WNBA on Oxygen
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
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| genre = WNBA basketball telecasts
| creator =
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| story =
| director = Suzanne Smith{{cite web |url=https://lewkleinawards.com/hall-of-fame/suzanne-smith/|title=2008 Alumni Hall of Fame Honoree|website=Lew Klien Awards}}
| creative_director =
| presenter =
| starring = Debbie Antonelli
Krista Blunk
Swin Cash
Heather Cox
Eric Frede
Mark Morgan
Beth Mowins
Sue Wicks
| judges =
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| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 3
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| executive_producer = Lydia Stephans
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| camera = Multi-camera
| runtime = 120 minutes+
| company = Oxygen Sports
| budget =
| network = Oxygen
| released =
| first_aired = {{Start date|2002|06|04}}
| last_aired = {{end date|2004}}
| related = WNBA on ABC
WNBA on ESPN
WNBA on NBC
}}
The WNBA on Oxygen refers to the presentation of Women's National Basketball Association games on the Oxygen{{cite book |title=Principles and Practice of Sport Management|date = 17 January 2008|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H8VdZH64N_MC&dq=WNBA+on+Oxygen&pg=PT628|publisher=Jones & Bartlett Publishers|isbn = 9780763762230}} pay television channel. Prior to 2005,{{cite news |date=July 17, 2007 |title=Eleven years later, the WNBA arrives|url=https://www.heraldtribune.com/article/LK/20070717/News/605221611/SH|work=Herald Tribune}} the channel carried a limited schedule of regular season WNBA games produced by NBA TV. Oxygen had de facto picked up the games that previously aired on Lifetime.{{cite news |last=Dixit|first=Rajkumar|date=June 12, 2002|title=ESPN2, ABC Grab WNBA TV Rights|url=https://www.multichannel.com/news/espn2-abc-grab-wnba-tv-rights-151305|work=Multichannel News }}{{cite book |title=Branded Faith: Contextualizing the Gospel in a Post-Christian Era|date = 7 June 2010|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t6NMAwAAQBAJ&dq=WNBA+Oxygen+channel&pg=PA34|publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers|page=34|isbn = 9781608995592}} Oxygen's first WNBA telecast was on June 4, 2002.{{cite news |last=Dempsey|first=John|date=June 4, 2002|title=Oxygen net nabs WNBA|url=https://variety.com/2002/tv/markets-festivals/oxygen-net-nabs-wnba-1117867978/|work=Variety}}
Coverage
Oxygen's relationship with the WNBA began with a two-year agreement{{cite news |last=Stewart|first=Larry|date=June 13, 2002|title=Mystics Full of Surprises|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jun-13-sp-wnbacol13-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times}} that called for them to televise a minimum of 11 games on Tuesday{{cite news |last=Fuller|first=Jim|date=August 28, 2003|title=WNBA NOTEBOOK Consolation prize is chance to draft Taurasi|url=https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/WNBA-NOTEBOOK-Consolation-prize-is-chance-to-11682996.php|work=New Haven Register}} nights during the 2002 season and weekly games{{cite news |last=Villano|first=Matt|date=October 9, 2006|title=Eye of the Storm|url=https://www.seattleweekly.com/news/eye-of-the-storm/|work=Seattle Weekly}} as well as playoff action during the 2003 season. Oxygen joined NBC,{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Sports Management and Marketing|date = 8 August 2011|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gDp1AwAAQBAJ&dq=wnba+on+oxygen+play-by-play+2003&pg=PA1662|publisher= SAGE Publications|page=1662|isbn = 9781452266480}}{{cite news |last=Swayne, Dodds|first= Linda E., Mark|date=June 13, 2002|title=Women's NBA in New TV Deal with ABC and ESPN|url=https://sportcal.com/News/PressReleases/100675?sportID=6%2C6&size=50%2C50|work=Sportcal}}{{cite news |last=Lopez|first=John P.|date=August 31, 2005|title=Lopez: WNBA fails to capitalize on strengths|url=https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Lopez-WNBA-fails-to-capitalize-on-strengths-1937008.php|work=Houston Chronicle}} ESPN{{cite news |last=Brown|first=Justin|date=July 19, 2002|title=Women's pro basketball wins fans all its own|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0719/p12s02-alsp.html|work=The Christian Science Monitor}} and ESPN2{{cite news |date=October 10, 2004|title=2004 WNBA Finals game two plays to full house|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/2004-wnba-finals-game-two-plays-to-full-house/n-3091825|work=Out Sports Central}} in televising WNBA games for the 2002 season. The deal called for NBA Productions{{cite news |last=Romano|first=Allison|date=June 4, 2002|title=Oxygen nets WNBA games|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/oxygen-nets-wnba-games-92755|work=Broadcasting and Cable}} to produce the games, and the league would sell the ad time.{{cite news |date=March 6, 2003|title=Southwest Airlines now official NBA, WNBA airline|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2003/03/03/daily16.html|work=Biz Journals}}{{cite news |date=May 18, 2004|title=P&G ADDS TAMPAX TO WNBA PARTNERSHIP|url=https://www.chiefmarketer.com/pg-adds-tampax-to-wnba-partnership/|work=Chief Marketer}} Oxygen meanwhile, would get promotional spots during the games. Oxygen however, would provide the announcers{{cite news |last=Umstead|first=R. Thomas|date=June 3, 2002|title=Oxygen Gets WNBA Games|url=https://www.multichannel.com/news/oxygen-gets-wnba-games-160608|work=Multichannel News}} and handle the halftime on-air duties themselves. Oxygen's halftime reports were sponsored by AIG VALIC.
