WNBA Draft Eyes Boost With Move To ESPN's Main Channel

The WNBA is “proceeding with its player draft as scheduled” Friday night at 7:00pm ET in the hopes it draws “increased attention” from sports-starved fans. Dallas Wings President Greg Bibb: “We have an opportunity to kind of own the sports landscape on Friday night.” The full three-round draft “will be televised on ESPN … for the first time” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 4/17). The draft was originally set for ESPN2, but the net moved it “to its main channel after a number of fans, including projected No. 1 pick Sabrina Ionescu, protested on social media that they were getting second billing to non-live sports programming” (NEWSDAY, 4/17).

The draft will feature a “necessary virtual tone,” as “no fans, media or draftees will be there live for the draft.” ESPN from a production standpoint “can roll out some pre-planned segments while also incorporating a live, authentic account” of the draftees and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert (USA TODAY, 4/17).