wnba viewership statistics wnba viewership statistics

Digital: A record was set for the traffic the WNBA site saw online. On TNT, in the measurement from 2011-12, NBA viewership is down 40%. The Christmas Day lineup netted a 10% increase in viewership, with the Dallas Mavericks and Lakers contest averaging 7.01 million viewers. Saturdays inaugural fixture on the streaming service saw the Atlanta Dream secure a thrilling 90-87 win over the New York Liberty in overtime. NBA commissioner Adam Silver reports that the WNBA has lost an average of $10 million every year it has existed, which the NBA subsidizes out of the goodness of its politically correct heart. Later in the season, the league also delivered its most-watched regular-season game since 2012, with ABC averaging 755,000 viewers for a matchup between the Seattle Storm and Chicago Sky on Aug. 15. The league added it's also the most-viewed WNBA season since 2008. A multi-year deal with Amazon Prime Video made the WNBA the first womens professional sports league to be streamed on Prime Video. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. It was the most watched Finals series since 2017. 1 June 2021 Sam Carp News SHARE THIS ARTICLE. The league also reached several milestones including new sponsors, merchandise, distribution, and technology. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images), television ratings were down 16 percent in the regular season, organize political and social movements among fans and viewers. The mens league casts a big shadow, which is why the WNBA plays its season from July to October. ESPN said the WNBA league attracted 417,000 total viewers for Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday between the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury. ", Regular season attendance WNBA games 2022. Most Super Bowl wins by NFL team 1967-2023, Average ticket price in the NFL by team 2021, FIFA World Ranking: top male soccer teams 2022, Athletic footwear global market share by company 2015, Health & Fitness Clubs - Statistics & Facts, Sporting goods industry in the U.S. - statistics & facts, Research expert covering sports and video gaming, Profit from additional features with an Employee Account. This year, ESPNs 2021 WNBA schedule featured 24 regular season games, as well as the WNBA Playoffs and Finals, the WNBA All-Star Game, and the annual WNBA Draft. The rest, as they say, is history. . Black History Month: Emerging Leaders | Renee Montgomery: An Owner with a Players Perspective, WNBA Draft 2023 Presented By State Farm To Be Held On April 10th. ESPN added 13 games to their 2020 broadcast slate after their opening weekend broadcast was up. The NBAs average attendance is 17,760, the WNBAs 6,535. And that's across the league's four television-network partners ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, TNT and the highest average since the NBA's 2013-14 season. The leagues fixtures were averaging 357,000 viewers across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 after the first five games of the current campaign, which is the WNBAs 25th season. 4 Seattle Storm received a bye into the second round. As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. And the 2021 WNBA Finals winners, the Chicago Sky, sold more merchandise on Fanatics since their WNBA title win over just two days than any other prior WNBA champ has sold in the first 30 days following a title victory. The campaign generated 9 million impressions on the leagues owned social media accounts alone, according to data provided to me by the social media data firm Zoomph. If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again. The third and fourth seeds the No. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. An NBA Draft . During 2021 opening weekend, Sky-Mystics WNBA regular season game averaged a 0.39 rating and 611,000 viewers on ABC, and a rematch of that Storm-Aces final later that day averaged a 0.39 and 598,000 on ABC both securing a place in the top three records of the leagues largest regular season audience in nine years, at that time. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. Dont let WNBA stories go untold. The NBA opened the 2020-21 season to a strong start after enjoying the most-watched opening week since 2012, with combined viewership up 67% compared to last year. NBA games average 2 million TV viewers per game;WNBA games averaged 246,000 viewers during the 2019 regular season, according to Sports Media Watch (well ignore the 2020 season impacted by the pandemic). ESPN said on Thursday that the WNBA Finals averaged about 548,000 viewers per game, up 23% from last season and up 42% from 2019. The showdown between UConn and Baylor in the Elite Eight round was themost-watched NCAA Tournament game in 10 years, excluding Final Four matchups, reported Forbes. ET, before the