ESPN announced today that it has secured the media rights to the newly formed Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL) for its 2026 inaugural season, positioning the network as the national streaming home for the league’s 37-game schedule. The deal includes 11 regular‑season contests that will be simulcast on the Scripps Sports Network, while ESPN will provide exclusive coverage of the entire postseason, culminating in the championship series.
The WPBL, the sole professional women’s baseball league in the United States, will feature four franchises — New York Heights, Boston Hunters, Los Angeles Queens, and San Francisco Firebells — competing at the historic Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois. The regular season is slated to begin on August 1, 2026 and run through September, offering fans a compact yet high‑stakes schedule.
League co‑founder Justine Siegal, a pioneer who became the first woman to coach a professional men’s baseball team and to throw batting practice in Major League Baseball, said the partnership with ESPN reflects a watershed moment for female athletes seeking visibility on a national stage.
Ashley O’Connor, Vice President of Programming at ESPN, expressed enthusiasm about the addition of the WPBL to the network’s baseball portfolio, emphasizing the league’s role in expanding opportunities for women in sports and enriching ESPN’s year‑round coverage.
The agreement underscores ESPN’s broader commitment to elevating women’s sports, a strategy that seeks to amplify emerging leagues and athletes while delivering fresh, compelling content to a growing audience.