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While ESPN might be enjoying the boom in popularity of the WNBA, the network apparently isn’t ready to commit substantial resources to women’s sports at large.
According to ESPN personality Sarah Spain, who appears on programs such as Around the Horn, the network turned down a pitch for a women’s sports-focused show despite the show apparently having four sponsors on board.
Appearing on the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch, Spain said that, despite having multiple sponsors aboard for a women’s sports-centric show, including one willing to give ESPN a “bunch of money,” the network rejected her repeated pitches.
Spain did acknowledge, however, that ESPN does more than any other network for women’s sports.
“ESPN does more than anybody else, both in terms of hours of women’s sports programming, rights packages, coverage, etc., and also they could do more. They could do differently. And I think to me, that’s the biggest missed opportunity,” Spain said.
“What you need is an actual show where the people hosting it are tasked with watching it and know the landscape.”
ESPN currently broadcasts various women’s sports such as the WNBA, women’s tennis, college sports such as basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer, and gymnastics, and more.
One area that the network likely wishes they were more invested in was professional women’s soccer, which has been at the forefront of women’s sports in America for a few decades now.
Unfortunately for ESPN, the broadcasting rights to the NSWL and Women’s Champions League are owned by Paramount and DAZN, respectively, while Fox Sports recently announced they will be broadcasting the 2025 Women’s Euros.