Well reveal WNBA viewership by year. The ratings also represent a 63 percent increase from those in 2020. 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. New York Liberty (No. 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. 2023 Players Check out our Player Season Finder to search through the entire history of WNBA player stats using custom criteria. The league is nearly irrelevant to the average sports fan. The WNBA is riding a wave of momentum former All-Star Adrienne Goodson believes the league hasn't seen since its early days. ESPN added 13 games to their 2020 broadcast slate after their opening weekend broadcast was up 20% year-over-year. As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. 1 June 2021 Sam Carp News SHARE THIS ARTICLE. According to The Athletic, the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game peaked at 768,000 viewers. Connecticut's Diana Taurasi, left, is presented with a Phoenix Mercury jersey by WNBA President Val [+] Ackerman, right, after the Mercury chose her as the No. And Game 2 of that series averaged 1.2 million viewers on ABC. The three-game series averaged 848,000 viewers. WNBA fans are between 2 to 6.6 times more likely than an average sports fan to be interested in politics and especially womens rights, said Niky Scott, a customer success manager at Zoomph. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, the Los Angeles Sparks reported just 18,319 attendees in 2021. It wasnt until 1984 that the Olympics created a marathon for women. I cover the Phoenix Suns as well as the broader NBA and WNBA, PALMETTO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 02: Breanna Stewart, #30 of the Seattle Storm drives to the basket against A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces during the first half of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals at Feld Entertainment Center on October 02, 2020 in Palmetto, Florida. The four-game series averaged 548,000 viewers, according to ESPN. All stats are from the 2018-2019 NBA season and the 2019 WNBA season. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images), Ackerman, right, after the Mercury chose her as the No. The St. Louis Blues are 27-29-5 this season after they defeated the San Jose Sharks by a score of 6-3 in their last game. The 2023 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament presented by TIAA marks the 30th in conference history. Spurred by sales of the new Nike H.E.R. Teams averaged more made three-point field goals (7.7) than in any prior season propelling teams to average 82.3 points per game, the third-highest figure in league history. That year, the minimum regular season attendance was on a Wednesday, with, The Miami Sols best highest attended regular season game was July 17, 2002 against the Sacramento Monarchs, with. WNBA players want what NBA players spent decades trying to obtain. It might not be fair, but it is reality. The increase in WNBA viewership coincides with the most-ever league games on national television. Accessed March 05, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236723/wnba-regular-season-viewers/, SportsPro. #WNBA viewership continues to rise 2021 #WNBAFinals | Most-viewed Finals since 2017 with 548,000 average viewers The NBA's average ticket price is variously reported at between $51 to $89; the WNBA's $17. ESPN said the 2021 WNBA Finals between the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury attracted an average of 548,000 viewers throughout four games. In particular, the three stars of this years WNBA Finals Aja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird represented a clear top three in terms of social value, which Zoomph estimates based on the digital engagements and impressions these athletes generate relative to the approximate advertising costs on social media platforms. The WNBA noted its viewership is up 51% when compared to the 2020 regular season. Plum notes the difference in narratives between the two leagues. All 17. 3),Aja Wilson(No. 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. The ideal entry-level account for individual users. Accessed March 05, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1108312/women-national-basketball-association-interest-gender/, Morning Consult. Currently, you are using a shared account. It hasnt helped that womens sports came late to the game. As for the WNBA post-season, it was the most viewed since 2014. 1 Connecticut Sun and the No. Other highlights from the season include: The WNBA Playoffs 2021 presented by Google tipped off on Thursday, Sept. 23, with two first-round, single-elimination games on ESPN2. 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. . 