The Women’s National Basketball Association’s studio coverage is reportedly coming to ION network. According to Awful Announcing via Variety, E.W. Scripps Sports inked a deal with WNBA last year.
With the recent rights agreement, the ION broadcast network will provide a Friday night slot WNBA game, weekly studio coverage, and two games from Saturday’s slot of the National Women’s Soccer League.
According to the report, WNBA studio coverage will serve in the schedule of the network beginning May 17th, with the campaign. The report mentioned, “A new WNBA season that ION will cover starting May 17 features weekly studio shows — the first time in the league’s history that a linear network has devoted such coverage. ION has also developed studio shows for the NWSL built around pre-match, halftime and post-match, also the first weekly studio shows dedicated to the league by any network.”
The ION network was purchased by Scripps in 2020 which gave stability to the network. In the current year, ION Network envisions itself as a venue for content that is aimed at a wider audience. ION will broadcast WNBA and NWSL seasons along with studio shows. It will also do the annual coverage of Scripps National Spelling Bee.
According to Deadline, Keisha Taylor Starr, who is the Chief Marketing Officer of Scripps, mentioned, “We think now is the perfect time to refresh the network’s look and strengthen ION’s lineup to meet the evolving interests of media consumers. ION offers the broadest reach possible. Adding sports and live events from growing leagues like the WNBA and NWSL will attract new, younger and more diverse audiences, while reinforcing ION’s hall of fame lineup of contemporary drama series for our large and loyal viewership. This line-up is a win-win for consumers.”
For the promotion of the network, Scripps also intends to start a year-long marketing effort that will raise recognition for the network’s sports and entertainment programs including their offerings of WNBA and NWSL. The network will also continue with its regular television shows as well.
