ESPN and ABC to Exclusively Air the 2024 WNBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV - New York Liberty vs Minnesota Lynx Begins Thursday, Oct. 10

· Finals features the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx

· Game 1 tips off Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN

· WNBA Countdown Presented by Google from site for the entire series

· Expanded Spanish-language coverage on ESPN Deportes includes a WNBA-themed SportsCenter edition

ESPN and ABC will offer exclusive coverage of the 2024 WNBA Finals Presented by YouTubeTV, featuring two teams looking to make history. The No. 1 seed New York Liberty, in pursuit of the franchise's first championship title, will face off the No. 2 seed Minnesota Lynx, who is looking to become the first franchise in the league's history to win five championships. Action for the best-of-five series tips off with Game 1 when the Liberty host the Lynx, on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The 2024 edition of the WNBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV will mark the 28th consecutive season of WNBA Finals on ESPN platforms. ESPN Deportes will provide exclusive, Spanish-language coverage, starting with Game 1.

Games 2 and 3 of the Finals will air on Sunday, Oct. 13, and Wednesday, Oct. 16, respectively. The if-necessary Games 4 and 5 will be played on Friday, Oct. 18, and Sunday, Oct. 20.

ESPN's team will be led by the main crew of veteran play-by-play commentator Ryan Ruocco, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe --- for their 12th season together.

WNBA Countdown Presented by Google will precede each WNBA Finals game from site. LaChina Robinson and Elle Duncan will share host duties for WNBA Countdown joined by Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Carolyn Peck, and ESPN basketball analysts Chiney Ogwumike and Andraya Carter.

ESPN's camera complement will consist of more than 20 cameras, providing coverage from every angle. The production will also be enhanced by in-game audio, access elements and in-game player interviews. Coverage will also include a shallow depth of field camera, telestration and virtual graphics.

Multiplatform Coverage

SportsCenter -- ESPN's flagship news program will cover the action through game highlights, analysis, and storytelling, including live hits by WNBA analysts and reporters from site.

WNBA 'The Wrap-Up' presented by AT&T will be ESPN's exclusive postgame digital coverage, streaming live across ESPN YouTube, ESPN Facebook, and the ESPN App following the conclusion of each the WNBA Finals games. Hosted by Sam Ravech, he will be joined throughout the Finals series by various WNBA analysts and experts, including Ari Chambers Monica McNutt, and Maria Marino.

ESPN.com's Michael Voepel and Alexa Philippou will provide live, on-site coverage throughout the WNBA Finals. Kevin Pelton and Charlie Creme will provide additional analysis throughout the remaining postseason as ESPN.com previews the championship series, debates the biggest questions heading into the matchup and predicts which team will win and who will be Finals MVP.

ESPN Social will provide on-site coverage of the entire series, including a collaboration with a nail artist for a custom promo video, as well as custom images, player reactions, behind-the-scenes content and other social executions that will be shared across ESPN's various social platforms.

Andscape - Andscape's Sean Hurd, William C. Rhoden and Arielle Chambers will provide digital coverage from the WNBA Finals (Hurd, Rhoden) and in studio for ESPN (Chambers). Hurd will feature New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, who is making her fourth WNBA Finals appearance since 2019 but has yet to win an elusive title. Rhoden will reflect on the state of the WNBA after its most followed season in league history and the major question around its leadership moving into 2025. Chambers will reprise her role as a WNBA commentator/analyst on episodes of Hoop Streams Presented by Google and The Wrap-Up Presented by AT&T throughout the Finals.

Expanded Spanish-language coverage

For the first time, ESPN Deportes --- the Spanish-language home of the WNBA Finals --- will air a WNBA-themed wrap-up special edition of SportsCenter. The show will recount some of the game's biggest moments of the season and preview the Finals (Wed., Oct 9, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes). The network will provide coverage of the Finals starting with Game 1, featuring Julia Headley on the play-by-play, and Antonio Rodríguez on the analysis. Spanish-language coverage of the Finals will be enhanced with live reports from site featuring ESPN Deportes' commentators Pilar Pérez and Carolina de las Salas.

