The WNBA does not usually experience the same enthusiasm as it is present among the audiences for the NBA league. However, the female-dominated clan of basketball has also experienced immeasurable growth and unexpected records in viewership and audience attendance. The fame of the likes of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has certainly added to the rise of female basketball culture among the hooping community.
How has it impacted the league? How the viewership and the surge in attendance might add to the revenue model of the league? The following piece of information contains the upcoming trends, the WNBA team’s contribution to the viewership surge, and a comparison between them.
How WNBA Viewership Has Evolved in 2024
In 2024, the WNBA had over 54 million unique viewers watching across ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ION, and NBA TV, setting a new all-time record. Twenty-two regular season game broadcasts reached a minimum average of 1 million viewers. A total of 136.29 million hours were spent watching the season on national networks, setting a new record. Some more viewership highlights are as follows:
- This regular season had the highest number of views ever on ESPN platforms, averaging 1.19 million viewers, a 170% jump from the previous season. The 2024 WNBA season saw the highest viewership in history for games on ESPN, ABC, and ESPN2, with the top seven most-watched games on ESPN, two highest on ABC, and one on ESPN2.
- CBS Sports achieved its highest viewership during a regular season, averaging 1.10 million viewers, marking an 86% increase from the previous year, and also had its highest number of streams on Paramount+. CBS experienced their top five highest-rated games, with the Chicago Sky at Indiana game on June 16 drawing 2.25 million viewers, the most ever.
- ION experienced a little north of a 133% surge in viewership, averaging 670,000 viewers. Moreover, about seven telecasts accumulated at least 1 million viewers.
- NBA TV saw its WNBA game viewership multiply over four times in comparison to its 2023 record. As per official data from the WNBA, the most-watched game was the Indiana Fever Vs Las Vegas Aces matchup on September 11, with 678,000 viewers.
- It was the most-watched ABC broadcast of the 2024 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, reaching 3.4 million viewers with a +305% increase as compared to the previous season, whereas 22 games of the regular season also made it into the over 1 million viewers list.
Also Read: WNBA Single-Game Assist Record in History
Comparing WNBA Viewership in 2024 vs 2023
WNBA Playoffs goes into tonight’s Game 3 of the Lynx-Liberty Finals with league-best viewership across ESPN networks in 25 years. Based on the playoffs thus far, the average number of viewers per game across ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC stands at just shy of 1 million. The aforementioned stat ensured a 131% surge from the 2023 postseason (435,000 viewers) of the league. And it’s not just that! there was also a 119% high at the same point in 2022 (457,000 viewers). Five postseason games this year have topped 1 million viewers with two of them featuring the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark.
WNBA Attendance Figures for 2024
The WNBA witnessed a 48% escalation in total attendance this season. Surprisingly, it surpassed all records, reaching the highest number in 22 years, with 2,353,735 fans attending the WNBA games. The 2023 season saw 45 sellouts in the league. However, in the 2024 season, the league recorded a 242% surge with 154 sellouts. Let’s look at the current season’s attendance points in advance:
- Of the fans who came to watch the action, the attendance count increased by 48% in comparison to last year’s on-venue audience. An average of about 9,807 people turned out to watch their favorite teams live during WNBA games this season, compared to the 6,615 fans that attended the games the previous season.
- The Indiana versus Washington Mystics game on Sept. 19 at Capital One Arena broke the WNBA single-game attendance record with 20,711 fans. It was one of three games that attracted 20,000 fans or more this season, alongside Indiana vs. Las Vegas on July 2 (20,366) and Indiana vs. Washington on June 7 (20,333).
- The Fever set a new WNBA team record for single-season home attendance with 340,715 fans, surpassing New York’s previous record of 250,565 set in 2001 over 16 games.
- Every one of the 12 WNBA teams experienced an increase in attendance this season, with the biggest growth seen in Indiana (+319%), Los Angeles (+69%) and New York (+64%).
- The average attendance for the 30 games in the Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase increased by 42% compared to last season, reaching 9,377 fans per game.
Also Read: 10 Players with the Most Triple-Doubles in WNBA History
WNBA Viewership by Team: Which Teams Lead in 2024?
More than the teams, the 2024 WNBA season viewership surge was more about the player rivalry, like the rising star of the league, Caitlin Clark.
Therefore, teams like Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky can be credited as the leaders in terms of viewership for the 2024 season, according to Forbes. The Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky game, which featured first-year WNBA (and former college) rivals Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, was the most-watched regular season game.
Chicago’s 88-87 victory over Indiana made it the most-watched WNBA game in 23 seasons. The game was broadcast on ESPN on June 23 and drew an average viewership of 2.35 million. Another Indiana-Chicago game on CBS drew an average of 2.25 million viewers the week before.
The WNBA’s ratings boom extended into the first round of the playoffs, as the Indiana Fever qualified for the postseason for the first time in eight years. NFL, a powerhouse in ratings, broadcasted the first four playoff games in reverse order. Despite Connecticut’s overwhelming victory, the Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun game had the best rating of the day, drawing an average of 1.84 million people on ABC. It was the highest-viewed WNBA playoff game since 2003. The average for the final three playoff games, however, had been 394,000.
With an average viewership of 2.5 million, ESPN broadcasted the second Indiana-Connecticut playoff game. On all ESPN platforms, the game was the most watched WNBA postseason game ever. It was the highest-watched WNBA playoff game since Game 2 of the 1999 Western Conference Finals, which drew an average of 2.62 million viewers, according to Sports Media Watch. Caitlin Clark’s freshman season came to an end when Indiana lost.
Looking Ahead: What Does This Mean for the Future of the WNBA?
Taking a quick glance over the growth trajectory, the WNBA could well end up becoming one of the most shining leagues. However, the important areas to watch out for in the following developments can be:
- International Expansion: The WNBA rapidly expands its international reach due to new streaming agreements in over 200 territories and higher viewership in Canada. The international distribution rights for the 2024 season were negotiated with the UK (TNT Sports), Taiwan (Videoland), China (OPG), Brazil (YouTube), and the Philippines (TapDMV). Also, the league has offered Canada a league expansion that will start to play in 2026. The 2024 WNBA regular-season viewership in Canada soared 148 percent from the previous year.
- Sponsorship Luring: The league is, therefore, more attractive because of high levels of engagement, which draw in the sponsor and increase income and remunerations on salaries.
- Enhancing the Game Experience For Fans: Improving the Fan Experience is among the attempts of the WNBA to ensure lasting allegiance through investment in improving fan experiences. From digital platforms to arenas welcoming fans, the league has kept in mind perfect fan catering.
Things will only go up from here in the WNBA if such a trend is constantly maintained with investments and fan involvement.