WNBA Sets More TV Ratings Records

 The WNBA has been making waves in terms of viewership records recently. Let’s dive into the details:

🠊ION Media: Over the Memorial Day weekend, the WNBA set several viewership records, with ION leading the way. The game between the Indiana Fever and the L.A. Sparks on Friday drew an impressive 724,000 viewers during the late primetime window (10 pm ET tip). Notably, this matchup featured the No. 1 pick, Caitlin Clark, facing off against the No. 2 pick, Cameron Brink. This figure represents the highest viewership for a WNBA game on ION so far. It’s worth noting that ION is in the second year of its WNBA rights deal, and this was their first Fever game this season, according to The Sports Business Journal.

🠊CBS: On Saturday afternoon, CBS carried the game between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx, attracting a record 704,000 viewers. This marked the highest viewership for a WNBA game on CBS. The previous record was set last season during a Phoenix Mercury-Liberty match in June 20231.

🠊NBA TV: NBA TV also had a significant viewership milestone. The game between the Fever and the Las Vegas Aces on Saturday night (9 pm tip) averaged 333,000 viewers, making it the network’s best-performing WNBA game yet. Keep an eye out for more records when the figures for Tuesday’s Fever-Sparks game are released later today. NBA TV has been stepping up its WNBA coverage, and this season’s viewership has been impressive compared to last year’s numbers1.

In addition to these specific games, the WNBA’s 2023 season as a whole has been a success. 

It delivered record-breaking viewership across its national television partners, including ABC, CBS, ESPN, and ESPN2. Viewership was up 21 percent compared to the 2022 season, making it the most-watched regular season in 21 years. The league also achieved new highs in digital platforms, social media engagement, and sports betting.