Full Court Press

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

The ESPN+ Original series, Full Court Press, immerses viewers in the world of elite women’s college basketball through the experiences of sophomore UCLA guard Kiki Rice, senior South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso, and senior Iowa guard Caitlin Clark. Using exclusive interviews, game footage and unprecedented access, follow the lives of these three athletes as they navigate the 2023-24 season and lead their prestigious programs towards a national championship.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

While many inside sports media believed that women’s basketball was on the brink of expansion, this series proved that the growth extended to storytelling beyond the live games. All told, over a million people watched this series - proving that the storytelling surrounding women’s basketball can bring in a massive audience. At ESPN, we think the bar set by Full Court Press is just the beginning as we’re currently working on a second season of the show and will continue to invest in new and creative ways to tell stories around women’s basketball.

Objective

In a women’s college basketball season that made history, shattering ratings and transcending expectations on a weekly basis, Full Court Press is the perfect storytelling encapsulation of the experience. This documentary series follows three of the season’s key figures – Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, and UCLA’s Kiki Rice – on and off the floor as they navigate the pressure and scrutiny that comes with playing at the NCAA’s highest level, at a time when the game has never received more attention.

Strategy & Execution

Full Court Press manages to perfectly capture a historic season of women’s college basketball and heightened attention on the WNBA. It is both a moment in time and a story that is universal, one of hope, character, loss, and triumph – everything we love about the game, and then some.

Organizations

• ESPN
• Omaha Productions
• Words + Pictures

Links

•   Website
•  Dream Chasers (Ep. 1)
•  Down to Business (Ep. 2)
•  Fearless (Ep. 3)
•  The Moment (Ep. 4)

Featured

• Caitlin Clark
• Kamilla Cardoso
• Kiki Rice

Credits

Kristen Lappas
Director
Words + Pictures

Peyton Manning
Executive Producer
Omaha Productions

Caitlin Clark
Executive Producer
ESPN Films

Jaime Horowitz
Executive Producer
Omaha Productions

Connor Schell
Executive Producer
Words + Pictures

Therese Andrews
Executive Producer
Words + Pictures

Colin Campbell
Executive Producer
Omaha Productions

Tim Brown
Executive Producer
Omaha Productions

Libby Geist
Executive Producer
Words + Pictures

Aaron Cohen
Executive Producer
Words + Pictures

Alexa Conway
Executive Producer
Words + Pictures

Nick Eisenberg
Executive Producer
Words + Pictures

Heather Anderson
Executive Producer
ESPN

Brian Lockhart
Executive Producer
ESPN

Burke Magnus
Executive Producer
ESPN

Lindsay Rovegno
Executive Producer
ESPN

Suzy Beck
Producer
ESPN

Hannah Beir
Producer
Words + Pictures

Adrienne Gallagher
Producer
ESPN

Caroline Cannon
Producer
ESPN

Erin Leyden
Producer
Words + Pictures

Lucy Sexton
Producer
ESPN

Jeremy Lundblad
Producer
Omaha Productions

Jalaine Edwards
Producer
ESPN

Kati Fernandez
Producer
ESPN

Torey Champagne
Supervising Producer
ESPN

Vin D'Anton
Supervising Producer
Words + Pictures