Calling on Cleveland! ESPN’s MegaCast Presentation of the 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four Tips Off Friday, April 5

• Championship Sunday Set for ABC – April 7, 3 p.m. ET
• Nearly a Dozen ESPN Platforms Present Wall-to-Wall Coverage
• The Bird & Taurasi Show Presented by AT&T Returns; Slated for ESPN on Championship Sunday 

ESPN’s exclusive presentation of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship gets ready to rock from the Rock and Roll Capital of the World, as premier coverage of the NCAA Women’s Final Four is live from Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, April 5 and 7.

The 2024 championship weekend will feature ESPN’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Presented by Capital One along with signature MegaCast presentations across multiple platforms, with all televised offerings also streaming on ESPN+.

Semifinal action begins on ESPN and ESPN+ on Friday, April 5 at 7 p.m. ET, when No. 3 NC State and No. 1 South Carolina go head to head. The second of the two semifinals, featuring No. 1 Iowa and No. 3 UConn, is slated for 9 p.m. The winners of each contest will meet in the national championship on Sunday, April 7 at 3 p.m., broadcast on ABC for the second straight year and simulcast on ESPN+.

ESPN2 will air Saturday’s open practices for the two teams advancing to Sunday’s Championship, beginning at 1:30 p.m.

ESPN’s lead commentator team will call the action from Cleveland: play-by-play voice Ryan Ruocco, Hall of Fame analyst Rebecca Lobo, and Sports Emmy and Curt Gowdy Award-winning reporter Holly Rowe.

SportsCenter anchor and Women’s College GameDay host Elle Duncan will lead ESPN’s studio coverage, joined by Hall of Famer Carolyn Peck, Sports Emmy nominee Andraya Carter, and WNBA All-Stars Chiney Ogwumike and Aliyah Boston, who was just announced as a guest analyst for ESPN’s coverage. The NCAA Women’s Final Four Special Presented by Capital One tips off at 6 p.m. Friday on ESPN, breaking down the storylines and previewing the semifinal matchups. The NCAA Women’s Championship Special Presented by Capital One will precede the championship for a full hour on ABC at 2 p.m. Sunday.

For the first time, ESPN will have Rules Analysts available during both the semifinals and the championship game. Lisa Mattingly – who has served as the rules analyst during the early rounds of the tournament – will be joined by Denny Meyer. Mattingly officiated 18 NCAA Division I Women’s Final Fours and her counterpart Meyer officiated 20-straight NCAA Championship tournaments during his career.

Second Screen Options Galore
ESPN’s unparalleled production of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship will utilize multiple platforms as part of its signature MegaCast presentation across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPN+.

The ever popular The Bird & Taurasi Show Presented by AT&T returns for its third year featuring collegiate and WNBA legends Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. The dynamic duo will once again bring their signature banter and unique perspective to fans, live from the BTS set inside Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. There will be no shortage of star power with guests from across the spectrum of sports and pop culture. The show will be available on ESPN2 and ESPN+ for the semifinal games, then will air on ESPN and ESPN+ for Sunday’s championship.

Additional MegaCast feeds include:

• Beyond the Rim (ESPN+): Provides an aerial camera view with the main telecast commentary and replays, supported by an enhanced statistical feed
• On the Rail (ESPN+): Tracks game action along one full length of the floor from end to end. The stream will feature natural sound and replays

Technology Tips Off
ESPN Edge Innovation Center is pulling out all the stops for Cleveland, adding two new pieces of technology to the broadcast:

• Canon Free Viewpoint: 3D highlights in a volumetric environment will be available for ESPN studio programming, social and digital platforms, as well as uploaded to ESPN’s brand page on Meta’s Xtadium VR sports app
• Immersive VR highlights: VR highlights for all games, produced by COSM, will also be uploaded to the ESPN page in Meta Xtadium

In-depth look at ESPN’s camera set-up in Cleveland:

• 43 cameras
• 32 dedicated to game
• Railcam
• Sky cam with virtual graphics
• Sony 4800 with Fuji SK25 Lens
• Sony F5500 with Fuji 24mm-300mm lens
• Outdoor drone with virtual graphics
• 5 cameras for the upgraded Bird and Taurasi Show setup

ESPN.com
Writers Andrea Adelson, Katie Barnes, Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou, Jake Trotter and Michael Voepel will be on site in Cleveland. Coverage highlights include:

• Live analysis, news coverage, social posts, game recaps and highlights from Cleveland
• Expert picks and predictions for the national semifinals and NCAA title game
• Analysis of the Final Four’s biggest storylines, each matchup and how each team can win the championship
• The top 25 players in the NCAA Women’s Final Four
• Continued coverage of South Carolina’s pursuit of an undefeated season
• Immediately following the national title game, ESPN.com’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings for the 2024-25 season will be published

Digital Coverage
Countdown to the Semifinals & Countdown to the Final
ESPN continues its expanded digital coverage with its social and digital show, Countdown to the Semifinals and Countdown to the Final, both presented by Wendy’s. Hosted by Sam Ravech with LaChina Robinson, the pregame show will be available on Facebook, YouTube and the ESPN App at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The duo will also pair up for The Wrap-Up presented by AT&T, available on Facebook, YouTube and the ESPN App immediately following the Iowa vs. UConn game on Friday night and immediately after the conclusion of the Championship on Sunday.

