A 12-market footprint is now in place for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever that expands team coverage beyond TEGNA-owned WTHR-13 in Indianapolis.
Seventeen of the team’s games will air not only on WTHR, but on co-owned WOI-TV in Des Moines and WQAD-TV in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa, as well as on WHAS-TV in Louisville.
Additionally, agreements have been finalized with Gray Television, Sinclair Inc., Nexstar Media Group, Coastal Television Broadcasting Group, and Weigel Broadcasting Co. putting WTHR-originating Fever broadcasts on stations owned by those respective companies.
“This is a pivotal moment for our Fever team and women’s basketball, more broadly, and this groundbreaking partnership with TEGNA will ensure more fans than ever will be able to watch this historic season,” said Rick Fuson, Pacers Sports and Entertainment chief executive officer.
TEGNA SVP/Media Operations Brad Ramsey added, “We could not be more excited to make these exciting WNBA games available to more fans, in more homes, across more markets, including Caitlin Clark’s home state of Iowa. We are grateful to the Pacers organization, the WNBA, and our broadcast partners for their trust, and for helping us create a first of its kind fan experience.”
Gray Television COO Sandy Breland commented, “This is a key moment for women’s sports and live sports on broadcast television. Continuing Gray’s commitment to live local sports, Gray is beyond excited to bring the Fever free, over the air to local viewers in Cincinnati, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Lexington and South Bend.”
Stations airing the games (subject to change) include:
Indianapolis, Ind.: WTHR 13.1, 13.3 & WALV 46.1 (TEGNA)
Champaign-Springfield, Ill.: WCIX 49.1 & WCIA 3.1 (Nexstar)
Cincinnati, Ohio: WXIX 19.3 (Gray Television)
Davenport, Iowa: WQAD 8.1, 8.3 (TEGNA)
Dayton, Ohio: WKEF 22.3 (Sinclair)
Des Moines, Iowa: WOI 5.1 & KCWI 23.1 (TEGNA)
Evansville, Ind.: WFIE 14.2 (Gray Television)
Fort Wayne, Ind.: WPTA 21.3 (Gray Television)
Lafayette, Ind.: WPBY 35.1, 35.2 (Coastal Television Broadcasting Group)
Lexington, Ky.: WKYT 27.2 (Gray Television)
Louisville, Ky.: WHAS 11.1, 11.2 (TEGNA)
South Bend, Ind.: WCWW 25.1 & WMYS 69.1 (Weigel); WNDU 16.2 (Gray Television)
The 17 games available to viewers are:
Thurs., May 16 vs. Liberty, 7 p.m. ET
Wed., May 22 @ Storm, 10 p.m. ET
Sat., May 25 @ Aces, 9 p.m. ET
Thurs., May 30 vs. Storm, 7 p.m. ET
*Sat., June 1 vs. Sky, 1 p.m. ET (subject to change)
Sun., June 2 @ Liberty, 7 p.m. ET
Mon., June 10 @ Sun, 7 p.m. ET
Thurs., June 13 vs. Dream, 7 p.m. ET
Sun., June 23 @ Sky, 6 p.m. ET
Thurs., June 27 @ Storm, 10 p.m. ET
Wed., July 10 vs. Mystics, 12 p.m. ET
Mon., August 26 @ Dream, 7:30 p.m. ET
Wed., September 4 vs. Sparks, 7 p.m. ET
Sun., September 8 vs. Dream, 4 p.m. ET
Wed., September 11 vs. Aces, 7 p.m. ET
Sun., September 15 vs. Wings, 3 p.m. ET
Thurs., September 19 @ Mystics, 7 p.m. ET
