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). The playoffs were the most-watched since 2014. You're joking. What might be better is a carryover buzz from Womens College Basketball. The highest average was the Phoenix Mercury with 5,849 and the lowest was the Los Angeles Sparks with 1,144. ET, before the No. This statistic is not included in your account. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. 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. Which was a drop of 16% on the previous year. [12] Diana Taurasi is called the Michael Jordan of the WNBA. Ever heard of her? The league added it's also the most-viewed WNBA season since 2008. The WNBA also welcomed Google as its newest WNBA Changemaker, joining AT&T, Deloitte and Nike. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. 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. The four-game Sky-Mercury WNBA Finals averaged 548,000 viewers across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, marking the largest audience for the event since the five-game Lynx-Sparks series in 2017 (559K). 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. Because it's time., This is a BETA experience. A link has been emailed to you - check your inbox. Every WNBA Player. The 2021 WNBA regular season averaged 306,000 viewers, a 49 percent increase over the 2020 regular season and up 24 percent over 2019. 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. As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. Click the logo and sign up for access to the ESPN Images Library. The 2022 No. The value of working through athletes as influencers in the WNBA is evident in the data as well. In addition to ESPN, this years WNBA games are being broadcast on Amazon Prime Video for the first time. 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. You can only download this statistic as a Premium user. Considering the circumstances, the WNBA will likely come away from its 2020 season content with the way it was able to connect with fans, especially from its Bubble in south Florida. Create your account and get enhanced access to all the latest stories. G Games Played. (September 21, 2022). An average of 379,000 viewers watched WNBA games on ABC, ESPN and CBS, the league said Wednesday, a 16% increase from 2021. Early metrics still showed spikes in WNBA viewership, with Game 1 racking up an average of 555,000 viewers for the most-viewed Finals' opener in five years. You cant ask for anything better than to have a 15 percent increase (for the Finals) when the NBA Finals is down 49 percent, John Lewis of Paulsen Sports Media Watch said last October. 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. They did that during the NBC days. Accessed March 05, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1108312/women-national-basketball-association-interest-gender/, Morning Consult. And Game 2 of that series averaged 1.2 million viewers on ABC. Statista. Washington Nationals vs Houston Astros was the most-watched MLB game of the 2019 season. The best of the best: the portal for top lists & rankings: Strategy and business building for the data-driven economy: Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships). The game took place on a weekday on ESPN (rather than ESPN2) and had no football or NBA competition. 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 . 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. Shouldnt the league be able to stand on its own before it offers such rewards? And Buzzer began featuring live content and WNBA League Pass games on its mobile platform in the companys first foray into womens professional sports. In that same span, ratings fell 20 percent on ESPN. 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. Subscribe to get the latest articles first. 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 . On TNT, in the measurement from 2011-12, NBA viewership is down 40%. And Game 2 of that series averaged 1.2 million viewers on ABC. The four-game series averaged 548,000 viewers, according to ESPN. Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 600+ segments in 150+ countries, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 60m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. It might not be fair, but it is reality. The BarDown Podcast. I just really hope that this is the beginning and there's no backtracking. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. 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. 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. You can only download this statistic as a Premium user. Game 2 (Oct. 13, ESPN) became the most-viewed Game 2 since 2003 and the most-viewed Finals game since 2017s Game 5. WNBA viewership during the 2021 regular season was up 49 percent year over year. The champion Chicago Sky sold out both of their home games during the Finals and ticket . In essence Black males are the main supporters of the WNBA, yet Layshia Clarendon decided to focus her anger towards them. 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. Amidst an unprecedented season in the NBA . The league is nearly irrelevant to the average sports fan. The athletes are your vehicles to their fans, if you can get the league and their athletes to retweet, reshare, comment or like your content, their fans will follow suit.. 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. Kelsey Plum, a star player in the WNBA (ever heard of her? Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1108312/women-national-basketball-association-interest-gender/, Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender, Available to download in PNG, PDF, XLS format, Most popular women's sports leagues in North America June 2021, Share of African Americans in pro sports in North America in 2022, by sport, NBA & WNBA annual salaries as share of league revenue in 2020, Public interest in WNBA in the U.S. 2022, by gender, Public interest in WNBA in the U.S. 2022, by age, WNBA average regular season attendance 1997-2022, Attendance at the WNBA All-Star Game 1999-2022, Average player salary in the WNBA by team 2019, Women's National Basketball Association all-time assists leaders 1997-2022, Women's National Basketball Association all-time rebound leaders 2022, Public interest in WNBA in the U.S. 2022, by ethnicity, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: aggregate attendance of ALBA BERLIN 2015-2020, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: aggregate attendance of MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg 2015-20, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: average match attendance of FC Bayern Mnchen 2015-20, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: aggregate attendance of Telekom Baskets Bonn 2015-2020, Germany Bundesliga: average match attendance of EWE Baskets Oldenburg 2015-20, Germany: average match attendance of the Basketball Bundesliga in 2020, by team, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: aggregate attendance of EWE Baskets Oldenburg 2015-20, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: average match attendance of Fraport Skyliners 2020, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: aggregate attendance of GIESSEN 46 2016-2020, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: average match attendance of ALBA BERLIN 2015-2020, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: average match attendance of Telekom Baskets Bonn 2020, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: average match attendance of BG Gttingen 2015-2020, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: average match attendance of Brose Bamberg 2015-2020, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: aggregate attendance of FC Bayern Mnchen 2015-2020, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: aggregate attendance of BG Gttingen 2015-2020, Professional basketball fan numbers in Japan 2017-2022, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: aggregate attendance of ratiopharm ulm 2015-2020, Germany Basketball Bundesliga: aggregate attendance of Brose Bamberg 2015-2020, Find your information in our database containing over 20,000 reports. How do you get that bias out of that valuation model? to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. Currently, you are using a shared account. Kena Krutsinger | National Basketball Association | Getty Images, What it takes to become an Olympic gold medalist. 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. All stats are from the 2018-2019 NBA season and the 2019 WNBA season. As a media company, I would align with the WNBAs fan culture on social, Scott said. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature. The WNBA reported a 51% increase in viewership over the regular season in 2020. The NBA has 30 teams, the WNBA 12. Use Ask Statista Research Service, The source phrased the question as, "In general, would you describe yourself as an avid fan, a casual fan or not a fan of each of the following? 2 Las Vegas Aces earned a double bye into the WNBA Semifinals (third round). 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. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. Over the whole season, they didnt get a single situation where they were leading into the NBA or the NBA was leading into them. It was the most watched Finals series since 2017. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. 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. Well, either way, its a tough sell for a league that cant turn a profit and survives on handouts from the NBA. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. New York Liberty (No. I cover women's sports and the intersection of sports & society. However, the shrinking interest is more than a concern. ESPN added 13 games to their 2020 broadcast slate after their opening weekend broadcast was up. Which was a drop of 16% on the previous year. WNBA basketball. ", 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. During opening weekend in 2021, WNBA viewership soared 25% versus the prior year. ESPN said the 2021 WNBA Finals between the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury attracted an average of 548,000 viewers throughout four games. His season stats have been removed from the XFL website but are still available via the Guardians' Week 1 box score. The Orange WNBA Logo Hoodie was the best-selling item on The WNBA Store for the second consecutive season. In addition, the league teamed up with Dapper Labs, the company behind NBA Top Shot and the Flow blockchain, to launch the first WNBA NFTs. Chart. That game averaged 755,000 viewers on ABC. The WNBAs Covid-disrupted 2020 regular season averaged 205,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. The league also set new marks for engagements across social media, digital and merchandise, as well as experienced subscription growth for WNBA League Pass. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury mostly held steady. The MLB World Series averaged 13.91 million viewers nationally, down 1.3% from last year. 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. Also viewership for the seasons opening weekend rose 325% in Canada. 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). 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. Twenty-five years ago, the National Basketball Association Board of Directors approved the Womens National Basketball Association. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. The WNBA has also made room for males who share their vision. According to Deadline.com, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics double-overtime game averaged 1.96 million viewers, topping out at an audience size of 2.87 million late in the game. Strauss adds the league's local viewership, too, has sharply declined. Just two weeks later and five games in, WNBA ratings climbed even higher to 74% year over year growth. For a league that is still focused on growth and evening the playing field, the virtual pandemic season still produced reason for optimism. More people. Regardless, the inevitable "Steenerico" reunion to take down The Bloodline . Most-Viewed Postseason Since 2014 (May 26, 2022). Sky forward Candace Parker finished the game with 16 points and team-high 13 rebounds. However, the average viewership for the 2020 finals increased 15% to 440,000. 