WNBA Reaches New Heights in Viewership
The 2024 WNBA season has come to a close, and what a season it was! The New York Liberty’s thrilling overtime victory over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals drew in a massive audience, making it the most-watched WNBA Finals game since 1999.
A Record-Breaking Audience
The game, which aired on ESPN, pulled in an impressive 2.15 million viewers, earning a 1.1 rating. This marks the fourth-largest audience ever for a WNBA Finals game, with the other three broadcast on NBC. To put this into perspective, the previous high for a Game 5 of the WNBA Finals was a mere 913,000 viewers, set back in 2017.
The Caitlin Clark Effect
But what’s behind this surge in viewership? Look no further than rookie sensation Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever. Clark has been drawing in huge crowds all season, with four of her team’s games, the WNBA draft, and the WNBA All-Star Game all boasting larger audiences than Sunday’s championship game. In fact, the league reached at least 1 million viewers for a whopping 32 broadcasts this year, shattering the previous record of 15 set back in 1998.
A Bright Future Ahead
As the WNBA continues to grow in popularity, it’s clear that the future is bright for women’s basketball. With talented players like Clark leading the charge, it’s no wonder that more and more fans are tuning in to catch the action. And with the league switching to a best-of-seven format next season, there’s never been a better time to get on board.
By the Numbers
- 2.15 million: The number of viewers who tuned in to watch the Liberty take on the Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals.
- 1.1: The rating earned by the game, making it the most-watched WNBA Finals game since 1999.
- 32: The number of broadcasts that reached at least 1 million viewers this season, a new record for the league.
- 24: The number of games involving the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark that drew in at least 1 million viewers.
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