NBC Sports is scaling up production for the WNBA semifinals and Finals — its first since 2002 under the league’s new 11-year rights deal — by moving the studio show on-site and using its Sunday Night Basketball camera package as the baseline, expanding to about 20 cameras (roughly half with super-slo-mo) plus an RF Steadicam. Operationally NBC will rely on NEP’s IP-based mobile units and lessons from its 22-game regular-season slate to adapt quickly to tight venue schedules and compressed turnaround times.
ADVERTISEMENT WNBA Playoffs 2026 NBC Sports Tips Off First WNBA Postseason in 20+ Years Using Sunday Night Basketball as a Production Baseline By: Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. • Posted on: September 25, 2026 • 4 minute read ADVERTISEMENT Studio show moves on-site as network models playoff coverage on its NBA flagship For the first time since 2002, NBC Sports will produce the WNBA Finals as part of the league’s new 11-year rights deal. NBC Sports is scaling up for that postseason run, which will also include one of the two best-of-five semifinal series, by bringing studio talent on-site and modeling its playoff camera complement off its marquee Sunday Night Basketball NBA productions. “Our core editorial philosophy does not change…but the stakes are very different once you hit the playoffs,” says Betsy Riley, SVP & Coordinating Producer, NBC Sports . “Higher stakes usually lead to more emotion and a more vibrant live environment inside the arena. These are not always ingredients in every regular-season game. We will always have the stakes, the emotion, and the atmosphere top-of-mind throughout the semifinals and Finals.” Inside the Ops: Scaling Up for the Playoffs The biggest visible change for viewers will be the studio show, which moves on-site for the playoffs, and an increase in the overall camera complement. The postseason productions will again ride on NEP’s IP-based mobile units, and all broadcasts will be produced in 1080p HDR. According to Kim Titone, senior director of operations, NBC Sports , the compressed timeline and venue schedules pose the biggest operational challenges. The crew may learn the location of its first game as little as two days out, and although NBC is aiming for a set day at every venue ahead of each game, many buildings have other events booked that could prevent it. “One advantage we have heading into the playoffs is the experience we’ve gained throughout the regular season,” says Titone. “We’ve worked at all the potential playoff venues, built strong relationships with team and facility contacts, and developed a solid understanding of each building. That familiarity puts us in a strong position to adapt quickly and work collaboratively with our partners to find the best solutions as the schedule comes together.” As for cameras, NBC is using its Sunday Night Basketball package as a baseline, with a few cameras added for the playoffs. Each game will have roughly 20 cameras — about half of them super-slo-mo-capable — plus an RF Steadicam. Looking Back at 2026: Lessons From Year One With no first-round games on NBC or Peacock, the production and operations teams are also taking a moment to reflect on their first season back on the WNBA court. Throughout NBC and Peacock’s 22-game regular-season slate , the production team primarily operated out of NEP’s Supershooter 8, 10, 11, and 12 – the same quartet that served the NBA on NBC/Peacock. NBC also leaned heavily on its broadcast center in Stamford, Connecticut, which housed remote crews and played a key role in this year’s WNBA productions “The regular season gave us an opportunity to test new workflows, establish new protocols and continue refining how we support the property,” says Titone. “We were able to build on the operational learnings from the NBA while tailoring our approach specifically to the WNBA and have leaned on the support from our Broadcast and Operations partners at the WNBA who have been pivotal in our success.” NBC also used the WNBA’s recent break for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup to regroup and recharge for the postseason. “That gave the team a valuable opportunity to regroup, reflect on what we learned throughout the regular season and prepare for the pace and demands of the postseason,” says Titone. “We also worked with some familiar faces at venues shared with NBA while developing relationships with new contacts and new facilities which made the season an exciting challenge and great learning opportunity.” Riley says her focus this season was on welcoming the WNBA back to the network with an emphasis on earning trust and delighting its audience. Among her favorite moments of the regular season were Kayla McBride’s record-setting afternoon, bringing the league into the Sunday Night Basketball franchise, and features that brought new voices and perspectives to the broadcasts, including Sue Bird line dancing with Azzi Fudd, Aubrey Plaza showing up at a Fever practice, Reggie Miller surprising Cheryl Miller on air, and Tina Charles penning a note to Connecticut basketball. “I’m so proud of our team,” she says. “They displayed creativity, a commitment to innovation, and flawless technical execution throughout. 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NBA: ADVERTISEMENT WNBA Playoffs 2026 NBC Sports Tips Off First WNBA Postseason in 20+ Years Using Sunday Night Basketball as a Production Baseline By: Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U
WNBA: ADVERTISEMENT WNBA Playoffs 2026 NBC Sports Tips Off First WNBA Postseason in 20+ Years Using Sunday Night Basketball as a Production Baseline By: Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U
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