
Roku is capitalizing on the high interest in women’s sports by launching a weeky women’s sports recap show in partnership with Rich Eisen Productions and Reese Witherspoon’s media production firm Hello Sunshine, the companies announced on Monday.
The show, “Women’s Sports Now,” will feature WNBA pro basketball player and co-owner of the, Renee Montgomery, teaming up with comedian and sports superfan Sarah Tiana as co-hosts of the program. Emmy Award-winning sports reporter Suzy Shuster will serve as the executive producer of the show.
Women’s Sports Now will stream for free on The Roku Channel, Roku’s free, ad-supported streaming TV platform, and feature highlights and interviews from the worlds of women’s professional and college basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports.
“I’m thrilled to be creating a show that has long been overdue and to be working with partners like Hello Sunshine and Roku who share that vision,” Shuster said in a statement. “Women’s sports are taking over the world, and our goal is to celebrate these incredible female athletes for the difference-makers they are.”
“The soaring momentum of women’s sports goes beyond one sport or athlete; it’s a widespread sporting and cultural interest with a broad, enthusiastic audience looking to stay connected with their favorite teams and athletes,” said Joe Franzetta, the Head of Sports at Roku Media. “As the excitement and engagement in this space only continue to grow, we’re proud to partner with Hello Sunshine, a true champion of female-driven storytelling, all-star talent Suzy Shuster, Renee Montgomery, Sarah Tiana, and our incredible launch partner Miller Lite to create an accessible, premium weekly talk series to entertain and inform women’s sports fans.”
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Roku and Suzy Shuster to bring Women’s Sports Now to life,” said Sara Rea, teh Head of Unscripted Programming at Hello Sunshine. “We’ve seen time and time again the appetite audiences have for women’s sports. What makes this show so special and unique is its broad appeal: whether you’re a diehard sports fan, curious to learn more, or simply looking to be entertained, Women’s Sports Now is a first-of-its-kind series focusing on women’s sports in a way that’s fun, engaging, and reflective of how they have become an important sector in pop culture today.”
Miller Lite will serve as the launch partner for the show, Roku and Hello Sunshine said on Monday.
“This fan base is passionate, and we can’t wait to help bring them even more stories to cheers to,” Mara Schaefer, the Senior Director of Marketing at Miller Lite, said on Monday.
The show is the fourth programming partnership between Roku and Hello Sunshine, which also saw the launch of unscripted series “Side Hustlers” and romantic comedies “Meet Me in Paris” and “Meet Me in Rome.”
In addition to Women’s Sports Now, The Roku Channel serves as the streaming distributor of sports-focused shows like “The Rich Eisen Show” and the “Good Morning Football” spin-off program “GMFB: Overtime.”