No. Strauss adds the league's local viewership, too, has sharply declined. The Pac-12 and SEC commissioners will be bringing NIL issues to lawmakers, High school girls golf: 3A region recaps, Richfield, Morgan, Union and Judge Memorial claim region titles, High school boys soccer: 3A/2A second round recap from Wednesdays games, It reportedly wont be long until the Mountain West Conference eliminates divisions, Change may be on the way for the transfer portal and college football recruiting. Monday's Game 2 of the ALCS drew 1.88 million . Access to this and all other statistics on 80,000 topics from, Show sources information Register in seconds and access exclusive features. The 2021 WNBA Finals on ESPN networks and ABC - Chicago Sky victory over the Phoenix Mercury - averaged 548,000 viewers across four games, a 23 percent increase from 2020 (447,000 average viewers in three games) and a 42 percent surge from 2019 (386,000 average viewers in five games). 92-59 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals to win the Championship at Feld Entertainment Center on October 06, 2020 in Palmetto, Florida. The strong showing in 2021 made it the most-viewed postseason since 2014. The 2023 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament presented by TIAA marks the 30th in conference history. Last year, Sabrina Ionescu went first to New York. Candace Parker #3 of the Chicago Sky celebrates with her teammates after winning Game Four of the 2021 WNBA Finals against the Phoenix Mercury on October 17, 2021 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. I was beginning to question how the Las Vegas Aces could even afford the roster they currently have: 2022 All-WNBA First-Team and WNBA All-Star MVP Kelsey Plum, 2022 WNBA Champion and Finals MVP Chelsea Gray, 2020/2022 WNBA MVP and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year A'ja Wilson and, oh yeah, now Candace Parker, too. A hockey podcast that doesn't talk about last night's scores. Spurred by sales of the new Nike H.E.R. The 2021 NBA Playoffs overall (inclusive of Finals) averaged 4.25 million viewers across ABC, ESPN and TNT, up 35% vs. the 2020 postseason. "Level of Interest in Wnba in The United States as of May 2022, by Gender. Learn more about how Statista can support your business. [12] Print Page. When fans werent tuned in, they engaged with social content in record numbers. The MLB World Series averaged 13.91 million viewers nationally, down 1.3% from last year. Meanwhile, across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok,the WNBA set records for social media engagement with 135 million video views and 14.5 million actions. It has taken decades to overcome such backward thinking, and the womens games have been playing catch-up ever since. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images). The BarDown podcast will investigate, uncover and explore long-form stories at the intersection of sports . Strong Regular Season Growth Accessed March 05, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236723/wnba-regular-season-viewers/, SportsPro. According to The Athletic, the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game peaked at 768,000 viewers. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, the Los Angeles Sparks reported just 18,319 attendees in 2021. Please do not hesitate to contact me. Womens tennis is as popular or more popular than the mens game, and womens gymnastics is much more popular than the mens sport. The champion Chicago Sky sold out both of their home games during the Finals and ticket . The late 90s and early 2000s had some of the highest regular season game best attendance averages to date. 2 seeded Chicago Sky and the reigning Finals MVP Kahleah Copper begin their defense of the WNBA title at home against the seventh seeded New York Liberty and All-Stars Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Howard on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. Twenty-five years ago, the National Basketball Association Board of Directors approved the Womens National Basketball Association. The WNBA has also made room for males who share their vision. "Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s)." While the NBA had higher viewership numbers last summer, 68% of our fans watched the NBA versus 82% of them watching a regular-season WNBA game. The ratings also represent a 63 percent increase from those in 2020. The first round then continues Thursday, Aug. 18, when the No. July's All-Star Game averaged 734,000 viewers, a 53% increase.. It seems preposterous now, but only 50 years ago womens high school sports largely did not exist. James Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content, WNBA Free Agency Special Set for ESPN2 on Wednesday, Feb. 1. to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. His season stats have been