WNBA on CBS

WNBA on CBS
Also known asWNBA on CBS Sports
GenreWNBA basketball telecasts
Theme music composerEmily Bjorke
Opening theme"Queen of the Court"
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons8+
Production
Producers
  • Deb Boulac
  • Jason Ross
  • Bill Thayer
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time120 minutes+
Production companyCBS Sports
Original release
Network
ReleaseMay 25, 2019 (2019-05-25) –
present
Related
NBA on CBS

The WNBA on CBS isis a presentation of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) produced by CBS Sports. As of the 2026 WNBA season. the package consists of 20 games per-season televised by CBS and streamed by Paramount+.

History

On April 22, 2019, CBS Sports announced a "multi-year" agreement with the WNBA beginning in the 2019 season, under which it would televise around 40 regular season games on CBS Sports Network. The games would primarily air in primetime and on weekends, and were simulcast from the regional clean feeds provided by WNBA League Pass.

In the 2021 season, CBS Sports renewed the contract, maintaining the 40-game package, and allowing up to three games to air on the CBS broadcast network and Paramount+ (with the remaining games aired by CBSSN).

In the 2024 season, CBS renewed its contract through 2026, covering 20 games per-season on CBS and CBS Sports Network. The agreement saw an expansion of CBS's involvement, with the network now airing eight games per-season, and these games becoming in-house CBS Sports productions. During the 2025 WNBA season, CBS broadcast two games in primetime, both of which between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever; these marked the first non-exhibition regular-season WNBA games to air in primetime on a "Big Four" network.

CBS Sports renewed its rights as part of a new multi-year deal beginning in the 2026 WNBA season, with all 20 games now airing on CBS.

Commentators

Current

Play-by-play

Color analysts

Sideline reporter

Former

Play-by-play

Color analysts

Sideline reporters

Viewership

The two games on CBS on June 19 and June 26, 2021 averaged about 427,000 and 567,000 viewers respectively.

For 2024, CBS Sports enjoyed its most watched regular season ever for the WNBA. CBS Sports average 1.10 million viewers. That's up by 86% from the previous year.