2), the Las Vegas Aces (No. WNBA Stats and History Statistics, scores, and history for the Women's National Basketball Association. Further proof of concept was evident in the recent WNBA and Nike launch of three new uniforms for each of the 12 teams in the league. NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2021 - The WNBA capped off its historic 25 th regular season by delivering its most-watched season since 2008 for its television partners - ABC, CBS, ESPN and ESPN2 - with. In addition, the league teamed up with Dapper Labs, the company behind NBA Top Shot and the Flow blockchain, to launch WNBA Moments on Top Shot, giving fans the ability to own dynamic in-game moments from WNBA players and legends. The latter doesnt produce the same revenues or interest as the mens game (quick, name five of the best LPGA players). Twenty-five years ago, the National Basketball Association Board of Directors approved the Womens National Basketball Association. The 2021 WNBA regular season averaged 306,000 viewers, a 49 percent increase over the 2020 regular season and up 24 percent over 2019. That likely gives the WNBA a roadmap forward and helps create a proof of concept for a league that is engaged politically and socially while remaining popular among sports fans. A Division of NBCUniversal. The latest figures continue a positive start to the season for the WNBA, which saw record ratings in Canada during its opening weekend, including a 325 per cent increase in average viewership. Print Page. By this date in 2019, 15 college football games averaged at least a 3.0 ratings. In addition to ESPN, this years WNBA games are being broadcast on Amazon Prime Video for the first time. An average of 379,000 viewers watched WNBA games on ABC, ESPN and CBS, the league said Wednesday, a 16% increase from 2021. And the Las Vegas Aces, Connecticut Sun, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, New York Liberty, and Atlanta Dream all were on a decline. IN HISTORIC 25TH SEASON, League Sets Records for Merchandise Sales Online and Social Media Engagement . The Women's National Basketball Association concluded its 25th anniversary season with another positive sign for viewership for its championship series. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images). A bigger cut for the players means higher subsidies from their benefactor. No, the NBA won't get axed. The 2021 Finals are the most viewed since the 2017 Finals between the LA Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx, which registered 563,000 viewers. statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. National Basketball Association all-time triple double leaders 1946-2022, Value of National Basketball Association franchises 2022, National Basketball Association all-time assists leaders 1946-2023. ", Morning Consult, Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1108312/women-national-basketball-association-interest-gender/ (last visited March 05, 2023), Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender [Graph], Morning Consult, May 26, 2022. The WNBA Playoffs will feature a maximum of 19 games, all available across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and the ESPN App. Dont just show up for the big moments because WNBA fans and their athletes know this. For the first time in league history, the WNBA used in-game wearables by KINEXON and optical tracking technology by Hawk-Eye to generate 3D immersive highlights, which were used in real time during Prime Videos broadcast of the inaugural WNBA Commissioners Cup Championship Game. 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. 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. I think the social media engagement was so it was different than last year, it was more intense, everyone was more excited. The St. Louis Blues are averaging 3.05 goals per game, 3.64 goals against per game, 20.7% on the power play, and 76.7% on the penalty kill. But not womens basketball college or pro (according to the NCAA, the average attendance for college basketball for the 2018-19 season was 1,625 for Division I women and 5,650 for Division I men). What percentage of WNBA viewers are female? However, the average viewership for the 2020 finals increased 15% to 440,000. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. As a media company, I would align with the WNBAs fan culture on social, Scott said. According to Across the Timeline, average WNBA attendance per team during the regular season in 2021 was 2,388 fans. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. Atlanta Dream Team Store; . Viewership is up 89% from the 2020 MLB playoffs and there is a 3% spike from the playoffs in 2019. At a time when sports continue to shed live viewers, the WNBAs numbers this year shows they still have not hit their ceiling. Wedneday, March 1st In today's episode we talk about: Discord coming soon! Use Ask Statista Research Service. 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 NBA is 75 years old, the WNBA 25. Game 2 (Oct. 13, ESPN) became the most-viewed Game 2 since 2003 and the most-viewed Finals game since 2017s Game 5. That means they have an opportunity to keep growing, and are popular online where those fans who do not tune in live. 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. Womens tennis is as popular or more popular than the mens game, and womens gymnastics is much more popular than the mens sport. And though the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics did not [] On TNT, in the measurement from 2011-12, NBA viewership is down 40%. ET. The share the percentage of households with. The Chicago Sky emerged victorious,winning 87-85 in overtime at their home court. 