WNBA Draft Finds New Home with ESPN in Bristol

The WNBA Draft will be held at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, CT for the first time. The first round of the 2011 Draft, which will take place on April 11, will be televised on ESPN 2 and streamed on ESPN3.com at 3 p.m. ET. ESPNU and NBA TV will air the second and third rounds from 4-5:30 p.m.

The event marks the first time a professional sports league will conduct its draft at ESPN headquarters. Previous WNBA Drafts, which ESPN has televised since 2001, have been held in various locations, including the site of the NCAA Women’s Final Four (2006-08) and, most recently, at NBA Studios in Secaucus, N.J. (2009 and 2010).

The live telecast of the Draft will take place in the ESPN studio that is home to Mike & Mike in the Morning, Sunday NFL Countdown and a variety of other ESPN shows.

“ESPN and the WNBA are entering their 15th year of partnership in a way that is worthy of this milestone,” says John Skipper, ESPN EVP, content. “Showcasing the WNBA Draft and its top incoming stars at ESPN only emphasizes our commitment to the sport of women’s basketball.”

espnW will provide behind-the-scenes content at espnW.com leading up to the WNBA Draft, including profiles and features on the top potential picks. On draft day, espnW.com will bring you the live perspective from the draft, including reaction and interviews of the top WNBA draftees.