ESPN is celebrating another milestone in its coverage of women’s basketball, delivering its most-watched WNBA regular season across ESPN and ABC platforms, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel. The network aired 25 regular season contests this year, averaging 1.3 million viewers per game. That figure represents a six percent increase over last season’s record-setting campaign, underscoring the steady growth in national interest around the league.
Moreover, ESPN owned nearly the entire top of the viewership charts. Eight of the 10 most-watched WNBA games this season aired on ESPN networks, including a historic broadcast on May 17. The Chicago Sky–Indiana Fever matchup, carried on ABC, drew 2.7 million viewers. Making it the most-watched WNBA game in the network’s history.
The strong live-game performance was accompanied by notable gains in studio programming. WNBA Countdown averaged 549,000 viewers across 17 editions, including coverage from All-Star Weekend. That number marked a seven percent year-over-year increase, continuing a trend of fans engaging more consistently with shoulder content built around live events.
At the same time, ESPN’s digital initiatives showed even sharper spikes. Hoop Streams and The Wrap-Up grew viewership per show by 15 percent year-over-year. Average watch time rose dramatically, up 61 percent.
Both series stream across the ESPN App, YouTube, and Facebook, with additional content extensions on Instagram. Those figures indicate the multiplatform strategy is resonating, especially with younger audiences consuming WNBA content beyond traditional television.
Looking ahead, ESPN’s commitment to women’s basketball continues with exclusive rights to the 2025 WNBA Playoffs. The postseason tips off Sunday, September 14, at 1 p.m. on ESPN. The network will televise every game of the playoffs, providing comprehensive coverage of a field that includes the defending champion New York Liberty and top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, along with the Las Vegas Aces, Indiana Fever, Atlanta Dream, Golden State Valkyries, Phoenix Mercury, and Seattle Storm.
As the playoffs begin this weekend, all eyes will turn toward whether the postseason can build on the momentum of a record-breaking regular season.
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