removed from the XFL website but are still available via the Guardians' Week 1 box score. Of the eight original teams, only the Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, and the New York Liberty have lasted. And the Las Vegas Aces, Connecticut Sun, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, New York Liberty, and Atlanta Dream all were on a decline. The Chicago Sky emerged victorious,winning 87-85 in overtime at their home court. According to Statista, the average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season in 2016 was 224,000 and grew to 246,000 in 2019. Game 2 (Oct. 13, ESPN) became the most-viewed Game 2 since 2003 and the most-viewed Finals game since 2017s Game 5. VIEWERSHIP: Combined viewership for the WNBA across ESPN Networks (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2) and the CBS Television Network was up 16 percent over the 2021 regular season, averaging 379,000. The increase in WNBA viewership coincides with the most-ever league games on national television. August 17, 2022, League Sets Social, Digital and Merchandising Records , In Their Final Seasons, Sylvia Fowles First Player to Record 4,000 Rebounds in a Career; Sue Bird Records 1,000 Three-Pointers Made , The 2022 WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google Tips Off Wednesday, Aug. 17. The championship game (Oct. 17, ESPN) registered 417,000 viewers and peaked with 623,000 viewers, up 32 percent from 2019s Game 4 between the Connecticut Sun and the Washington Mystics. Additionally, the WNBA saw an increase in the opening weekend and postseason viewership last season while it alongside the NBA return to play, the NWSL Challenge Cup, and the NHL return to play. And average league-wide attendance tends to be heaviest in August each year. WNBA players want what NBA players spent decades trying to obtain. Draft coverage peaked at about 463,000 viewers. WNBA viewership during the 2021 regular season was up 49 percent year over year. Theres a big gap between PGA Tour and LPGA Tour prize money. Plus, we discuss some fun attendance facts that might surprise you, and what led to 69 million social media impressions for the league this year. 4), and the Chicago Sky (No. The workplace benefits historically marginalized groups enjoy from unionization are well-documented. 4), andBreanna Stewart(No. Click the logo and sign up for access to the ESPN Images Library. Add in the leagues partnership with CBS Sports Network as well as Facebook and Twitter, and nearly every game was televised for a national audience in 2020. You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature. At the same time, the leagues digital footprint tells a slightly different story. How about how many people were willing to leave the comfort of their homes and hit the arena? Regardless, the inevitable "Steenerico" reunion to take down The Bloodline . Alex Ovechkin has led the Capitals this season with 33 goals, 24 assists, and 244 shots on goal. LPGA golfers face the same challenge. Because it's time., This is a BETA experience. So today, well take break down the leagues growth. How do you get that bias out of that valuation model? 2023 Players Check out our Player Season Finder to search through the entire history of WNBA player stats using custom criteria. That number was up 18% year over year, according to ESPN, despite the competition. I cover women's sports and the intersection of sports & society. Yesterday was a historic day for the @WNBA @nikebasketball released 3new designs for each team and the reveal ERUPTED on social media There were over 17K posts, 646K engagements, and 69 MILLION impressions about the drop Which one is your fave?#WNBA pic.twitter.com/kmj2uNzu0j. It then followed up the news by announcing prior to the start of the season that U.S. Bank would become the newest member of the WNBA Changemakers, the leagues collective of purpose-driven companies that harness their power to elevate women in sports and support the leagues mission around advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Terrell Buckley, a 14-year NFL veteran and Super Bowl champion, knows a thing or two about work ethic and during an XFL game on Sunday, he blasted his team for their performance. The WNBA reached several milestones in its landmark season. system, which features three uniform editions for each of the 12 teams, WNBA merchandise on The WNBA Store saw record growth this season with a 50% increase over last year. And the new-age distributed sports network and brand, Overtime, reported that in 2021, OT WBB, their TikTok handle focused on womens basketball was in the top 25 of all sports media accounts on TikTok. Measuring the post-season revenue is a bit difficult, but estimating is assisted by presented viewership numbers. Just two weeks later and five games in, WNBA ratings climbed even higher