ESPN is preparing one of the most significant programming pivots in recent network history with the introduction of Women’s Sports Sundays, a weekly summer primetime block that will anchor Sunday nights with top women’s basketball and soccer matchups.
The move represents a high-profile bet on the sustained growth and cultural relevance of women’s professional sports.
Beginning Summer 2026, the network will fill the prime Sunday night slot that was long home to Sunday Night Baseball with marquee games from the Women’s National Basketball Association and the National Women’s Soccer League.
Over nine consecutive weeks, ESPN plans to air 12 live contests and a surrounding suite of studio and digital content designed to build a consistent Sunday night destination for fans.
“This franchise is about more than showcasing games – it’s about building a consistent, high-profile destination that reflects the passion, excellence, and cultural impact of women’s sports today, while giving athletes and leagues the stage they deserve,” said Rosalyn Durant, ESPN’s executive vice president of programming and acquisitions.
The impact of the focus on women’s sports
The timing carries symbolic and strategic weight. After 36 years of airing Sunday Night Baseball, ESPN and Major League Baseball agreed to terminate their rights deal early, with the iconic MLB broadcast migrating to NBC.
The change opened up a Sunday night window that ESPN leadership realized could become a showcase not just for scheduled games, but for an expanded narrative around female athletes and women’s leagues that have steadily drawn larger audiences in recent seasons.
Susie Piotrkowski, ESPN’s vice president of women’s sports programming and espnW, underscored the intentionality behind the new franchise.
“Sunday is a day of the week when we see a ton of our best women’s sports programming, and we will have events outside of our primetime window,” she said.
“This was an opportunity to be intentional and make sure our most premium women’s sports properties were presented in a regular showcase that would make more fans familiar with them.”
For casual viewers and longtime sports fans alike, Women’s Sports Sundays signals ESPN’s growing commitment to elevating women’s sports as a fixture of the mainstream sports calendar, not an occasional sidebar.
The network’s approach combines high-impact athletic events with storytelling, studio analysis, and cross-platform engagement to maximize visibility.
Historically, women’s sports have gained traction incrementally. NWSL broadcasting deals have expanded in recent seasons, with more regular-season and playoff matches distributed across major networks and streaming platforms, contributing to rising attendance and viewership.
Meanwhile, WNBA games have seen solid ratings increases, highlighting growing interest among diverse audiences.
By positioning two of the most commercially successful women’s professional leagues at the center of a key broadcast window, ESPN is challenging conventional wisdom about primetime scheduling.
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