We’re seeing increased linear TV exposure for a lot of women’s sports recently, and strong ratings supporting those decisions. The latest announcement of prominent women’s sports matches heading to linear TV comes from TNT Sports, who announced Wednesday they’ll show a doubleheader of U.S. women’s soccer action Saturday.
The first match, on truTV and Max at 2 p.m. ET, will see the U.S. Women’s Deaf National Team take on Australia. In a first-of-its kind move, that match will feature on-screen ASL presentation. The second match, on truTV, TNT, and Max at 5 p.m. ET, will see new head coach Emma Hayes make her debut leading the U.S. Women’s National Team against the Korea Republic team. And there will be another USWNT-Korea clash Tuesday, also on truTV and Max (and on TNT if the NHL Western Conference Final doesn’t go to seven games). Here’s more on these matches, and on the commentators involved, from a TNT Sports release:
Presenting live commentary during the U.S. Women’s Deaf National Team match will be Jamie Watson. In addition, Bleacher Report’s HighlightHER will capture on-the-ground social content in ASL throughout the day.
Luke Wileman will provide play-by-play for both USWNT matches, while being paired with National Soccer Hall of Famer and co-commentator, Julie Foudy. The third member of the game crew— Melissa Ortiz—will report pitch side.
USWNT coverage from Denver on Saturday will include an hour-long pregame show presented by AT&T starting at 4 p.m. and postgame coverage presented by Autotrader. Sara Walsh will host alongside analysts Shannon Boxx, DaMarcus Beasley and Foudy.
The USWNT and Korea will meet again on Tuesday, June 4, at 8 p.m. Live coverage will start at 7:30 p.m. with pregame live from St. Paul, Minnesota, featuring Walsh, Boxx, Beasley and Foudy. Network programming for the match will be on truTV and—if there’s no NHL Western Conference Final, Game 7 coverage—TNT, with the game also streaming live on Max.
These matches are part of an eight-year deal TNT Sports’ corporate parent, the-then Warner Media (now Warner Bros. Discovery), signed with the U.S. Soccer Federation in 2022. That deal began last year, and covers more than 20 USWNT and U.S. men’s national team matches each year. At that time, about half of those were announced as streaming-only on Max (then HBO Max), with the others streaming and also televised on TNT and TBS.
Thus, it’s notable to see these particular matches all airing on linear TV, including with a TNT slot for the Saturday USWNT match featuring Hayes’ debut (and another one Tuesday barring NHL playoff conflicts). And it’s interesting to see that Women’s National Deaf Team match included, with on-screen ASL presentation as well. We’ll see what kind of audiences these draw, and what’s next for TNT Sports’ U.S. soccer coverage.
[TNT Sports; image from U.S. Soccer]
