"Buoyed by rising viewer interest in women's college
basketball," the WNBA and TV partners ESPN, Lifetime and NBC
are "counting on generating healthy" Nielsen ratings for
their weekly packages, according to Alan Breznick of CABLE
WORLD. NBA Entertainment VP for Programming/Broadcasting
Gregg Winik: "I think we want to be in the same (ratings)
realm with other sports at this time of year." WNBA
"boosters" say the league "should be a hit" because it won't
face any basketball competition in the summer. ESPN Senior
VP/Programming Development Len DeLuca said the WNBA "is
happening when the competitive market is much softer,"
compared to the ABL, which competes with NCAA and NBA
basketball. But some observers "aren't so sure that summer
is the best time to air a major indoor sport." John
Mansell, Senior Sports Business Analyst for Paul Kagan
Associates: "The time of year doesn't redound to their
advantage." In addition to national coverage, WNBA
officials say that each team "will likely" have a six-game,
mid-week package on a local broadcast station or RSN,
although no deals have been announced (CABLE WORLD, 5/12).
STORM FRONT: NBC's Hannah Storm will handle play-by-
play for the inaugural year of the network's WNBA telecasts,
with Ann Meyers providing analysis. NBC will air ten
regular season games and the WNBA Championship (NBC). USA
TODAY's Rudy Martzke notes that Storm will become the first
woman to broadcast over-the-air, network play-by-play of pro
basketball. Houston-based reporter Lisa Malosky will also
work games with Storm and Meyers. Robin Roberts "is
expected" to do ESPN's WNBA play-by-play (USA TODAY, 5/15).
THEY GOT NET: The WNBA, in conjunction with ESPN
Enterprises and Starwave Corporation, launched its official
World Wide Web site at www.wnba.com. The site includes
live scores, chats, video clips, news and statistics (ESPN).
