Roku, Hello Sunshine, Rich Eisen Productions to Launch Women’s Sports Studio Show (Exclusive)

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As a devoted sports enthusiast, I’m thrilled to see women’s sports shining brighter than ever! The surge in viewership, the sealing of lucrative broadcast agreements, and the unquenchable enthusiasm from fans like me all point to an unprecedented high in interest. It’s a truly exhilarating time for women’s sports!

Keeping that thought in mind, the streaming service Roku is planning to debut a new studio show titled “Women’s Sports Now” on its channel, in collaboration with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and Rich Eisen Productions. This weekly series will highlight women’s sports and will be hosted by Renee Montgomery, former WNBA star and co-owner of the Atlanta Dream, and comedian Sarah Tiana. Veteran sports reporter Suzy Shuster will join them as a host, and also serve as the executive producer for the program.

Miller Lite is on board as the presenting launch sponsor.

The program is going to offer a broad overview of the realm of female sports, encompassing basketball, soccer, volleyball, college sports, and additional sports. As revealed by Shuster, the concept for this show stemmed from her personal background, not just as a sports journalist, but also as a mother nurturing an aspiring athlete.

My 11-year-old basketball player is deeply fond of Caitlin Clark, as she wears her t-shirt daily, dressed as Caitlin for Halloween with a braid extending down her back adorned with fake eyes. Shuster shares, ‘Caitlin has eyes in the back of her head,’ reflecting Caitlin’s unique abilities on the court. What struck me was that my daughter rarely sees someone like herself on TV, other than brief appearances before and after WNBA or NCAA games, or scattered programming. I wanted to develop a show where she could see herself represented.

Roku aims to cater to an audience that it considers underrepresented in other platforms. While there are sports studio shows covering women’s sports and pre-/post-game options, a dedicated studio show is something Roku thinks would complement its existing sports programming like GMFB: Overtime and The Rich Eisen Show.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’m excited to connect with viewers who are hunting for the distinctive voice that this upcoming show promises. We’ve got a hunch it’s out there, and I firmly believe it’ll be a fantastic addition to our existing sports content lineup. You see, sports talk thrives on our platform, and we’re confident that this program will bring a fresh, intriguing angle to the whole discussion.

In each episode, I’ll be showcasing exciting gameplay moments, hilarious commentary, engaging discussions, and even some special appearances from fellow gamers. It’s going to be a blast!

If women’s sports news or popular topics are making headlines, you can expect our program to tackle these subjects in an engaging and enjoyable way. Our goal is to make this show accessible to everyone, regardless of your level of sports knowledge. You don’t need to recognize players or their stats to enjoy the program because it will be entertaining and fun.

Sara Rea, head of unscripted at Hello Sunshine, emphasizes that humor plays a significant role in their work. ‘We aim to place women at the forefront,’ she says, ‘and our goal is to alter the portrayal of women in media and entertainment, as well as in sports and amongst female athletes – an area that’s experiencing positive changes recently. We want to contribute to this progress.’

Suzy Shuster is set to serve as the executive producer for Rich Eisen Productions on this upcoming show. Reese Witherspoon, Sara Rea, and Cassie Lambert Scalettar will take on the role of executive producers for Hello Sunshine. KP Anderson serves as both the executive producer and showrunner. The series is supervised by Brian Tannenbaum, Sean Boyle, and Louisa Lenander Friedman on behalf of Roku Originals.

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2025-02-03 16:25