, Remote Traffic Operations Manager Daryl Timothy, Sr. Remote Traffic Operations Coordinator Hector Hernandez, Sr. Mobile Unit Operations Coordinator Vicki DiTolla, Mobile Unit Operations Specialist Pete Wychulis, Audio Comms RF Specialist Ricardo Quintero, Resource Scheduling Manager Laurie Niziolek, and Sr. Resource Coordinator Angel Padilla.

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2025/09/12/abc-espn-excited-for-wnba-posts...
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