Promotional Feature Includes Special Appearance by Saturday Night Live’s Chloe Fineman and Debuted Today During Coverage of the 152nd Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock
NBC Sports Tips Off its WNBA Season on Sunday, May 17, at 1:30 p.m. ET with the Defending Champion Las Vegas Aces at Atlanta Dream on NBC and Peacock, Followed by Seattle Storm at Indiana Fever at 6 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBCSN
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 2, 2026 – A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu and Paige Bueckers headline a new marketing spot celebrating the WNBA’s return to NBC Sports for the first time since 2002, as the network ushers the league back to one of sports’ most iconic broadcast homes. The feature debuted today during coverage of the 152nd Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock, marking the official launch of NBC Sports’ WNBA campaign and building momentum toward the upcoming season. NBC Sports’ WNBA analyst Sue Bird will be interviewed later today during the Kentucky Derby broadcast.
Set inside faux NBCUniversal offices, viewers follow Saturday Night Live cast member Chloe Fineman as she gives Wilson, Ionescu and Bueckers a tongue‑in‑cheek “first day of work” tour — a creative device that blends humor, heritage and the legacy of women across NBCUniversal platforms.
During the tour, Fineman introduces the stars to imagery celebrating legendary women who have helped shape NBC’s history.
- Bueckers pauses in front of a photo of Law & Order: SVU’s Mariska Hargitay.
- Wilson stands before an image honoring women of Saturday Night Live, including Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
- Ionescu is framed beneath a photo of Betty White.
The outro song, “Thank You for Being a Friend”, is from the intro credits of NBC’s iconic sitcom Golden Girls.
“This feature is about honoring legacy while putting today’s WNBA stars squarely in the spotlight,” said Lyndsay Signor, Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing, Universal and Television Entertainment Group. “A’ja, Sabrina and Paige represent the excellence, personality and momentum defining the league right now. As the WNBA returns to NBC and makes its debut on Peacock and NBCSN, we’re proud to showcase the game at its highest level and to welcome the league back in a way that feels bold, meaningful and unmistakably NBC.”
The 2026 WNBA season begins with a Tip-Off doubleheader on Sunday, May 17, across NBC, Peacock and NBCSN. In the first game, four-time WNBA MVP and 2025 Finals MVP Wilson and the defending champion Las Vegas Aces will travel to face the Atlanta Dream and Angel Reese, in her Dream home debut, from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga., at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. In the second game, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever host 2026 WNBA No. 8 overall pick, Flau’jae Johnson, and the Seattle Storm from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., at 6 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBCSN.
Additional information about NBC Sports’ 2026 WNBA schedule is here.
ABOUT NBC SPORTS
NBC Sports connects sports fans to the moments that matter most with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. As the sports division of NBCUniversal, NBC Sports produces, programs, and promotes premier content across numerous linear and digital platforms, including NBC and Peacock. NBC Sports presents events from many of the world’s most prestigious properties, including the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NFL, NBA, WNBA, Major League Baseball, Notre Dame, Big Ten Conference, Big East Conference, Big 12 Conference, PGA TOUR, USGA, PGA of America, The R&A, Churchill Downs, Premier League, and many more. It is renowned for making big events bigger and has produced some of the most-watched sporting events in U.S. media history, including Olympic Games, Super Bowls, and Sunday Night Football, primetime television’s No. 1 show for 14 consecutive years.
–NBC SPORTS–