Viewing figures for the WNBA hit record highs on ABC, CBS and ESPN this season, the league said Wednesday, citing the addition of two expansion teams as a key factor.
ABC averaged 1.56 million viewers, up 9% from 2025, while CBS averaged 1.27 million, also up 9%. ESPN averaged 1.24 million viewers, a 32% increase from the previous year.
The league, which added teams in Portland and Toronto this season, reported its most-attended campaign, with nearly 4 million fans attending games.
The WNBA marked its 30th season during a period of rapid growth. Three more teams are scheduled to begin play in 2028, 2029 and 2030 amid rising global interest in women’s sports.
This comes in the first year of a new media-rights deal, with further expansion planned (additional teams debuting in 2028, 2029, and 2030). Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s statement matches the league’s release, emphasizing three decades of growth and optimism ahead.
The numbers reflect a clear upward trajectory in women’s basketball interest, driven by star power, expansion, venue moves for high-demand games, and broader media distribution.
“For three decades, generations of players, teams, fans and so many others have dedicated themselves to building this league and making a season like this possible,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “There is tremendous pride in what we’ve accomplished together and even greater excitement for all that lies ahead.”