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List of NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament Final Four broadcasters

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In 1982, the first Division I NCAA women's basketball tournament was held. The NCAA was able to offer incentives, such as payment of transportation costs, to participating members, something the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was not able to do. When former AIAW powerhouses like Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, and Old Dominion decided to participate in the NCAA tournament, the AIAW tournament lost much of its appeal and popularity.

NBC canceled its TV contract with the association, and in mid-1982 the AIAW stopped operations in all sports. Following the last AIAW sanctioned event in 1982, the AIAW pursued a federal antitrust suit against the NCAA. But one year later, after the presiding judge ruled against the organization, the AIAW ceased existence on June 30, 1983.

Under NCAA governance, scholarships increased. However, several problems the NCAA was facing, then and now, began to also affect women's intercollegiate athletics. Examples of these include recruiting irregularities and increased turnover in coaching positions for revenue-producing sports.

Several AIAW championships were televised by the TVS Television Network in 1979.

Television

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Date Network Location Play-by-play announcer Color analyst(s) Sideline reporter(s) Rules analyst(s) Studio host Studio analyst(s)
1982 CBS (championship game) Norfolk Scope
(Norfolk, Virginia) 		Frank Glieber Cathy Rush
1983 Ann Meyers
1984 Pauley Pavilion
(Los Angeles, California)
1985 CBS (championship game)
ESPN (national semifinals) 		Frank Erwin Center
(Austin, Texas) 		Frank Glieber
Jim Thacker 		Pat Summitt
Mimi Griffin
1986 Rupp Arena
(Lexington, Kentucky) 		Gary Bender
Leandra Reilly 		Mimi Griffin
1987 Frank Erwin Center
(Austin, Texas) 		Tim Brant
Leandra Reilly 		Mimi Griffin
Cheryl Miller
1988 Tacoma Dome
(Tacoma, Washington) 		Tim Brant
Roger Twibell
1989 Tim Brant
Steve Physioc
1990 Thompson–Boling Arena
(Knoxville, Tennessee) 		Tim Brant
Bob Rathbun 		Mimi Griffin Andrea Joyce Andrea Joyce
1991 CBS Lakefront Arena
(New Orleans, Louisiana) 		Brad Nessler Andrea Joyce and Mary Carillo
1992 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
(Los Angeles, California) 		Ann Meyers Andrea Joyce
1993 The Omni
(Atlanta, Georgia) 		Tim Ryan Andrea Joyce and Mary Carillo
1994 Richmond Coliseum
(Richmond, Virginia) 		Andrea Joyce
1995 Target Center
(Minneapolis, Minnesota) 		Sean McDonough Dan Bonner Sheryl Swoopes
1996 ESPN Charlotte Coliseum
(Charlotte, North Carolina) 		Mike Patrick Robin Roberts Mimi Griffin
1997 Riverfront Coliseum
(Cincinnati, Ohio) 		Mimi Griffin and Rebecca Lobo
1998 Kemper Arena
(Kansas City, Missouri)
1999 San Jose Arena
(San Jose, California) 		Pam Ward and Jennifer Azzi
2000 First Union Center
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) 		Michele Tafoya and Vera Jones-Soleyna Jay Bilas and Vera Jones-Soleyna
2001 Savvis Center
(St. Louis, Missouri) 		Michele Tafoya and Pam Ward Nell Fortner and Vera Jones
2002 Alamodome
(San Antonio, Texas)
2003 Georgia Dome
(Atlanta, Georgia) 		Doris Burke and Pam Ward Rece Davis Nell Fortner and Stacey Dales
2004 New Orleans Arena
(New Orleans, Louisiana) 		Doris Burke
2005 RCA Dome
(Indianapolis, Indiana) 		Doris Burke and Mark Jones Stacey Dales and Lisa Leslie
2006 TD Garden
(Boston, Massachusetts) 		Doris Burke Holly Rowe and Mark Jones Trey Wingo Kara Lawson and Stacey Dales
2007 Quicken Loans Arena
(Cleveland, Ohio)
2008 St. Pete Times Forum
(Tampa, Florida) 		Holly Rowe and Rebecca Lobo
2009 Scottrade Center
(St. Louis, Missouri) 		Kara Lawson and Carolyn Peck
2010[1] Alamodome
(San Antonio, Texas) 		Dave O'Brien
2011[2] Bankers Life Fieldhouse
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
2012[3] Pepsi Center
(Denver, Colorado)
2013[4] New Orleans Arena
(New Orleans, Louisiana) 		Kevin Negandhi
2014[5] Bridgestone Arena
(Nashville, Tennessee) 		Holly Rowe Kara Lawson and Rebecca Lobo
2015[6] Amalie Arena
(Tampa, Florida)
2016[7] Bankers Life Fieldhouse
(Indianapolis, Indiana) 		Beth Mowins
2017[8] American Airlines Center
(Dallas, Texas) 		Dave O'Brien Doris Burke and Kara Lawson Maria Taylor Rebecca Lobo and Andy Landers
2018[9] Nationwide Arena
(Columbus, Ohio) 		Adam Amin Kara Lawson and Rebecca Lobo Rebecca Lobo, Nell Fortner and Andy Landers
2019[10] Amalie Arena
(Tampa, Florida)
2020 Not held because of the COVID-19 pandemic
2021[11] ESPN Alamodome
(San Antonio, Texas) 		Ryan Ruocco Rebecca Lobo Holly Rowe and LaChina Robinson Maria Taylor Andy Landers and Carolyn Peck
2022[12] Target Center
(Minneapolis, Minnesota) 		Holly Rowe and Andraya Carter Elle Duncan Rebecca Lobo, Nikki Fargas and Carolyn Peck
2023[13] ABC (championship game)
ESPN (national semifinals) 		American Airlines Center
(Dallas, Texas) 		Rebecca Lobo, Monica McNutt, Carolyn Peck and Andraya Carter
2024[14] Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
(Cleveland, Ohio) 		Holly Rowe Lisa Mattingly and Denny Meyer Andraya Carter, Chiney Ogwumike, Carolyn Peck and Aliyah Boston

