CBS’s new WNBA studio show will feature a coaching legend; Stephen A will be on the air even more with new radio deal; ESPN in the lead for UFC rights; and more.
Dawn Staley joining CBS WNBA studio
Six-time WNBA All-Star Dawn Staley will be one of the analysts on a new CBS Sports WNBA pregame show, it was announced Wednesday. Staley, the three-time national champion coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks will join Renee Montgomery and host Sarah Kustok on “WNBA Tip Off,” which will debut on Saturday leading into the network’s Fever-Sky game, the first primetime regular season game on a major broadcast television network. The show will return for three more editions this summer.
A CBS Sports representative confirmed to SMW the new show will originate from a separate studio, rather than traveling to game sites.
Smith announces two new radio shows
After teasing a “big announcement” earlier this week, Stephen A. Smith announced he will be hosting two new programs exclusively on Sirius XM. “The Stephen A. Smith Show” will air weekdays from 1-3 PM, as a lead-in to Chris Russo‘s “Mad Dog Unleashed” show at 3 PM. The second program will be a weekly political commentary/discussion show, with schedule details not announced. The announcement was made Wednesday during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show.
Smith previously hosted a show for Sirius XM between 2013 and 2017.
Smith will continue his role on ESPN’s First Take morning show and on his thrice-weekly podcast. As part of his new contract with ESPN, Smith will scale back his appearances on NBA Countdown, but may add work for the network’s NFL programming.
ESPN leads UFC contenders
ESPN is currently considered the favorite to land media rights to the UFC in a renewal of its current deal, according to John Ourand of Puck. Rights deals are expected to be finalized within the next “month and a half”, and will likely include packages with two partners, according to Ourand.
Other parties in contention include familiar streamers include Netflix and Prime Video, as well as Warner Bros. Discovery, which would air events on linear networks as well as HBO Max. Netflix has an existing relationship with UFC’s holding company TKO, which also controls WWE.
Plus: Volleyball, NBA/softball crossover, Savannah Bananas
— FIVB announced Tuesday it has reached deals with CBS Sports and Big Ten Network to carry matches from the 2025 Men’s and Women’s Volleyball Nations League this summer and the World Championships in September. Coverage will include every match featuring the United States teams, as well as top international matches. This is the first professional sports property to air on BTN, which will serve as a complement to the network’s strong NCAA volleyball coverage.
— Sports Business Journal reported Monday ESPN “hopes” NBA broadcasters Mike Breen, Doris Burke, and studio host Scott Van Pelt will appear on the network’s Women’s College World Series softball coverage on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City, prior to Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday night in the same city. SBJ noted no plans are set in stone.
— The Savannah Bananas’ July 27 game in Philadelphia will air on the CW network, it was announced Tuesday. The CW arrangement joins the existing ESPN deal to carry games from the baseball exhibition spectacle.
