ESPN Tips Off Its Exclusive Coverage of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google
On the heels of a record-breaking regular season, ESPN continues its WNBA coverage, exclusively carrying the entirety of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google, beginning Sunday, September 22. This year's postseason will feature the return of both teams from the 2023 WNBA Finals presented by YouTube TV, the two-time defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces, and the No. 1 overall seeded New York Liberty, as well as the playoff debut of the Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark.
ESPN's commentator team for the 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google will be led by the main crew of Ryan Ruocco and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe, with host Elle Duncan, analysts LaChina Robinson, Carolyn Peck, Andraya Carter and Chiney Ogwumike and other top voices to be featured.
The 2024 WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google begin with the first ever WNBA Sunday quadruple header on September 22. The action tips off with the Atlanta Dream visiting the New York Liberty at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN. After qualifying for the postseason on the final night of the regular season, the Dream, led by Rhyne Howard, look to keep their run going against the owners of the league's best record in the Liberty and Breanna Stewart as New York looks to return to the WNBA Finals.
Following that game, the action moves over to ABC at 3 p.m. ET as the Connecticut Sun and Alyssa Thomas host the Indiana Fever and the single season assist record holder, Caitlin Clark, who makes her playoff debut against the same team she made her WNBA debut against.
Then, at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN, the Western Conference leading Minnesota Lynx and Napheesa Collier host the Phoenix Mercury and three-time WNBA Champion Diana Taurasi, who looks to lead her team to postseason success in her 20th season in the league.
In the evening's nightcap, the Seattle Storm visit the defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Storm, led by Jewell Lloyd, will look to dethrone the Aces and A'ja Wilson who look to continue their quest for their third consecutive championship.
Spanish-language coverage of all games will be available on ESPN Deportes.
ESPN's comprehensive coverage of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google will include WNBA Countdown Presented by Google, ESPN's studio pregame show, along with Hoop Streams Presented by Google and The Wrap-Up Presented by AT&T, ESPN's digital pregame and post-game shows.
Hosted by Duncan, the first postseason episode of WNBA Countdown Presented by Google will air on Sunday, September 22 at 2:30 p.m. ET leading into the Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun matchup on ABC with an additional episode at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN leading into the Phoenix Mercury vs. Minnesota Lynx game. Hoop Streams Presented by Google will also make its return for the playoffs, offering four episodes. The first episode, hosted by Sam Ravech, Arielle Chambers and Rebecca Lobo, will stream on Friday, September 20, at 2 p.m. ET.
Additionally, The Wrap-Up presented by AT&T will feature six episodes, with Ravech and Chambers recapping all the action from the opening night of the postseason on Sunday, September 22.
2024 WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google - Round 1 Games on ESPN Platforms
Date Time (ET) Matchup Platform(s)
Fri, Sep 20 2 p.m. WNBA Hoop Streams Presented by Google
Sam Ravech, Arielle Chambers, Rebecca Lobo YouTube, Facebook, ESPN App
Sun, Sep 22 1 p.m. Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty - Game 1
Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Arielle Chambers ESPN
2:30 p.m. WNBA Countdown Presented by Google
Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, Chiney Ogwumike ABC
3 p.m. Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun - Game 1
Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe ABC
4:30 p.m. WNBA Countdown Presented by Google
Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, Chiney Ogwumike ESPN
5 p.m. Phoenix Mercury vs. Minnesota Lynx - Game 1
Michael Grady, Deb Antonelli, Brooke Weisbrod ESPN
10 p.m. Seattle Storm vs. Las Vegas Aces - Game 1
Angel Gray, LaChina Robinson, Taylor Tannenbaum ESPN
TBD The Wrap-Up Presented by AT&T
Sam Ravech, Arielle Chambers YouTube, Facebook, ESPN App
Tue, Sep 24 7 p.m. WNBA Countdown Presented by Google
LaChina Robinson, Andraya Carter, Carolyn Peck ESPN
7:30 p.m. Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty - Game 2
Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe ESPN
9:30 p.m. Seattle Storm vs. Las Vegas Aces - Game 2
Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Angel Gray ESPN
Wed, Sep 25
7 p.m. WNBA Countdown Presented by Google
LaChina Robinson, Andraya Carter, Carolyn Peck, Chiney Ogwumike ESPN
7:30 p.m. Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun - Game 2
Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe ESPN
9:30 p.m. Phoenix Mercury vs. Minnesota Lynx - Game 2
Michael Grady, Deb Antonelli, Brooke Weisbrod ESPN
Thu, Sep 26
2 p.m. WNBA Hoop Streams Presented by Google
Sam Ravech, Ari Chambers YouTube, Facebook, ESPN App
TBD WNBA Countdown Presented by Google
LaChina Robinson, Andraya Carter, Carolyn Peck ESPN2
TBD New York Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream - Game 3*
TBD ESPN2
TBD Las Vegas Aces vs. Seattle Storm - Game 3*
Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Angel Gray ESPN2
Fri, Sep 27 TBD WNBA Countdown Presented by Google
LaChina Robinson, Andraya Carter, Carolyn Peck, Chiney Ogwumike ESPN2
TBD Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever - Game 3*
Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo ESPN2
TBD Minnesota Lynx vs. Phoenix Mercury - Game 3*
Michael Grady, Deb Antonelli, Brooke Weisbrod ESPN2
*Game 3 (if necessary)
Marketing
ESPN will embark on a second visual collaboration with Culture Jam following its 2024 WNBA All-Star campaign. The 2024 WNBA Playoffs & Finals campaign will feature Lay Bankz, Flo Milli and Grammy-nominated artist Saweetie, with their track "Clear the Court" specifically created for the WNBA on ESPN, providing custom lyrics from each of the artists.
Digital
ESPN.com reporters will provide live on-site coverage for every playoff game. Before the games tip off, Alexa Philippou, Michael Voepel and Kevin Pelton will preview each first-round series, rank the top 25 players in the playoffs and debate the biggest storylines for the rest of the postseason. As teams are eliminated, the trio, along with Charlie Creme, will provide an offseason guide examining every WNBA team's biggest priorities for 2025.
Additional content this postseason will include:
· Predictions for every round of the postseason
· Philippou's look at how Caitlin Clark and the Fever overcame a 1-8 start to end Indiana's playoff drought
· Katie Barnes' profile of Aces' point gawd Chelsea Gray, as well as a look at Las Vegas' on-court struggles and off-court controversies
· A timeline of everything the most anticipated rookie class in WNBA history accomplished this season
· Voepel's first WNBA mock draft for 2025, as well as an oral history on the Liberty franchise
ESPN.com will also continue to track all of the WNBA awards. Voepel recently ranked A'ja Wilson's performance in 2024 as the best MVP season in league history and said Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese rank among the 10 best rookie performances all time.
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