With “Sunday Night Baseball” no longer featured on ESPN, major changes have been made to the network’s weekend lineup.
It was announced in November 2025 that “Sunday Night Baseball” was heading to NBC in a three-year media rights deal. The first Sunday night game on the schedule features the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets.
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Since ESPN can’t rely on “Sunday Night Baseball” this summer, it will focus on the WNBA and NWSL as part of its “Women’s Sports Sunday” initiative.
“Women’s sports are experiencing continued momentum and Women’s sports Sundays is ESPN’s next step to meet this demand,” said Rosalyn Durant, ESPN’s executive vice president of programming and acquisitions.. “This franchise is about more than just presenting games: it aims to create a cohesive, high-profile destination that reflects the passion, excellence and cultural impact of women’s sports today, while giving athletes and leagues the stage they deserve. »
The 2026 WNBA season is currently uncertain as a collective bargaining agreement is not yet in place. If the league agrees on a new CBA, fans will be able to watch it Caitlin ClarkA’ja Wilson and all the big stars every Sunday this summer.
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September 14, 2025; College Park, Georgia, United States; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) goes to the locker room against the Atlanta Dream at halftime during game 1 of the first round for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Center Arena in College Park. Mandatory credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images© Brett Davis-Imagn Images
(© Brett Davis-Imagn Images)
Supporters boycott “women’s sports Sundays”.
WNBA fans can’t wait for “Women’s Sports Sundays,” but others think this scheduling decision by ESPN will backfire.
“I promise…we will NOT watch,” one fan said.
“Oh my god, what a terrible idea,” a second fan responded. “I’d rather watch paint dry than that.”
“No, I’m going to watch Sunday Night Baseball on NBC,” another fan wrote.
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“I feel like this is just another bad idea from ESPN,” one social media user commented.
ESPN promises to deliver a “premium viewing experience” to sports fans across the country. We’ll see if they keep that promise.
This story was originally published by The yarn on February 19, 2026, where he first appeared in the WNBA section. Add The Spun as Favorite source by clicking here.