to 74% year over year growth. This year the WNBA celebrated its 25th season and with that came exponential viewership growth across multiple categories on ESPN networks. WNBA games averaged 321,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and CBS during the regular season, up 51% from last year and the league's most-watched season in 13 years. Several college stars embarked on their WNBA journey today as all 12 teams officially opened training camp. For a league that is still focused on growth and evening the playing field, the virtual pandemic season still produced reason for optimism. The 2014 WNBA finals averaged 659,000 viewers across the ESPN channels, up 91% from the 2013 finals between the Minnesota Lynx and the Atlanta Dream which averaged 345,000. WNBA DELIVERS MOST-WATCHED REGULAR SEASON SINCE 2008 5) followed Sabrina on the list of top five most popular jerseys. There was just more interest because everything has been more available, starting with the college games. Plum notes the difference in narratives between the two leagues. Here is the average WNBA attendance by team for the 2021 regular season: Total WNBA attendance by team in 2021 was led by the Phoenix Mercury with 93,585 fans. 5) followed. The showdown recorded 789,000 viewers, peaking at a million for the primetime presentation. The drop of new jerseys alone yielded over 69 million impressions on drop day. The WNBA averaged 413,000 viewers in that year. PALMETTO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 06: The Seattle Storm celebrates after defeating the Las Vegas Aces [+] 92-59 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals to win the Championship at Feld Entertainment Center on October 06, 2020 in Palmetto, Florida. Stats say that 66% of WNBA viewers are actually male. Former Baylor guard and current New York Liberty draft pick DiDi Richards has a projected sponsorship value of $254 thousand based on her social media impressions calculated by Zoomph. Im not going to rest till I fix that. said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. 3 Minnesota Lynx and the No. Which leads us here: The average NBA salary is about $7.5 million; according to the league, the average WNBA salary in 2019 was reportedly about $116,000, but a new collective bargaining agreement which runs from 2020 to 2027 provides a 53% pay increase, plus maternity leave at full salary, $5,000 for child care, and as much as $60,000 for adoption, surrogacy, egg freezing and fertility treatments. The NBA is 75 years old, the WNBA 25. The WNBAs Covid-disrupted 2020 regular season averaged 205,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. The premiere episode of Not Dead Yet had about 7.6 million viewers and a 1.76 rating among the 18-49 demographic in the seven days after its premiere on across linear and digital platforms. News Archive; Media Central; Game Notes; 2022-23 Dream Overseas Updates; 2023 Schedule Release; Team Store. This years Finals were also down on 2018, which was also a Seattle sweep, but when you consider what the ratings environment is, you cant ask for anything better, John Lewis of Paulsen Sports Media Watch told me. . Zoomph data shows the WNBA has a fan base that is nearly two times more female than average, which could mean more purchasing power than more male-centered sports, a strong sign for advertising. Official Release As for the WNBA post-season, it was the most viewed since 2014. The first round will be the best-of-three, while the semifinals and Finals will be best-of-five series. The 2023 World Baseball Classic, the first since 2017, will get underway on Tuesday, March 7. I just really hope that this is the beginning and there's no backtracking. In essence Black males are the main supporters of the WNBA, yet Layshia Clarendon decided to focus her anger towards them. Game 2 was the most watched Game 2 since 2003, peaking with 1 million viewers. On the surface, it appears that the women have little argument there is no comparison between NBA and WNBA revenues but first lets understand what WNBA players want. Currently, you are using a shared account. The 2022 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google tips off on Wednesday, Aug. 17, when the No. For the 2021 season, the WNBA's combined viewership averaged 306,000 viewers across Disney networks (ABC, ESPN) and CBS Television Network. The 2022 No. A Division of NBCUniversal. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. WNBA Stats and History Statistics, scores, and history for the Women's National Basketball Association. According to ESPN, the 2021 WNBA Finals were the most-viewed since 2017, with an average of 548,000 viewers across ESPN networks and ABC. Game 1 (Oct. 10, ABC) was the most-viewed opening game of the WNBA Finals since 2017, registering 456,000 viewers and peaking with 547,000. September 21, 2022. