NBC Sports will utilize an all-female crew to broadcast and produce NHL game coverage of the St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks this Sunday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, coinciding with International Women’s Day and marking the first NHL game broadcast and produced solely by women in the U.S.
Kate Scott (play-by-play) will call the action alongside U.S. Olympic gold medalists Kendall Coyne-Schofield (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) and AJ Mleczko (analyst) from United Center in Chicago, Ill. Studio coverage will start at 7 p.m. ET on NHL Live. Kathryn Tappen will anchor studio coverage with three-time Canadian Olympic gold medalist Jen Botterill. Game production will be led by producer Rene Hatlelid and director Lisa Seltzer. Click here to watch NBC Sports’ promo for the broadcast.
The first-of-its-kind broadcast will be in celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, which dates back over 100 years. The broadcast will highlight women who have made their mark on hockey, and sports in general, with the hopes to inspire future generations of women to excel on the ice and behind the scenes.
Sunday night’s coverage will also be surrounded by On Her Turf, NBC Sports’ female empowerment brand. The broadcast will include a number of features highlighting women in hockey during pre-game and intermissions, with custom in-game graphic integration and social coverage.
“As we amplify women in sports who are leading the charge and breaking barriers, On Her Turf is proud to be presenting a special edition of Blues-Blackhawks on Sunday on NBCSN,” says Jenny Storms, CMO and EVP, Content Strategy, NBC Sports. “There are so many women that are part of the game, as fans, players and working in the industry, and this is a night to celebrate and bring those stories to life.”
NBC Sports first announced the broadcast last month on February 16 during its Hockey Day in America coverage.
Host Kathryn Tappen: “I’ve been broadcasting for 17 years, and yet, the very first broadcast I did with a female producer was just two years ago. The fact that we are celebrating International Women’s Day with an all-female broadcast and production team tells me how far we have come in a very short time. We hope our broadcast will help inspire young women watching to follow their dreams, because we’ve proven that anything is possible, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Producer Rene Hatlelid: “We are proud to recognize International Women’s Day. These strong, accomplished women do this work day in and day out and I’m honored to be a part of this historic broadcast.”
Producer Kaitlin Urka, who initially pitched the idea: “We aren’t just bringing women together for the sake of bringing women together. These are professionals who are some of the best at what they do and do these jobs on a regular basis. International Women’s Day just gives us a unique platform to celebrate their great work.”
Sunday’s matchup on NBCSN is part of NBC Sports’ Push for the Playoffs, as the game will have significant implications in the NHL’s Western Conference standings. St. Louis (40-17-10, 90 pts) currently leads the conference by two points. Chicago (30-28-8, 68 pts) is currently six points out of the second Wild Card spot with two games in hand.
