- Adam Amin, Kara Lawson, Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe return to call the Women’s Final Four
- On-Site Studio Coverage with Host Maria Taylor and Analysts Nell Fortner, Andy Landers and Lobo
- Detail on ESPN+ to Focus on Four Players from Each of the Final Four Teams
Game Coverage (Amalie Arena, Tampa, Fla.)
Friday, April 5
Semifinal #1: No. 2 Oregon vs. No. 1 Baylor (7 p.m., ESPN2)
Semifinal #2: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 1 Notre Dame (9 p.m., ESPN2)
Sunday, April 7
National Championship Game (6 p.m., ESPN)
Production
- Features, vignettes and segments on each Final Four team, including UConn-Notre Dame rivalry, Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu on family and basketball, and Notre Dame’s Arike Ogunbowale and her Mamba Mentality
- Behind the scenes and in the moment: pregame locker room access, in-game head coach and halftime player interviews, and on-site studio interviews with special guests, players and coaches
- The show open will revolve around the idea of fate versus free will. Actress Samira Wiley (Orange is the New Black and Handmaid’s Tale) plays the role of fate, with the student-athletes being the voice of free will – strength, overcoming adversity and taking matters into their own hands
- Championship Talk with Dee and Sue: ESPN will bring viewers an exclusive, second screen experience for the semifinals. Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, two of the greatest to ever play the game, will pair up for an informal, *somewhat* unfiltered broadcast, taking you courtside to listen in during games. The legends will share their knowledge, hot hoops takes, and maybe even a little smack talk. Coverage begins Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN3 and the ESPN App
- Detail on ESPN+: Kobe Bryant will break down the performances of four star players heading into the Final Four – Kalani Brown (Baylor), Napheesa Collier (UConn), Sabrina Ionescu (Oregon) and Arike Ogunbowale (Notre Dame). Episodes will be available to stream on Thursday
- Interact on Twitter via @espnW, @ESPN_WomenHoop, #ncaaW and #WFinalFour
Technology
- A total of 36 cameras, covering the game, backstage/locker room, outdoor jib, and ‘Smack Talk’ feed
- Technologies
- Two-point Spidercam aerial camera system
- Above the Rim robotic camera systems on each backboard for two additional looks, as well as 11 Marshall POV cameras to capture Below the Rim, courtside and backstage elements
- The ART system (advanced telestration over replays) will be incorporated within the telecasts for the eighth consecutive year
- Two Avid Symphony systems onsite to support pre-production pieces for the games and studio
- Two Sony 4300 Super Slow-Motion Cameras that will allow for enhanced game action and replay coverage of the game action
- Enhanced Video Feeds
- Smack Talk – up to four talent chatting over Program feed
- Beyond the Rim – consistent Spider Cam coverage of the game with a split screen when there are replays on the main telecast, available on ESPN3/ESPN App
- Below the Rim – Camera mounted on the stanchion, showing the battle in the lane with the clock and score on the screen
Commentators
- The team of Adam Amin, Kara Lawson and Rebecca Lobo, and reporter Holly Rowe return to call all the Final Four action
- Maria Taylor, Nell Fortner, Andy Landers and Lobo will be on set live from Amalie Arena throughout the weekend
espnW
espnW’s comprehensive coverage of the NCAA tournament will continue in Tampa:
- In-depth and on-site coverage, including features, game previews and postgame analysis from Mechelle Voepel, Charlie Creme and Andrea Adelson.
- From pre-game to tip-off and beyond the confetti, espnW social channels will capture the sights and sounds of the Women’s Final Four and championship game with behind-the-scenes posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
espnW will host a presentation of its acclaimed podcast, “Around the Rim,” live at Tourney Town on Saturday, April 6, at the Tampa Convention Center from 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET.
ESPN analyst LaChina Robinson, producer Terrika Foster-Brasby and several Hall of Famers, including Lisa Leslie and Teresa Edwards, as well as A-list guests from women’s basketball, will break down the 2018-19 season and the Final Four. The event is open and free to the public.
Women’s Final Four Specials
NCAA Women’s Final Four Special Presented by Capital One: The 30-minute preview show (6:30 p.m.) hosted by Taylor with analysts Fortner, Landers and Lobo from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla., will precede the semifinals on Friday, April 5, on ESPN2.
NCAA Women’s Championship Special Presented by Capital One: The hour-long national championship pregame special will tip off championship Sunday; hosted by Taylor with Fortner, Landers and Lobo, from inside the arena on at 5 p.m.
Title Game Tip-Off Twitter Show: Sarah Spain and Chiney Ogwumike break down the teams vying for the chance to be national champions; Show begins at 5:30 p.m. on @ESPN
ESPN International
ESPN International television and streaming networks will offer live coverage in Australia, Brazil, the Caribbean, Mexico, Spanish-speaking Central and South America, New Zealand and Pacific Islands, as well as ESPN on BT Sport in the UK and Ireland, Kwesé Sport channels in Africa, and TSN in Canada.
NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four on ESPN
| Date | Time (ET) | Event/Commentators | Network |
| Fri, April 5 | 6:30 p.m. | NCAA Women’s Final Four Special Presented by Capital One Maria Taylor, Nell Fortner, Andy Landers, Rebecca Lobo |
ESPN2/ESPN App |
| 7 p.m. | Semifinal #1 (Tampa, Fla.) No. 2 Oregon vs. No. 1 Baylor Adam Amin, Kara Lawson/Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe |
ESPN2/ESPN App | |
| 9 p.m. | Semifinal #2 (Tampa, Fla.) No. 2 UConn vs. No. 1 Notre Dame Adam Amin, Kara Lawson/Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe |
ESPN2/ESPN App | |
| Sun, April 7 | 5 p.m. | NCAA Women’s Championship Special Presented by Capital One Maria Taylor, Nell Fortner, Andy Landers, Rebecca Lobo |
ESPN/ESPN App |
| 6 p.m. | National Championship Game (Tampa, Fla.) Adam Amin, Kara Lawson/Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe |
ESPN/ESPN App |
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