The 2024 WNBA Finals between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx are a testament to the growing interest in women’s basketball. The high-quality basketball during the title round has kept fans at the edge of their seats, translating into record-breaking viewership numbers.
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Per Front Office Sports, 2024 WNBA Finals Game 2 grabbed 1.34 million viewers on Sunday, becoming the second most-watched WNBA Finals game on ESPN since the 1998 Finals Game 3 between Houston Comets and Phoenix Mercury.
It is a huge feat considering that the game was aired alongside the NFL’s marquee affairs. Meanwhile, the 2024 WNBA Finals Game 3 took things up a notch as it set yet another record with 1.39 million viewers.
| Game | Viewers |
| Game 1 | 1.14 Million |
| Game 2 | 1.34 Million |
| Game 3 | 1.39 Million |
These viewership numbers have put the last four WNBA Finals series in the dust. During the 2023 WNBA Finals between the Las Vegas Aces and the Liberty, the average viewership was 729,000. Per the current trend, this year’s title race will garner at least half a million more views.
WNBA Finals viewership has grown steadily over the years
And while it pales compared to the 2024 WNBA Finals, it was a huge jump from the 2019 series when the average viewership was a mere 238,000. This only goes on to prove that the audience for the WNBA has been growing gradually but steadily for the past couple of years.
| Finals Series | Average Viewers |
| 2019- Washington Mystics vs Connecticut Sun | 238,000 |
| 2020- Las Vegas Aces vs Seattle Storm | 351,000 |
| 2021- Chicago Sky vs Phoenix Mercury | 469,000 |
| 2022- Connecticut Sun vs Las Vegas Aces | 555,000 |
| 2023- Las Vegas Aces vs New York Liberty | 729,000 |
Of course, the entry of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has been believed to be one of the drivers for the WNBA’s viewership increase. When the Indiana Fever were squaring off against the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the playoffs, the average viewership for the two games was 2.22 million, much higher than the Finals viewership.
Meanwhile, Fever Regular Season games saw an average of 1.19 million viewers, which was similar to the ongoing Finals. However, this doesn’t mean that the rest of the WNBA superstars are not a big draw.
Some of the audience that only tuned in for Clark has clearly realized that the league is full of other electric basketball talents. As a testament to that talent, the 2024 championship series has retained and expanded its viewership due to the fierce competition.
2024 Finals are a testament to league’s growing popularity and talent
Fans have been blown away by elite players like Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Courtney Williams, Jonquel Jones, Kayla McBride, and Sabrina Ionescu. During Game 1, Lynx guard Courtney Williams’ wild four-point play that helped send the game to Overtime turned heads. Meanwhile, Sabrina Ionescu’s 28-foot game-winner during Game 3 earned the biggest limelight in the mainstream media.
This year’s championship series, especially the penultimate game, showcased how much the league has developed and how bright the future is. With just 1 game remaining, and the title at stake, all eyes will be glued to Game 5. This battle on Sunday is bound to set yet another viewership record.
At any rate, these viewership numbers prove that the elite basketball craft of the WNBA players is finally being recognized at the mainstream level. It signals the beginning of a golden period for the league.