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury mostly held steady. 3), the Phoenix Mercury (No. Baseball viewership statistics were down 20% from the 2014-15 season. Overall, WNBA ratings were down, but the Finals between the Las Vegas Aces and the Seattle Storm were up 15% from the 2019 five-game series between the Aces and the Washington Mystics the year prior. The ratings ultimately came around to back this up as well, as the star-laden Finals showed a 15 percent uptick in viewership over 2019 even in a fairly dominant Seattle Storm sweep over Wilsons Las Vegas Aces. ESPN is making it easy to watch the Draft, Bria Felicien, the creator of The Black Sportswoman, said. 1 overall pick Rhyne Howard of the Atlanta Dream became the first rookie to win a Conference Player of the Week honor since Tamika Catchings in 2002. (But) there will be more opportunities for that coming up next season.. The four-game series averaged 548,000 viewers, according to ESPN. Today's top WNBA players can earn upwards of $500,000, courtesy of last year's landmark collective bargaining agreement, which guaranteed new maternity benefits and better travel conditions. A paid subscription is required for full access. The 2021 Finals are the most viewed since the 2017 Finals between the LA Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx, which registered 563,000 viewers. Business Solutions including all features. statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. Ultimately, its a missed opportunity for the WNBA. The 2021 WNBA regular season averaged 306,000 viewers, up 49 percent compared to 2020 and 24 percent to 2019, ESPN announced Thursday. No, the NBA won't get axed. WNBA 2021 commercial guide: Every franchise, every sponsor, all the major TV deals. The WNBAs Covid-disrupted 2020 regular season averaged 205,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, a drop of 16 per cent on the previous year. Use Ask Statista Research Service. More people tuned into the biggest WNBA games this year, even with many more options than usual. In the leagues previous 25 seasons, a total of just nine regular-season triple-doubles had been recorded with no more than one in a given season. As part of the agreement, the league established a new platform, WNBA Changemakers, to attract corporate investment in the league. The highest-rated game in the WNBA's 25th anniversary season: an Aug. 15 contest between the Sky and Storm. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. The NBA's average ticket price is variously reported at between $51 to $89; the WNBA's $17. In, SportsPro. ESPN added 13 games to their 2020 broadcast slate after their opening weekend broadcast was up 20% year-over-year. Show publisher information US broadcaster ESPN has revealed that viewership of the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) has been up significantly during the early weeks of the 2021 regular season. The WNBA capped off its historic 25thregular season by delivering its most-watched season since 2008 for its television partners ABC, CBS, ESPN and ESPN2 viewershipwas up 51% over the 2020 season. These decreases are what sitcoms experience before cancellation. For specifically the WNBA Finals in 2021, the first game of the series (Chicago Sky vs. Phoenix Mercury) peaked with 547,000 viewers, making it the most-viewed opening game of the Finals since 2017. Viewership is up 89% from the 2020 MLB playoffs and there is a 3% spike from the playoffs in 2019. All year, league executives were gratified that ESPN agreed to increase its investment in the league and air a record 37 games across its networks, about three times its typical WNBA slate. The three-game series averaged 848,000 viewers. Interest in womens basketball is on the rise. For instance, there may have been no more exciting moment in the WNBA postseason than Phoenix Mercury guard Shey Peddys buzzer-beater against her former team, the Washington Mystics, in the first-round single-elimination game on Sept. 16. Register in seconds and access exclusive features. "Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender." Four players logged seven triple-doubles in the regular season. You cant ask for anything better than to have a 15 percent increase (for the Finals) when the NBA Finals is down 49 percent.. Also, the viewership on ESPN and ESPN2 increased 11% from 202,000 views last season to 224,000. The Seattle Storm vs. Chicago Sky game on Aug. 15, broadcast . Season. Each of Wilson, Stewart and Bird generated more than $600,000 in social value this season, in large part because they were some of the most active athletes on the platform when it came to sharing content from other brands and personalities. Her Oregon teammates Satou Sabally (second overall to Dallas Wings) and Ruthy Hebard (eighth overall to Chicago Sky) also went in the first round.