According to a company release, average viewership for the WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION in 2024 increased by 133% from 2023, and the network attracted 23.37 million unique viewers across games and wrap shows. The male audience (ages 25-54) grew 181%.
The E.W. Scripps Company and the WNBA just completed the second year of a multi-year agreement which sees ION air weekly double-headers in primetime on Fridays during the regular season.
ION broadcast a WNBA-high 43 regular-season games and a league-high 67 hours of WNBA regular-season content. They also added a studio show this year out of a studio which was designed and built specifically for ION on WNBA studio shows.
A few other highlights from the season include the WNBA games on ION averaging 670,000 viewers, which is a 133% increase from 2023. 7 of the telecasts exceeded an average of 1 million viewers, with the high being the Aug. 20 game between Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever going up against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky, nationally, while a local broadcast of Minnesota and Dallas also aired, and the two combined for an average of 1.6 million and peaked at 1.92 million.
The company said the success of the WNBA broadcasts helped them add more than 20 new advertisers over the course of the season.
On social media, interest soared, with the WNBA on ION socials generating over 100 million impressions on Instagram, X and Facebook through collaborations with players, teams and the league.
“This season was a big step forward for the WNBA and its players in terms of exposure both in arenas and on television,” said Brian Lawlor, Scripps Sports president in a release. “It was so fun to watch the momentum build throughout the season. Scripps is thrilled to have played a part in that.”
“We are incredibly pleased with the success of our partnership with Scripps Sports, which has played a pivotal role in amplifying the reach and visibility of the WNBA season,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Through this partnership, we’ve been able to showcase great basketball with a broader audience, deepening the connection between the league, the players and our growing fanbase while delivering record-breaking viewership numbers.”
