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The record-breaking season has come to an end for the WNBA and ESPN reports the overall increase from their coverage in 2023 to 2024 was 155%. Through the regular season, playoffs and finals, ESPN platforms averaged 1.2 million viewers for WNBA games, making it the most-watched full season on ESPN platforms ever.
ESPN platforms televised 22 postseason games with the New York Liberty securing the franchise’s first WNBA championship, defeating the Minnesota Lynx in an overtime thriller in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday, Oct. 20. The 2024 postseason averaged 1.1 million viewers – up 139% over 2023’s postseason – making it the most-viewed WNBA postseason in 25 years.
The WNBA Finals ended as the most-watched Finals in 25 years as it averaged 1.6 million viewers, a 115% increase over 2023. Games 3, 4 and 5 each became the most-viewed WNBA Finals games ever on cable.
32 WNBA telecasts across all networks (including the 2024 WNBA Draft and the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game) averaged more than 1 million viewers each with 22 of those airing on ESPN platforms. ESPN was home to the most-watched game of the regular season which featured Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever playing Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on June 23, averaging 2.3 million viewers.
