Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
The first month of the WNBA season drew its highest attendance since the league’s second season in 1998 and the best television ratings in its history, the WNBA announced Tuesday.
The figures are the latest evidence of the surging popularity of the WNBA since it added No. 1 draft pick Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and other prominent rookies Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky and Cameron Brink of the Los Angeles Sparks, all of whom drew big audiences playing in college.
Across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, ION and NBA TV, WNBA games are averaging 1.32 million viewers, nearly tripling last season’s average of 462,000, the league said Tuesday.
Contests involving the Fever have set WNBA records for games on the Disney, ESPN, ABC, CBS, ION and NBA TV platforms.
“What’s happening now in women’s basketball is confirmation of what we’ve always known: The demand is there, and women’s sports is a valuable investment,” said Colie Edison, the WNBA’s chief growth officer. “We’re encouraged by growing engagement across all our verticals, especially as we welcome new and diverse audiences into our fandom. The WNBA continues to experience sustained growth as our league embraces this heightened momentum.”
The WNBA finished May having sold out more than half its games, more than double the number of sellouts last year. Approximately 400,000 fans have attended games, the most through the first month in 26 years.
Arenas have been filled to 94% capacity, a 17% rise from last year, the league said. Some games have been moved to bigger arenas to accommodate increased fan interest, such as Clark and the Fever playing at the Washington Wizards’ downtown arena in front of 20,333 fans last Friday night instead of the Mystics’ usual venue, which seats 4,200.
Clark and the Fever have been the biggest draw by far, drawing an average of 15,691 fans per game through their first 13 contests despite going 3-10. At home, the Fever have averaged 16,571 through five games, only about 700 spectators below capacity for their games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Last season, the Fever saw average attendance of 5,699 overall and only 4,066 at home.
The Fever are far outpacing the other WNBA teams in overall attendance. Running second through fifth, respectively, are the New York Liberty (10,540), Los Angeles (10,314), Seattle Storm (9,540) and Chicago (9,364).
On the television side, the WNBA said it saw a 96% increase in Hispanic viewers and a 67% increase in Black viewers.
Merchandise sales rose 236% from the same period last year, with Clark, Reese and Brink ranking in the top five for jersey sales during the first week of the season. Clark’s jersey set a sales record for a draft pick in any sport.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.
And yet the WNBA is squandering the greatest spectacle to ever adorn their league. Caitlin is the Tiger Woods of her sport. I’m incredulous as to how the W doesn’t recognize the moment and capitalize on it. The W needs a marketing plan that quiets the league’s haters (I’m looking at you, Chennedy Carter) and embraces the greatest opportunity the league has ever had. Outstanding opinion piece by Jason Riley in today’s The Wall Street Journal. Well worth reading!