BRISTOL, Conn.—ESPN has announced that it is planning to produce the February 9 game between the Utah Jazz and the Golden State Warriors with an all women-led crew.
This would mark the first production of an NBA game on a national scale with an all women-led crew on camera and in pivotal roles behind the scenes. In total, 33 women will be involved in the production.
Three broadcasting pioneers will unite for the first time as a commentator team, with Beth Mowins providing play-by-play alongside analyst Doris Burke and reporter Lisa Salters, ESPN reported.
In addition, the broadcast will be carried out by all women-led production and operations teams. In total, 33 women who are ESPN staff and personnel will occupy the pivotal roles on site in Salt Lake City, Utah and in the control room at ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. campus. These key behind-the-scenes roles include coordinating producer, producer, director, graphics producer, operations manager and technical director.
“To work alongside these women and see the depth of talent we have in a variety of roles on this NBA property is incredibly rewarding,” said Sara Gaiero, ESPN coordinating producer. “Each of these women make regular, valuable contributions to our NBA productions. I am so excited to watch them do what they do best – document an NBA game at the highest level.”
Beth Mowins made her ESPN NBA play-by-play debut earlier this season. She made history in 2017 when she became the first woman in 30 years to call an NFL game during ESPN’s Monday Night Football. Burke, a trailblazing television analyst who won the Curt Gowdy Media Award in 2018, became the first woman to serve as a game analyst for the NBA Finals in 2020 when she joined the ESPN Radio team. Salters is an award-winning journalist who is the longest-tenured Monday Night Football sideline reporter ever. Salters is also the reporter for the NBA Finals on ABC.
