Caitlin Clark, Trinity Rodman, and More to Highlight New ESPN Sunday Showcase
ESPN released the full schedule for Women’s Sports Sundays
Sundays on ESPN will be forever changed starting Sunday, June 21.
The sports network on Tuesday released its schedule for Women’s Sports Sundays, a new broadcasting venture showcasing some of the top WNBA and NWSL teams, and the players that make those sports pop.
Women’s sports luminaries like Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Trinity Rodman, and Gisele Thompson will feature at least once during the nine-week slate of games.
The first game of the summer schedule celebrates the 30th anniversary — to the day — of the WNBA’s first-ever game. It will feature the same two teams that started the league: the New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks.
Elsewhere in the schedule, ESPN will air a dedicated studio show on July 26, leading into that night’s NWSL game. A special postgame edition of “Chiney Today” with WNBA legend Chiney Ogwumike will stream on the ESPN App, YouTube, and major podcast platforms after select broadcasts.
Check out the full Women’s Sports Sundays schedule below.
Women’s Sports Sundays broadcast schedule
| Game | League | Date | Time (ET) | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Liberty vs. Los Angeles Sparks | WNBA | Sunday, June 21 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
| New York Liberty vs. Golden State Valkyries | WNBA | Sunday, June 28 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
| Indiana Fever vs. Las Vegas Aces | WNBA | Sunday, July 5 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
| Chicago Sky vs. Dallas Wings | WNBA | Sunday, July 12 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
| Connecticut Sun vs. Phoenix Mercury | WNBA | Sunday, July 19 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+ |
| Angel City FC vs. Racing Lousiville FC | NWSL | Sunday, July 26 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
| Connecticut Sun vs. Dallas Wings | WNBA | Sunday, Aug. 2 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
| Denver Summit vs. Boston Legacy | NWSL | Sunday, Aug. 2 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
| Golden State Valkyries vs. Los Angeles Sparks | WNBA | Sunday, Aug. 9 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
| Seattle Reign FC vs. Angel City FC | NWSL | Sunday, Aug. 9 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
| Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream | WNBA | Sunday, Aug. 16 | 5:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
| Portland Fire vs. Phoenix Mercury | WNBA | Sunday, Aug. 16 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
| Angel City FC vs. Washington Spirit | NWSL | Sunday, Aug. 16 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN, Disney+, ESPN Deportes |
CableTV.com verdict: ESPN is doing the right thing with this Sunday showcase
For years, one of the biggest problems with women’s sports was that media — legacy print and TV, mainly — didn’t cover it. The product was there, and in many cases, better than men’s sports. But there was just nowhere to see it.
More recently, that problem has been addressed little by little. The WNBA’s latest $2.2 billion media deal is the latest example that, if women’s sports are on TV, people will watch. That kind of monetary investment wouldn’t happen if the viewership weren’t there to back it up.
That’s why ESPN giving the WNBA and NWSL a dedicated day of the week, even if it’s just for the summer, makes total sense. Former New York Liberty player Rebecca Lobo said it best in an interview with “Variety.”
”People will know on Sunday night, if I want to watch the WNBA, I know where to turn to,” Lobo said. “That’s pretty significant.”
ION likely pioneered this idea, as Scripps Networks executive Keisha Taylor Starr pointed out in May, and has only expanded its offerings of women’s sports since. ESPN’s branding and footprint mark a huge step forward.
The Sunday games specifically feel like a testing ground for other dedicated showcases on huge national networks. ESPN is only doing it with two leagues, and with some of those leagues’ marquee cities. It’s not a coincidence that the mid-table Angel City FC has three games on the schedule, and the New York Liberty and Indiana Fever have two each.
I hope this summer goes well. There are plenty of other women’s sports leagues that can use this kind of exposure.
Who we are
At CableTV.com, we’re not just entertainment experts — we’re also fans just like you. So while our first priority is reporting the best and most accurate information about TV providers and streaming services, we also love talking about our favorite shows and movies. So you can count on us to share our honest opinions and unbridled enthusiasm. For more on our process, check out our Editorial Policy.