For the 2003 season, Oxygen averaged a 0.2 rating{{cite news |last=Umstead|first=R. Thomas|date=August 21, 2003|title=WNBA Losing Oxygen?|url=https://www.multichannel.com/news/wnba-losing-oxygen-163477|work=Multichannel}} for its 13-game regular-season WNBA schedule. They were also expected to air at least two playoff games (such as Game 3s{{YouTube|title=Utah Starzz at Houston Comets, 2002 WNBA playoffs first round game 3|id=PI01qpp_MVk}} of the WNBA conference semifinals{{cite news |last=Anthony|first=Mike|date=September 7, 2003|title=EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: SUN AT SHOCK|url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2003-09-07-0309072338-story.html|work=The Hartford Courant}}{{cite news |last=Voepel|first=Mechelle|date=August 22, 2003|title=Nothing's ever as simple as it seems|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/columns/voepel_020822/1421477.html|work=ESPN.com}}), with the possibility of airing up to four. By 2004,{{cite news |last=Lee|first=Jennifer|date=September 27, 2004|title=WNBA looks past attendance drop, flat TV|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2004/09/27/This-Weeks-Issue/WNBA-Looks-Past-Attendance-Drop-Flat-TV.aspx|work=Sports Business Daily}} Oxygen's ratings dropped to a 0.1 from a 0.2, though only five games aired on the network that year compared with 13 from 2003.{{cite news |last=Terry|first=Mike|date=February 10, 2003|title=Breaking Up Is Hard to Do|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-10-sp-wnba10-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times}}{{cite news |date=May 21, 2003|title=League, players hail free agency|url=https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/2003/05-21/154038_league__players_hail_free_agenc.html|work=The Sacramento Bee}}
Commentators
- Debbie Antonelli{{cite news |date=June 4, 2002|title=WNBA Gets A Breath Of Fresh Air With Oxygen Game Of The Week|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2002/06/04/Sports-Media/WNBA-Gets-A-Breath-Of-Fresh-Air-With-Oxygen-Game-Of-The-Week.aspx|work=Sports Business Daily}}{{cite news |last=Bracht|first=Mel|date=June 6, 2002|title=Handicappers make their picks for Belmont|url=https://oklahoman.com/article/2795748/handicappers-make-their-picks-for-belmont|work=The Oklahoman}} (color commentary)
- Krista Blunk (color commentary)
- Swin Cash (studio analyst)
- Heather Cox (color commentary)
- Eric Frede (play-by-play)
- Mark Morgan{{cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-morgan-7b59025b|title=Mark Morgan - Host - Sirius XM Radio Inc.|website=LinkedIn}} (studio host)
- Beth Mowins{{cite web |url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/news/wnba_oxygen_020603.html|title=Oxygen Media to Televise WNBA Games in 2002-03|date=June 3, 2002|website=WNBA.com}} (play-by-play)
- Sue Wicks{{cite web |url=https://gamenotesofdoom.blogspot.com/2008/01/july-12th-2003-wnba-all-star-game.html?m=0|title=July 12th, 2003: WNBA All-Star Game|date=January 14, 2008|website=GAME NOTES OF DOOM}}{{cite news |date=June 30, 2003|title=Sports Agency News|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2003/06/30/For-The-Record/Sports-Agency-News.aspx|work=Sports Business Daily}} (studio analyst)
See also
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{WNBA}}
{{Women's National Basketball Association on television}}
Category:Oxygen (TV channel) original programming
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:2002 American television series debuts