Notes

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  • There was no TV coverage of the national semifinals prior to 1985.
  • All 63 games were broadcast on television from 2003 to 2019 on ESPN and ESPN2 with added coverage on ESPNU and ESPN3 since 2006. Local teams are shown on each channel when available, with "whip-around" coverage during the first and second rounds designed to showcase the most competitive contests in the rest of the country. All regional semifinals, regional finals and Final Four games were televised nationally in exclusive windows.
  • In 2021 ESPN3 coverage was dropped (except for streaming of ABC games). Instead all 63 games were shown nationally in exclusive windows on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, and ABC.
  • Beginning in 2022 the tournament expanded to 67 games with all being shown nationally in exclusive windows on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, and ABC.

Radio

[edit]
Date Network Location Play-by-play announcer Color analyst(s) Sideline reporter(s) Studio host
2006 Westwood One TD Garden (Boston, Massachusetts) Beth Mowins Debbie Antonelli Krista Blunk Brad Sham
2007 Quicken Loans Arena (Cleveland, Ohio) Joe Tolleson
2008 St. Pete Times Forum (St. Petersburg, Florida)
2009 Scottrade Center (St. Louis, Missouri)
2010 Alamodome (San Antonio, Texas)
2011 Conseco Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Indiana)
2012 Dial Global Pepsi Center (Denver, Colorado) Dave Ryan
2013 New Orleans Arena
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
2014 Westwood One Bridgestone Arena
(Nashville, Tennessee)
2015 Amalie Arena
(Tampa, Florida) 		John Sadak Lance Medow
2016 Bankers Life Fieldhouse
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
2017 American Airlines Center
(Dallas, Texas)
2018 Nationwide Arena
(Columbus, Ohio)
2019 Amalie Arena
(Tampa, Florida)
2020 Not held because of the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Westwood One Alamodome (San Antonio, Texas) Ryan Radtke Debbie Antonelli Krista Blunk Lance Medow
2022 Target Center (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
2023 American Airlines Center (Dallas, Texas)
2024 Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (Cleveland, Ohio) Ros Gold-Onwude

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2010 ESPN Women's NCAA Final Four Fact Sheet". ESPN Press Room U.S. 2010-04-01. Retrieved 2010-04-01.
  2. ^ Margolis, Rachel (March 14, 2011). "ESPN Networks to Air All 63 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship Games". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved 14 Mar 2011.
  3. ^ Margolis, Rachel (March 13, 2012). "ESPN2 and ESPN3 Open NCAA Women's Basketball Championship Coverage". ESPN. Retrieved 13 Mar 2012.
  4. ^ Margolis, Rachel (March 19, 2013). "ESPN Home to NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship Coverage". ESPN. Archived from the original on January 25, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
  5. ^ Margolis, Rachel (March 18, 2014). "ESPN Networks to Present Entire NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship". ESPN. Retrieved 18 Mar 2014.
  6. ^ Margolis, Rachel (March 12, 2015). "2015 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship Bracket Unveiled Monday on ESPN". ESPN. Retrieved 12 Mar 2015.
  7. ^ Margolis Siegal, Rachel (March 15, 2016). "ESPN Networks Home to Entire NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship". ESPN. Retrieved 15 Mar 2016.
  8. ^ "Women's Final Four Presented by Capital One on ESPN – Extensive, Multiplatform Coverage from Dallas". ESPN Press Room U.S. 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
  9. ^ "Women's Final Four Presented by Capital One Exclusively on ESPN and ESPN2". ESPN Press Room U.S. 2018-03-28. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
  10. ^ "Women's Final Four Presented by Capital One Exclusively on ESPN and ESPN2". ESPN Press Room U.S. 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
  11. ^ "NCAA Women's Final Four Presented by Capital One Presented Exclusively on ESPN". ESPN Press Room U.S. 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  12. ^ "ESPN's Unprecedented MegaCast Presentation of 2022 NCAA Women's Final Four Tips Off Friday". ESPN Press Room U.S. 2022-03-30. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  13. ^ "The Dance Descends on Dallas: ESPN's MegaCast Presentation of the 2023 NCAA Women's Final Four Tips Off Friday, March 31". ESPN Press Room U.S. 2023-03-29. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  14. ^ "Calling on Cleveland! ESPN's MegaCast Presentation of the 2024 NCAA Women's Final Four Tips Off Friday, April 5". ESPN Press Room U.S. 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
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