WNBA Expands Preseason Coverage With Unprecedented National TV Access On ION, ESPN And NBA TV
The WNBA continues to grow its national presence in 2025, announcing that four preseason games aired on major networks — ION, ESPN, and NBA TV — this year. In a major leap forward, 14 of the 15 preseason games were also available to stream for free on WNBA League Pass.
This marks a huge milestone for the league, as previously only one preseason game had ever been shown on national TV — a 2019 matchup between New York and the Chinese national team on ESPN News. In comparison, there were just two preseason games on League Pass in 2023 and four games in 2024, with no network broadcasts during either of those years.
“We’ve seen the demand for WNBA content grow exponentially and we are meeting that demand by working with our broadcast partners and our teams to make a significant investment by making all 15 preseason games available to WNBA fans,” WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison said. “It will be the ultimate way for fans to follow their favorite players as all 13 teams prepare to tip off the regular season in mid-May. And the preseason schedule itself, with superstars returning to the arenas where they starred in college and in some cases, teams from around the world serving as opponents, brings an entirely new level of excitement to the WNBA preseason.”
Fans this preseason have had the rare opportunity to watch WNBA stars like Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, Jewell Loyd, Angel Reese, and Jackie Young return to the college arenas where they became legends. Matchups also featured new faces like Paige Bueckers making her WNBA debut and international clashes against the Brazil Women’s National Team.
The increase in preseason visibility is yet another example of the growing interest and investment in the WNBA heading into a highly anticipated season.
The excitement continues with Opening Day set for Friday, May 16, featuring three games — Atlanta Dream at Washington Mystics, Minnesota Lynx at Dallas Wings, and Los Angeles Sparks at Golden State Valkyries — all airing nationally on ION.
