ABC will show player introductions during Game 5 of the NBA Finals; the WNBA player’s union wants involvement in media rights talks; SportsCenter announces stops for its summer tour.
ABC to air player introductions for Game 5
Monday’s ABC telecast of Game 5 of the Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals will include player introduction ceremonies from the arena for the first time since 2013, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The lineups for both the Pacers and Thunder will both be featured, according to Charania.
It’s not known exactly how ABC will modify its tight pregame window. So far this series, ABC has come on the air at 8:30 PM for a two-minute introduction, taken a four-minute commercial break (during which the player intros occur), then returned at 8:36 before the game tips off a minute later.
ABC’s presentation of this years Finals has drawn criticism from some for failing to present the games as significant. This move would be the second change made mid-series to combat that criticism, after the network digitally added the script “Finals” logo to the court for Game 2.
In other Finals news, ESPN announced sideline reporter Lisa Salters will return for Game 5 on Monday after being absent from Games 2-4 due to a personal matter.
WNBPA shut out of Scripps talks
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association was not included in negotiations with the league’s recent rights renewal with Scripps Sports (ION), according to Front Office Sports. The union had previously received assurances from commissioner Cathy Englebert that they would be involved (a move that would be “unprecedented”), but that it “didn’t happen this time”.
The league will now look to secure a renewal with CBS Sports. The union remains “hopeful” it will be included in future rounds of negotiation.
The WNBPA previously informed the league it will opt out of its current collective bargaining agreement at the end of this season. Successful media rights negotiations are critical to the increase in player salaries the union is seeking to secure in the next CBA.
ESPN announces stops for SportsCenter tour
ESPN has announced the schedule for SportsCenter’s “50 States in 50 Days” summer tour, which will begin with Scott Van Pelt hosting an event in Washington D.C. on June 27. The tour will focus on live sports events airing on the network, including UFC 317 in Las Vegas, Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York, the MLB Home Run Derby in Atlanta, and the WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis.
The tour will conclude with Kevin Negandhi hosting pregame coverage from the first weekend of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA.
The series is a revival of the “SportsCenter Across America” tour from 2005.