This Friday, November 8, beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET (U.S.), ESPN2 will broadcast the blockbuster clash between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur from the Etihad as the first Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) fixture to be shown live on an ESPN linear platform this season.
ESPN has reached an agreement with Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) to become the home of the BWSL for the 2024/25 season in the United States. The agreement ensures that every fully produced (57) BWSL match will be broadcast on an ESPN platform, which means that sports fans in the U.S. can keep up with live action from the top tier of women’s football in England.
In addition, WPLL have extended their deal with ESPN to broadcast games in South America and the Caribbean.
In the U.S., most games will stream live exclusively on ESPN+, with a minimum of four fixtures simulcast on an ESPN linear platform this season, beginning with this Friday’s fixture (11/08) between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
Play-by-play commentator Mark Donaldson and ESPN’s lead women’s soccer analyst Ali Krieger will commentate the Manchester City-Tottenham Hotspur match live on ESPN2 and ESPN+ (English). Coverage will include Alexis Nunes reporting live from the match Etihad Stadium in Manchester during pregame, half-time, and post-game segments. Additionally, ESPN Sur will produce the match in Spanish, so the game will also air in English and select matches in Spanish on ESPN+ in the United States.
Zarah Al-Kudcy, Chief Revenue Officer, WPLL, says: “We already know how big women’s football is in the US and interest for the BWSL is only growing. ESPN are a world-renowned and recognised broadcaster who will provide excellent visibility and we look forward to welcoming new and existing fans to the stories and matches from this season’s BWSL.”
Tim Bunnell, Senior Vice President for Programming, ESPN, added: “The Barclays Women’s Super League is one of the top leagues in women’s soccer. We are thrilled to be in this relationship that further cements our leadership position as the home for the best and most comprehensive collection of women’s sports in media.”
About BWSL:
The Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) is the top professional women’s football league in England, with the BWSL currently boasting more FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 players than any other league in the world. The Barclays WSL is made up of 12 clubs, teams all play each other twice each season and the 2024-25 season runs from September to May. At the end of each season, the top three teams from the BWSL qualify for the UEFA Women’s Champions League, with the team finishing bottom relegated to the Barclays Women’s Championship.
About ESPN:
ESPN, the world’s leading multiplatform sports entertainment brand, features seven U.S. television networks, the leading sports app, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, leading social and digital platforms, ESPN.com, ESPN Audio, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.
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