(Photo by Melissa Rawlins / ESPN Images)
On June 23, 1997, Robin Roberts and Geno Auriemma helped introduce the WNBA to a national television audience when they called ESPN’s first-ever WNBA game. On Tuesday, 30 seasons later, they’ll reunite in the broadcast booth to commemorate that game.
We spoke with Tim Corrigan, ESPN Senior Vice President of Sports Production, who produced that first WNBA game on ESPN, to learn more about this special reunion broadcast.
What was the process for selecting Geno and Robin to be the commentators for ESPN’s first WNBA game?
We were really committed to, “How can we do something different that we know is going to hit the mark?” With Robin, you had somebody who knew our company and knew what we stood for and how we wanted to be perceived. And with Geno, you knew that you had somebody who was a rising star in the business and in coaching. And the idea of the two of them felt really good.
Why do you think Geno and Robin worked so well together?
There was a natural fondness between the two of them that made it easy. They were both so excited about the opportunity that there was no inspiring anyone to do anything. Everybody was committed to it 100%. These two are standard-bearers in what they do.
Auriemma has obviously had a historic run as coach at the University of Connecticut. How do you think his tenure at UConn has shaped the program there, as well as the overall landscape of women’s basketball?
If you look at him and consider him 30 years later calling this game, no one’s putting more players into the WNBA than Geno and the UConn program right now … His constant contact with the WNBA would be the legacy of players that he’s sent to the league.
Roberts has been a symbol of strength for so many years for young women in sports. How do you think her return to call this game will impact young women and the way people view women’s sports?
Robin was a college player who always loved the game and wanted to be around it. A couple of weeks ago, when asked why she got into ownership, she said, “I want to put my money where my mouth is. I wanted to invest. I wanted to invest in women’s sports, and I do that as a broadcaster, making sure that they get the recognition…” Her impact … she’s just an amazing woman.
