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WNBA’s First Five Games See 74% Increase In Viewership

Written by MOS Editorial Team

Published on 2 June 2021

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SPN reported an average of 357,000 viewers tuned in to the first five games of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) regular season.

The figure is a 74% increase on the average viewership for the entirety of the 2020 season (205,000 viewers) and a 45% increase on the average viewership for 2019.

SportsPro Media reported the WNBA also scored record ratings in Canada with a 325% increase in average viewership during the league’s opening weekend.

In the COVID-19 affected 2020 season, the league recorded a 16% drop in viewership across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, but still managed an increase of 15% in finals viewership.

According to Forbes, “Women’s basketball has steadily increased viewership year-over-year” and the increase in the WNBA’s viewership “coincides with the most-ever league games on national television [with] ESPN adding 13 games to their 2020 broadcast slate.”

This year, in addition to the games on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, for the first time Amazon Prime Video will also be streaming 16 regular season games, as well as the final of the Commissioners Cup.