ESPN, ABC, and Disney+ delivered viewership numbers that saw declines from the previous year, but still finished respectable for their coverage of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend. The network group saw large audiences for both Friday night’s Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest and Saturday’s main event — the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.
Friday night’s broadcast of the WNBA Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest on ESPN averaged 1.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched edition of those events in league history. The number represents an 89% increase over last year’s telecast, a staggering year-over-year jump that signals momentum for the league and its media partners. The programming was the most-viewed program across all television in primetime among adults 18-34 as well as persons under 35.
Saturday night’s WNBA All-Star Game averaged 2.2 million viewers across ABC, ESPN+, and Disney+, according to Nielsen data. That figure marks a 158% increase compared to the 2023 game and earned the title of the most-watched program across all of television that night.
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark did not participate in the All-Star Game this year due to injury, which impacted the viewership for the contest. The 2025 viewership was down 36% from last year’s game in which Clark and her All-Star teammates played the US Women’s Olympic team. Last year’s game drew 3.4 million as far as viewership, but the 2025 showcase still becomes the second most-watched WNBA All-Star Game of all time, trailing only the last year’s contest.
It should be noted that the 2023 All-Star Game drew 850,000 viewers, but Clark was still playing at the University of Iowa. The 2025 contest is only the second in WNBA history to draw more than 2 million viewers.
These numbers continue a trend of year-over-year growth for the WNBA and highlight the importance of multi-platform distribution. Additionally, the upward trajectory aligns with a larger movement around women’s sports. Increased investment, broader accessibility, and a commitment to storytelling have all helped to boost visibility for the WNBA in particular.
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