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. Half of that 66% are Black males despite the fact that black men make up around 7% of the US population as a whole. four quarters in both an NBA and WNBA game (each quarter is 12 minutes for the men and 10 minutes for the women). Measuring the post-season revenue is a bit difficult, but estimating is assisted by presented viewership numbers. Well, either way, its a tough sell for a league that cant turn a profit and survives on handouts from the NBA. Business Solutions including all features. Early signs indicate the WNBA Draft Class of 2021 might have an excellent chance to parlay solid NCAA ratings not only into WNBA viewers but also lucrative sponsorships. The league started the 25th season by introducing its new official game ball by Wilson Sporting Goods through a new multiyear global partnership. TheSeattle Stormled the league in team merchandise sold. In addition, DICKS Sporting Goods became the largest national retailer for WNBA merchandise, and Buzzer began featuring live content and WNBA League Pass games on its mobile platform in the companys first foray into womens professional sports. The first and second rounds are single-elimination games. The Nielson-measured average total viewers for national telecasts of NBA games was up 8% from the 2016-17 season at 1.28 million. A paid subscription is required for full access. The WNBA is 50 years behind in building its brand and working out labor issues. The WNBA is being searched more on Google in the past 5 years than the prior 15, indicating increased awareness. She listed a few more stats that she said she loved, including a record 83.1 points per game and a 30% increase in cross-platform action for social media posts. What might be better is a carryover buzz from Womens College Basketball. The workplace benefits historically marginalized groups enjoy from unionization are well-documented. For a league that is still focused on growth and evening the playing field, the virtual pandemic season still produced reason for optimism. Bill Laimbeer, a four-time NBA All-Star, was known as one of the Detroit Pistons' "Bad Boys" when they won NBA championships in 1989 . Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2021 The WNBA capped off its historic 25th regular season by delivering its most-watched season since 2008 for its television partners ABC, CBS, ESPN and ESPN2 with viewership up 51% over the 2020 season, and by setting records for merchandise sales online and engagement across its social media platforms. The NBA's sponsorship revenue is about 100x the WNBA's; the NBA's cable viewership is 88x the WNBA's; and the . 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. 5) followed. 4 Seattle Storm received a bye into the second round. The league added it's also the most-viewed WNBA season since 2008. James Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content, WNBA Free Agency Special Set for ESPN2 on Wednesday, Feb. 1. The highest average was the Phoenix Mercury with 5,849 and the lowest was the Los Angeles Sparks with 1,144. According to ESPN, the audience figure represents a rise of 74 per cent on the average for the entire 2020 season and an increase of 45 per cent compared to the average viewership during the 2019 campaign. Across 17 games, the 2021 playoffs averaged 367,000 viewers, 63 per cent higher than the entire 2020 postseason (226,000 average viewers) and 42 per cent higher than 2019 (258,000 average. The introduction of the NWO brought a drastic shift in television viewership, fueling WCW to an unpredictable 83-week smackdown in the battle for ratings supremacy while breathing new life into . The drop of new jerseys alone yielded over 69 million impressions on drop day. The Seattle Storm vs. Chicago Sky game on Aug. 15, broadcast . Shouldnt the league be able to stand on its own before it offers such rewards? "Average Tv Viewers of The Wnba Regular Season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s). 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. The NBAs average attendance is 17,760, the WNBAs 6,535. 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). It seems preposterous now, but only 50 years ago womens high school sports largely did not exist. All Rights Reserved, Pay disparity between NBA, WNBA is a numbers game, Draymond Green, one of those highly paid male players, poured a little gas on the fire, the WNBA has lost an average of $10 million every year it has existed. May 26, 2022. (May 26, 2022). The womens league now has a commissioner, Cathy Engelbert. Because of ESPNs commitment to the league and brands increasing desire to get involved with the leagues star players, online engagement with the WNBA continued to grow. 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. . ", SportsPro, Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236723/wnba-regular-season-viewers/ (last visited March 05, 2023), Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s) [Graph], SportsPro, September 21, 2022. Would you be willing to send a $5 tip to our Venmo tip jar because it helps support our reporting? 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. You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature. In that same span, ratings fell 20 percent on ESPN. The final game for that series averaged 570,000 viewers. Also, the viewership on ESPN and ESPN2 increased 11% from 202,000 views last season to 224,000. In, Morning Consult. 