TAMPA, Fla. — ESPN continues to elevate the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship to new heights and this year is no exception. Behind ESPN’s exclusive coverage of the tournament, countless departments work together to strategize new and exciting ways to showcase the championship event. From game production and studio programming to production management and marketing, social and more, ESPN works to utilize new technology and new voices to enhance the viewing experience for fans.
More than 350 ESPN employees are on-site here, as the action tips off Friday, April 4, at 6 p.m. ET with the NCAA Women’s Final Four Special Presented by Capital One on ESPN. The first semifinal between No. 1 Texas and No. 1 South Carolina is set for 7 p.m., followed by No. 2 UConn and No. 1 UCLA at 9 p.m. Both semifinals will receive the MegaCast treatment with offerings on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+.
Meet four of the faces behind ESPN’s exclusive coverage of this year’s NCAA Women’s Final Four.
(Melissa Rawlins/ESPN Images)
MEG ARONOWITZ (SVP, PRODUCTION)
<strong>On the storytelling strategy leading into the NCAA Women’s Tournament:
We know that women’s college basketball fans are hungry for stars and that has been one of our goals since the first tip of the tournament. From the Selection Show to us crowning a champion here on Sunday, we are going to focus on those stars, while also introducing new talent to new viewers as we move throughout the tournament.
On her biggest priority this season:
This season, it was really important for us to maximize our game coverage across all of our networks. Making sure we are driving viewers to all of the networks and all of the opportunity we have around the college basketball space. We spent a lot of time working with production teams and talent to make sure they had a global awareness to what was happening in the college basketball landscape and driving our audiences to the other opportunities across our platforms that we had for them throughout the season.
(Jacob Kupferman/ESPN Images)
DAN MARGULIS (SR. DIRECTOR, PROGRAMMING & ACQUISITIONS)
On what he is most looking forward to in Tampa in his new role:
I’m most looking forward to an elite championship environment. Nothing brings out the alumni, fans and sports industry diehards like a Women’s Final Four. We have four amazing teams with incredibly dedicated fanbases, and I can’t wait to get to Tampa and soak it all in.
On his biggest takeaway from his first season on college basketball:
My biggest takeaway from this season is that the sport continues to have amazing momentum with no signs of slowing down. Regular-season viewership was up year-over-year, and we continue to evolve and expand how we schedule the sport to create even more exposure opportunities.
MATT LEACH (COORDINATING PRODUCER)
On his main priority throughout the Women’s Final Four:
My main priority throughout the week is to ensure that our phenomenal production team, led by Kerry Callahan (Producer II), has every resource available to deliver a great broadcast, while making sure we’re aligned with our great partners at the NCAA on the event side. There are a lot of moving parts with an event this size so it’s really about making sure everyone is rowing in the same direction.
On the overall growth of this event year after year:
The biggest sign of growth with this event is the volume of content requests that come to our production teams from throughout the company. The amount of show units and teams that want to cover the tournament has continued to grow year over year and that hasn’t slowed down this year.
(Jacob Kupferman/ESPN Images)
KATE LEONARD (COORDINATING PRODUCER)
On the evolution of the game since the last time she covered the sport:
It’s an honor to return and be a part of the continued momentum in women’s basketball. The star power, depth of talent, level of competition and scope of visibility continues to elevate the game. Women’s basketball has always been an incredible sport and it’s energizing to see more and more fans gravitating to it. We are carrying forward the legacy of so many others who dedicated themselves to the growth of the game and the people in it.
On the behind-the-scenes work that brings the game to live on the screen:
We have such a talented team that brings our game coverage to life every day. We strive to immerse the viewer in the game through precise documentation, smart analysis, deep storytelling and by embracing the fun and excitement of the sport. To do this successfully requires detailed preparation and collaboration, creativity, innovative techniques and a real passion for and knowledge of the game.
