ION will air a doubleheader of WNBA preseason games – representing the first-ever nationally televised preseason contests in league history – on May 2nd, that will launch another year of the WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION for Scripps Sports. Both games will feature star players returning to their college home courts.

In the opening contest, the Dallas Wings will take on the Las Vegas Aces, at 7 p.m. ET, live from the University of Notre Dame’s Purcell Pavilion at Joyce Center in South Bend, Indiana. Three WNBA All-Stars across the two teams played for Notre Dame: Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd of the Aces and Arike Ogunbowale of the Wings. The game also marks the WNBA debut of Paige Bueckers, who was selected No.1 overall by the Wings in the recent WNBA draft presented by State Farm.

The nightcap at 9 p.m. ET will feature the Chicago Sky playing the Brazilian National Team at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Sky is led by WNBA All-Star Angel Reese, who won a national championship at LSU. Additionally, Reese’s teammate Kamilla Cardoso will be squaring off against the Brazilian national team she has represented, and Sky rookie draft pick Hailey Van Lith will be making her return to LSU, where she played during the 2023-24 season.

ION’s coverage of the doubleheader will begin at 6 p.m. ET with the return of the WNBA on ION studio show, featuring host Larry Smith, alongside analysts Autumn Johnson and Meghan McKeown. The league’s first-ever preseason double-header tips off the return of the State Farm WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION, which showcases top games from across the league every Friday night of the regular season, launching on May 16th. Average viewership for the State Farm WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION increased by 133 per cent last season, and the network attracted more than 23 million unique viewers across games and wrap shows.

“ION is a proud home to the WNBA, and we couldn’t be happier to bring the entire country the league’s first two nationally televised preseason games in its history,” said Brian Lawlor, president, Scripps Sports. “These two unique and star-studded preseason matchups will help fans and viewers get excited about the upcoming season.”

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Categories: Press Releases

Tags: ion, NBA, women