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. AT&T WNBA 2022 All-Star Game became the most viewed All-Star Game in 6 years, averaging 734,000 viewers, up 53 percent over last years event. 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. A paid subscription is required for full access. The four-round WNBA postseason features the eight teams with the best regular-season records. 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. Recently, Draymond Green, one of those highly paid male players, poured a little gas on the fire by offering his opinions on the subject (in short, the women shouldnt complain). 2 Las Vegas Aces earned a double bye into the WNBA Semifinals (third round). Official Release Regardless, the inevitable "Steenerico" reunion to take down The Bloodline . Are you interested in testing our business solutions? As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. Digging into just the ESPN family of networks, regular season games broadcast or streamed averaged 306,000 viewers per game in 2021. Take the Orange Hoodie campaign in which the league partnered with ESPN and athletes across sport to push its signature orange logo hoodie, sold by Fanatics, as well as general excitement in the lead-up to its opening weekend in late July. The 2019 NBA Finals had 27% fewer viewers this year, compared to last year (17.85M to 10.4M). A multi-year deal with Amazon Prime Video made the WNBA the first womens professional sports league to be streamed on Prime Video, with Amazon receiving exclusive streaming rights to 16 WNBA games each season. "It's so interesting, . The WNBA Playoffs will feature a maximum of 27 games, all available across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, the ESPN App and NBA TV. Washington out shot Anaheim by a total of 39-23 and went 0-3 on the power play in the game. Chart. Show publisher information 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. 2023 CNBC LLC. Enjoying SportsPro content? The NBAs average ticket price is variously reported at between $51 to $89; the WNBAs $17. How do you get that bias out of that valuation model? Need Photos? Nobody wants to acknowledge that some sports translate better than others for both men and women, for whatever reason. Game 2 was the most watched Game 2 since 2003, peaking with 1 million viewers. 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. 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 2022 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google tips off on Wednesday, Aug. 17, when the No. . ESPN added 13 games to their 2020 broadcast slate after their opening weekend broadcast was up. And Game 2 of that series averaged 1.2 million viewers on ABC. 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. Stats say that 66% of WNBA viewers are actually male. Learn more about how Statista can support your business. An NBA Draft . 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. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury mostly held steady. Be an ally, be inclusive and be consistent when reporting or putting quality content out there about the WNBA. ESPN also. In 2021, viewership numbers dropped 12% to 331,000 average viewers but still yielded the second-largest viewership since the 2004 Draft (601,000 views). It fell by 35% in the key 18-48 demographic. 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. We've been waiting for this kind of recognition for so many years. More people tuned into the biggest WNBA games this year, even with many more options than usual. The NBA and WNBA have little in common, other than they play the same sport. Interest in womens basketball is on the rise. Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s) [Graph]. Numbers were significantly impacted by the pandemic this year, as many teams only allowed severely limited attendance until after the Olympic break. And I think thats definitely achievable. she continued. The WNBAs problem is simple: It doesnt generate the interest or the revenue to support a pay structure anywhere close to what the mens game can offer. . 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. More people. NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2022 The WNBA finished the 2022 regular season delivering its most-watched regular season in 14 years. The 2022 No. Every WNBA Player. "Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender." Team Stats. Strong Regular Season Growth Sue Bird(No. Moreover, as pundits debate whether a severely depressed sports viewership landscape is that way in part because of increased athlete activism, the WNBA perhaps more than any other league used the platform of its games to organize political and social movements among fans and viewers, and did not suffer. And Buzzer began featuring live content and WNBA League Pass games on its mobile platform in the companys first foray into womens professional sports. Kena Krutsinger | National Basketball Association | Getty Images, What it takes to become an Olympic gold medalist. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. Game 3 (Oct.15, ESPN2) notched 524,000 viewers and peaked at 591,000, making it the most-viewed non-title-clinching Game 3 since the 2007 WNBA Finals. Back in 2020, the WNBA and the Womens National Basketball Players Association signed a landmark collective bargaining agreement.