ESPN NBA Wednesday

ESPN NBA Wednesday is a weekly presentation of the National Basketball Association on ESPN. Debuted in 2002, NBA Wednesday started the first Wednesday of the NBA season and ran throughout the entire regular season. Games typically air at 9:30 p.m. ET, following the network's presentation of ACC Wednesday college basketball. NBA Wednesday is occasionally preempted by ACC Wednesday or other college basketball doubleheaders.(otherwise it will air doubleheaders like NBA Friday at 7:30 and 10 p.m. ET respectfully)

ESPN NBA Wednesday
NBA Wednesday Logo from 2011–2016
StarringMike Breen
Jeff Van Gundy
Mark Jackson
and others (see below)
Country of originUnited States
Production
Running time2 hours, 35 minutes (approximate)
Release
Original networkESPN (2002–2003, 2007–present)
ABC (2024)
Original release2002, October 2007 (2007-10) –
present
Related
ESPN NBA Friday

NBA Wednesday, like NBA Friday, is not exclusive; local sports networks may still air the game in their market. In that case, the ESPN broadcast on these markets is subject to blackout and ESPNEWS programming is usually aired instead.

History

Originally, NBA Wednesday was broadcast by Brad Nessler and Bill Walton each week. After the 2002-2003 NBA season, ESPN ceased having a consistent broadcast team for NBA Wednesday until 2007–08, in which they used Dan Shulman and Jon Barry.

Due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes, it was announced that five January 2024 NBA Wednesday games would instead air on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET. This fills ABC's lack of completed scripted shows on its schedule because of the strikes. ABC's coverage will also coexist with those of the local sports networks.[1]

Studio features

Unlike other NBA on ESPN games, a version of Sports Center hosted by Stephen A. Smith is used as the pregame studio program for ESPN's Wednesday NBA games.

Scott Van Pelt hosts the halftime show. Van Pelt's full Sports Center is also used as a defacto post game show and lead out.[2]

Personalities
Main article: List of NBA on ESPN personalities

In the 2022 season, ESPN introduced several new personalities to the network's weekday NBA programming. There are several broadcast teams but no one group is assigned specifically to NBA Wednesday. The network's "A-team" consists of Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy, a trio that is usually assigned to the more "premiere" matchup in a doubleheader.[3]

Play-by-play announcers

Color commentators

Sideline reporters

References
  1. Lewis, Jon (2023-10-02). "ABC adds Wednesday night NBA games". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  2. "SportsCenter with Stephen A. Smith to Serve as ESPN NBA Pregame Show on Wednesdays - ESPN Press Room U.S." October 21, 2019.
  3. Booth, Trevor (18 October 2021). "ESPN NBA broadcast lineup: Schedule, play-by-play, analysts and hosts for 2021-22 season". Sporting News. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  • Sherman, Ed (October 30, 2002). "ESPN jumps through hoops to do NBA right". Chicago Tribune. p. 2.


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