The ESPN Networks 2009-10 NCAA Women's Basketball Schedule Includes Approximately 250 Games; The Most Ever in ESPN HistorySchedule includes entire NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship
Oct. 22, 2009
The 2009-10 ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com and ESPN FULL COURT women’s college basketball schedule will feature approximately 250 telecasts - the most ever on the ESPN networks, including the entire NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. Highlights of ESPN’s 31st season of women’s college basketball coverage include:
For the 17th consecutive season, the State Farm Tip-Off Classic will commence ESPN’s coverage of the sport. This year’s matchup will feature Baylor at Tennessee on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
ESPNU Road to the Championship, a women’s basketball doubleheader created by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), will be played on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, home of the 2010 Women’s Final Four. National powers Connecticut, Tennessee, Texas and Texas Tech will take part in the doubleheader televised by ESPNU and ESPN2 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively. This will be part of ESPN’s second annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon.
Entering its fourth season, ESPN2’s BigMonday presented by Bud Lightprime-time Game of the Week series will include 11 games (up from eight) throughout January and February, featuring the best programs in Division I women’s basketball. The series will begin on Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. with an ACC matchup featuring Maryland at Virginia. New to this year’s schedule is the addition of Big Monday doubleheaders on Feb. 8, Feb. 15 and Feb. 22. The games will generally air during the 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. windows.
The 2009 Jimmy V Women’s Basketball Classic on December 7 will be held at Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J. for the fourth consecutive year and will feature Florida vs. Rutgers in a showdown at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
ESPN’s weekly College GameDay Driven by State Farm® college basketball series and the Saturday Primetime game-of-the-week telecast -- returning for a sixth consecutive season – will begin Saturday, January 16, 2010 from Storrs, Conn. for the women’s BIG EAST showdown between Notre Dame and defending National Champion Connecticut. It will mark the first time the show has originated from a women’s game. Two one-hour segments of the show will air at 10 a.m. and at 8 p.m. The game will air on ESPN at 9 p.m.
February Frenzy returns on Valentine’s Day Sunday, Feb. 14, as ESPN2 showcases six regionalized games within two telecast windows. For a third year in a row, ESPN will support the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund, in partnership with The V Foundation, during its annual “February Frenzy” women's college basketball games. The full national ESPNU women’s game featuring Kentucky at Vanderbilt at 6 p.m. on Feb. 14 will also be part of the “Frenzy,” as will Big Monday doubleheader on Feb. 15 showcasing North Carolina at Virginia at 7 p.m. and Connecticut at Oklahoma at 9 p.m.
As part of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com’s week-long men’s and women’s Championship Week presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods, the networks will combine to present 13 women’s conference championships, including every game from the quarterfinals through the championship for the BIG EAST, plus the SEC Semifinals and SEC Championship. Other women’s championships: Big Ten, Atlantic 10, Summit League, Sun Belt, NEC, Horizon League, West Coast Conference, WAC, MEAC, SWAC and SIAC.
Overall, the ESPN networks will showcase more than 130 regular-season games, over 40 conference tournament matchups, the Division II Women’s Basketball Semifinals and Championship, and all 63 NCAA Division I Championship contests. Additionally, ESPN will continue to present the exclusive live announcement of the 64-team NCAA Tournament field as part of Selection Monday, Mar. 15,at 7 p.m., with ESPNU offering bonus coverage with an additional hour of NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Special: Extended Coverage from 8–9 p.m.
ESPNU will televise 54 games, including 37 regular-season contests (up from 31), 17 conference championship matchups and the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship Semifinals. In addition, the 24-hour college sports network cover the Fourth Annual Maggie Dixon Classic on Sunday, Dec. 13, from Madison Square Garden. The doubleheader will showcase Baylor vs. Boston College at 1 p.m., followed by Rutgers vs. Tennessee at 3 p.m. The schedule will also be highlighted by a BIG EAST and SEC game-of-the-week most Sunday afternoons during January and February.
ESPN360.com will simulcast every game on ESPN and ESPN2 and will offer complete telecasts of every NCAA Women’s Tournament game.
NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship:
All 63 NCAA Tournament Games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com & ESPN FULL COURT
For the eighth consecutive year, the ESPN networkswill combine to present all 63 games from the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship. During the first two rounds, ESPN and ESPN2 will present the 48 games within 12 telecast windows in a whip-around format with home market protection. ESPN FULL COURT, the out-of-market pay-per-view package, will offer every first- and second-round game in its entirety as a supplement to ESPN and ESPN2’s coverage. ESPN360.comwill offer complete game telecasts of all 63 games, while ESPNU will offer select ESPN and ESPN2 early-round games in their entirety. The final 15 games (regional semifinals on) will have national telecast windows on ESPN or ESPN2. The complete schedule will be announced on a later date.