The most watched game in WNBA on CBS history is the June 16, 2024 contest between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, which averaged 2.25 million viewers.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hernández, Kristian (May 24, 2024). "WNBA Tip-Off 2024: CBS Sports Commits to Women's Pro Basketball With Full Onsite Productions". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  2. ↑ Maloney, Jack (April 10, 2024). "2024 WNBA schedule: CBS to nationally broadcast 20 games, including three featuring Caitlin Clark and Fever". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  3. ↑ "WNBA announces game-changing television partnership with CBS Sports". Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  4. ↑ Steinberg, Brian (April 22, 2019). "CBS Sports, WNBA Strike TV Deal". Variety.
  5. ↑ Megdal, Howard. "New CBS Deal With WNBA Is Latest Reminder Of League's New Revenue Streams". Forbes. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  6. ↑ Dominguez, Mariana (April 24, 2019). "Column: CBS Sports and the WNBA teaming up is great for women's sports". The Daily Campus. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  7. ↑ "WNBA Announces Broadcast and Streaming Schedule For League's 25th Regular Season". WNBA,com. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  8. ↑ Lucia, Joe (April 10, 2024). "CBS Sports announces new multi-year deal with WNBA". Awful Announcing. Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  9. ↑ Spangler, Todd (April 5, 2024). "Amazon Prime Video Extends WNBA Exclusive Streaming Pact for Two More Years". Variety. Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  10. ↑ Hernández, Kristian (May 24, 2024). "WNBA Tip-Off 2024: CBS Sports Commits to Women's Pro Basketball With Full Onsite Productions". Sports Video Group. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  11. ↑ Lewis, Jon. "CBS to air two Fever-Sky WNBA games in primetime". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
  12. ↑ Lerner, Drew (March 25, 2025). "CBS extends WNBA media rights deal, reveals broadcast team". Awful Announcing. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  13. ↑ "CBS Sports Reaches New Rights Agreement with WNBA". WNBA. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Game Preview: Dallas Wings vs. Los Angeles Sparks – July 13". Dallas Wings. July 13, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Isis Young". Maxx Sports & Entertainment Group. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  16. ↑ Young, Grant (June 17, 2024). "Caitlin Clark's Head-Turning Comment About Chemistry with Aliyah Boston Will Catch WNBA's Attention". Athlon Sports. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  17. ↑ Bucholtz, Andrew (June 3, 2021). "Mispronunciation of WNBA players' names by broadcasters and in-arena announcers is leading to calls for change". Awful Announcing. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  18. ↑ "The Big West Media Personalities". The Big West. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Pat Boylan: Sports broadcaster - Home". patboylanbroadcasting.com. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  20. ↑ Contes, Brandon (July 19, 2023). "Off-camera voice annoyingly kept bleeding into WNBA broadcast on CBS Sports: 'Are you hearing our director?". Awful Announcing. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  21. ↑ "CBS Sports Names Lisa Byington and Jordan Kent WNBA Play-by-Play Announcers". Barrett Media. May 23, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Angel Gray". ESPN Press Room. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  23. ↑ Hatfield, Jenn (August 5, 2020). "Three, Two, One, Showtime: Debbie Antonelli Discusses Calling WNBA Games from Home". Her Hoop Stats. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  24. ↑ Hanson, Mitchell (June 27, 2023). "Sloane Martin Discusses Broadcasting, 2023 Lynx, College Prospects and More". Canis Hoopus. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Meghan McPeak: Blazing Her Path". The Edge Leaders. January 8, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  26. ↑ "YES Network Becomes Official Regional TV Partner of WNBA's New York Liberty". New York Liberty. May 22, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  27. ↑ Adams, Kim. "Kim Adams, Sports Reporter & Basketball Analyst". kimadamssports.com/. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  28. ↑ "Chicago Sky Announce 2024 National Broadcast Schedule". Chicago Sky. April 10, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  29. ↑ Hendricks, Maggie (May 29, 2019). "'I think it's underappreciated': Color analyst Jordan Cornette wants to be a Chicago Sky evangelist". The New York Times. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  30. ↑ "Game Preview: Fever Meet Aces Again in Las Vegas on Monday Night". Indiana Fever. June 26, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  31. ↑ "CBS Sports - WE NEED TO TALK - Talent". Paramount Press Express. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  32. ↑ "Game Preview: Fever Meet Mercury at Home Sunday Afternoon". Indiana Fever. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Game Preview: Dallas Wings at Minnesota Lynx – June 2". Dallas Wings. June 2, 2024. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  34. ↑ "LA Sparks Announce Local Broadcast Schedule". Los Angeles Sparks. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  35. ↑ "TUNE-IN ALERT: ACC Football On The CW Kicks Off Saturday, September 9 With Cincinnati Bearcats At Pitt Panthers". Nexstar. September 8, 2023.
  36. ↑ "JULIANNE'S BIO". JULIANNE VIANI. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  37. ↑ O'Neill, Robert (March 7, 2024). "Terrika Foster-Brasby announces extension with CBS Sports". Awful Announcing. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  38. ↑ "About me - Maggie Hale". maggiehalee.wixsite.com. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  39. ↑ "Game Preview: Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty – September 10". Dallas Wings. September 10, 2024. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  40. ↑ "Sparks Announce 2024 Broadcast Schedule". Our Sports Central. May 13, 2024. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  41. ↑ "CBS Sports' WNBA Viewership Continues to Rise, Delivering the Most-Watched WNBA Game on CBS". Twitter. June 29, 2021.
  42. ↑ "WNBA Delivers Record-Setting 2024 Season". WNBA. September 27, 2024. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  43. ↑ Deitsch, Richard (June 18, 2024). "Fever vs. Sky on CBS is most-watched WNBA game in 23 years". The New York Times. Retrieved December 25, 2024.