ESPN College Networks’ Championship Coverage
ACC Network
ACC Network will provide extensive onsite coverage from Cleveland surrounding NC State with its signature studio shows Nothing But Net and ACC PM. Coverage begins Thursday with a 30-minute Nothing But Net special previewing the Wolfpack’s semifinal matchup against South Carolina (6 p.m.). Justin Walters hosts alongside analysts Kelly Gramlich, Ivory Latta and Muffet McGraw. The team returns Friday with a pre-game show (6-7 p.m.) leading into the national semifinals and will be live for reaction and analysis following the games (12-12:30 a.m.). Plus, ACC PM with hosts Mark Packer and Taylor Tannebaum will have comprehensive coverage of the Women’s Final Four on Thursday and Friday (4-6 p.m.). Friday’s show will feature a bevy of guests with Tannebaum live from Cleveland and Packer live from Phoenix for coverage of NC State’s men’s Final Four team. Should NC State advance on Friday, Nothing But Net will be live during the Pack’s open practice on Saturday and will be back in action Sunday with a 60-minute championship preview (2-3 p.m.), as well as postgame coverage beginning at 5:30 p.m.

SEC Network
SEC Network will provide comprehensive on-site coverage of the top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks in their quest for an unbeaten season. Host Alyssa Lang and analyst Steffi Sorensen will share insight and analysis on Thursday beginning with coverage from open practices and press conferences on Thursday. The pair returns pre-game Friday with live updates in The Paul Finebaum Show ahead of the national semifinals and they will recap the Gamecocks’ performance in the Women’s Final Four on the late-night SEC Now. Should South Carolina advance to the championship game, Lang and Sorensen will provide practice updates on SEC Now Saturday night, as well as post-game Championship Sunday programming during the 8 p.m. SEC Now.

Rockstar Treatment
That’s Our Move on the Biggest Stage
ESPN’s Women’s Final Four spot features ESPN’s own Andraya Carter and a new song from Sia, “Immortal Queen”, currently in pre-release. The concept centers on the players and teams of today who have brough the game of women’s basketball to a new level. The greats of the past left their mark on the game and now, the actions of the players tell the story and showcase their desire to leave a lasting mark on the game.  

Tourney Town
ESPN is bringing a stylized, immersive, high-touch photo experience to Women’s Final Four Tourney Town, transporting fans backstage into a college basketball media day. The activation is a nod to the ESPN marketing campaign, “That’s Our Move: On The Biggest Stage” giving fans the full VIP rockstar treatment complete with a photoshoot quality souvenir.

Bumpboxx
ESPN marketing and social teamed up with Bumpboxx, the viral speaker company who has taken celebrating to the next level. ESPN created customized speakers that will show up throughout Women’s Final Four weekend, including photoshoots, espnW activations, and post-game on the court and in the locker room following the Championship.

Playa Society x espnW Hoodie 
espnW has collaborated with Playa Society, creating one-of-a-kind hoodies for women’s basketball superfans, pop culture creators and influencers, celebrities and more. The unique merchandise celebrates milestone moments for women’s basketball on ESPN, with more milestones to come.

The Elle Duncan Show Live
The Elle Duncan Show will tape live from Cleveland on Thursday. Duncan will be dissecting all things Final Four ahead of Friday’s semifinal games.

Good Morning America
Good Morning America will have an on-site presence in Cleveland, capturing moments from Tourney Town to the final buzzer on Sunday night.

Beyond the Baseline
ESPN vice president of production Sara Gaiero will participate in the Leading Through Change: Growth Opportunities and Challenges panel hosted by the NCAA as part of Beyond the Baseline Presented by AT&T. Other panelists include WNBA Legend Rushia Brown, Executive Vice President of Venue Operations for the Cleveland Cavaliers Antony Bonavita and NCAA Vice President of Women’s Basketball, Lynn Holzman. The event will be in person on Thursday at 2 p.m.

ESPN vice president of production Kate Jackson and coordinating producer Matt Leach will participate in the AT&T Rising Future Makers Immersion Trip – NCAA and ESPN panel. This event will be in person on Thursday at 10 a.m.

ESPN Presents Off Day with LaChina Robinson
Join us for a conversation with ESPN’s LaChina Robinson as she takes her YouTube series “Off Day” to the Beyond the Baseline stage. Off Day is a series of player-focused videos where fans can get to know WNBA athletes in a one-on-one setting. From culture to fashion to passion projects, the series is dedicated to diving into both the player and the person that make up women’s basketball.

NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four MegaCast Schedule
Games available across ESPN platforms and via the ESPN App