Top Things to Know about the 2024 WNBA Finals:

· The New York Liberty, one of the eight original WNBA franchises, is seeking its first WNBA championship in franchise history. The Liberty, which is returning to the Finals for the second consecutive year after having lost to the Aces in 2023, is appearing in its 6th Finals overall.

· The Lynx return to the Finals for the first time since 2017 and will make their 7th Finals appearance overall, the most by any franchise. Minnesota has won 4 titles, tied with the Seattle Storm and Houston Comets for the most by any franchise.

· This Finals will feature two of the winningest coaches in WNBA history, both of whom first became head coaches in 2010. Sandy Brondello, New York's head coach, started her head coaching career with the San Antonio Silver Stars and in 2014 guided the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA championhship. She became New York's head coach in 2022. Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota's head coach since 2010, has led the Lynx to their 4 titles, tying her with Van Chancellor for the most WNBA championship by a head coach. while Brondello won a title with the Mercury back in 2014 and

· Both teams have extensive Finals experience on their roster. New York has three players who have played in multiple Finals - Jonquel Jones (13 games), Breanna Stewart (10 games), and Courtney Vandersloot (11 games), while Minnesota has two players - Natisha Hiedeman (9 games) and Courtney Williams (9 games).

· Both teams' rosters also feature some of the league's top stars. New York is led by two former Kia WNBA Most Valuable Players - Breanna Stewart (2018 and 2023) and Jonquel Jones (2021). Minnesota is led by Napheesa Collier, the 2024 Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and the runner-up to the Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson as the 2024 Kia WNBA MVP.

WNBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV Television Schedule

Date Time (ET) Matchup Network

Wed., Oct. 9

9:30 p.m. SportsCenter: Especial: WNBA 2024 Año Para La Historia ESPN Deportes

Thur., Oct. 10

2 p.m. WNBA Hoop Streams Presented by Google Sam Ravech, Ari Chambers ESPN YouTube Channel

7:30 p.m. WNBA Countdown Presented by Google LaChina Robinson, Carolyn Peck, Chiney Ogwumike, Andraya Carter ESPN

8 p.m. Minnesota Lynx at New York Liberty - Game 1 Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe ESPN, ESPN Deportes

10 p.m. WNBA 'The Wrap-Up' presented by AT&T Sam Ravech, Ari Chambers ESPN App, YouTube, Facebook

Sun., Oct. 13

2:30 p.m. WNBA Countdown Presented by Google Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike, Andraya Carter ABC

3 p.m. Minnesota Lynx at New York Liberty - Game 2 Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe ABC, ESPN Deportes

5 p.m. WNBA 'The Wrap-Up' presented by AT&T Sam Ravech, Maria Marino ESPN App, YouTube, Facebook

Wed., Oct. 16

7:30 p.m. WNBA Countdown Presented by Google LaChina Robinson, Carolyn Peck, Chiney Ogwumike, Andraya Carter ESPN

8p.m. New York Liberty at Minnesota Lynx - Game 3 Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe ESPN

10 p.m. WNBA 'The Wrap-Up' presented by AT&T Sam Ravech, Maria Marino ESPN App, YouTube, Facebook

Fri., Oct. 18

7:30 p.m. WNBA Countdown Presented by Google LaChina Robinson, Carolyn Peck, Andraya Carter ESPN

8 p.m. *New York Liberty at Minnesota Lynx - Game 4 Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe ESPN

10 p.m. WNBA 'The Wrap-Up' Sam Ravech, Maria Marino ESPN App, YouTube, Facebook

Sun., Oct 20

7:30 p.m. WNBA Countdown Presented by Google LaChina Robinson, Carolyn Peck, Chiney Ogwumike, Andraya Carter ESPN

8 p.m. *Minnesota Lynx at New York Liberty- Game 5 Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe ESPN, ESPN Deportes

10 p.m. WNBA 'The Wrap-Up' Sam Ravech, Ari Chambers, Monica McNutt ESPN App, YouTube, Facebook

*If necessary

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