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. Profit from the additional features of your individual account. Back in 2020, the WNBA and the Womens National Basketball Players Association signed a landmark collective bargaining agreement. Furthermore, the 2021 NCAA Womens Final Four pulled some of itshighest viewership numbersever. Saturdays inaugural fixture on the streaming service saw the Atlanta Dream secure a thrilling 90-87 win over the New York Liberty in overtime. 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. 4), and the Chicago Sky (No. 5) followed Sabrina on the list of top five most popular jerseys. Well explore average WNBA attendance, and share attendance results by team. That would have been a perfect thing for them to have. Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 600+ segments in 150+ countries, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 60m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. So today, well take break down the leagues growth. "Average Tv Viewers of The Wnba Regular Season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s). statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. WNBA players want what NBA players spent decades trying to obtain. Womens basketball has steadily increased viewership year-over-year. The league started the 25th season by introducing its new official game ball by Wilson Sporting Goods through a new multiyear global partnership. Viewership is up 89% from the 2020 MLB playoffs and there is a 3% spike from the playoffs in 2019. According to The Athletic, the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game peaked at 768,000 viewers. The Sky won their first WNBA championship after beating the Mercury 80-74. A multi-year deal with Amazon Prime Video made the WNBA the first womens professional sports league to be streamed on Prime Video. Show publisher information The WNBA is 50 years behind in building its brand and working out labor issues. So while television ratings were down 16 percent in the regular season, the league was pleased to simply be on more screens and in more minds during a blitz of sports in the late summer. The league also reached several milestones including new sponsors, merchandise, distribution, and technology. Thats where the WNBA finds itself in its search for an identity (and higher pay) on the American sports scene. TV viewership will be essential for Silver's league as it returns to a standard 82-game format. The three-game series averaged 848,000 viewers. This season included 11 windows on broadcast television (ABC + CBS), the league's most in a season since at least two decades (NBC carried 10 in 2001 and 2002). ", 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. WNBA's ESPN viewership up 74% after five games of 2021 season Women's basketball league averaging 357,000 viewers across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. Half of that 66% are Black males despite the fact that black men make up around 7% of the US population as a whole. Im not going to rest till I fix that. said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. 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. The 2021 WNBA regular season averaged 306,000 viewers, up 49 percent compared to 2020 and 24 percent to 2019, ESPN announced Thursday. 2023 CNBC LLC. The Seattle Storm vs. Chicago Sky game on Aug. 15, broadcast . Chart. It wasnt until 1984 that the Olympics created a marathon for women. September 21, 2022. By this date in 2019, 15 college football games averaged at least a 3.0 ratings. As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic. News Archive; Media Central; Game Notes; 2022-23 Dream Overseas Updates; 2023 Schedule Release; Team Store. According to the WNBA, this is the most watched season since 2008. WNBA 2021 commercial guide: Every franchise, every sponsor, all the major TV deals. 2021 was also home to the most-viewed regular season game since 2012, when the Seattle Storm faced the Chicago Sky on August 15 on ABC, averaging 755,000 viewers. Theres a big gap between PGA Tour and LPGA Tour prize money. 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. ET. Game 2 was the most watched Game 2 since 2003, peaking with 1 million viewers. 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. Of the eight original teams, only the Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, and the New York Liberty have lasted. Discover WNBA viewership by year According to Statista, the average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season in 2016 was 224,000 and grew to 246,000 in 2019. The showdown recorded 789,000 viewers, peaking at a million for the primetime presentation. Be an ally, be inclusive and be consistent when reporting or putting quality content out there about the WNBA. Learn more about how Statista can support your business. The NBA and WNBA have little in common, other than they play the same sport. The first and second rounds are single-elimination games. The WNBA's Covid-disrupted 2020 regular season averaged 205,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. The third and fourth seeds the No. Need Photos? The WNBA is riding a wave of momentum former All-Star Adrienne Goodson believes the league hasn't seen since its early days. You only have access to basic statistics. The strong showing in 2021 made it the most-viewed postseason since 2014. Super Bowl averages 113 million viewers, 3rd-most watched in history The Kansas City Chiefs' 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl LVII is on pace to become the third most-watched [] 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. 2023 Players Check out our Player Season Finder to search through the entire history of WNBA player stats using custom criteria. The NBA's average attendance is 17,760, the WNBA's 6,535. The 2019 NBA Finals averaged a little more than 20 million viewers per game; the 2019 WNBA Finals averaged about 400,000 viewers per game. 5 seeded Washington Mystics and the 2022 WNBA leader in assists Natasha Cloud meet the fourth seeded Seattle Storm and the leagues leader in scoring Breanna Stewart on ESPN2 at 10 p.m. "Level of Interest in Wnba in The United States as of May 2022, by Gender. Serena Williams and Brittney Griner were each honored at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, when Williams won the Jackie Robinson Sports Award and . Access to this and all other statistics on 80,000 topics from, Show sources information 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..