Said Lewis: We all know the WNBAs numbers still dont compare, but when youre talking about a period of time when every sport is still having trouble in the ratings and you can say not only that your numbers were up but that they were up double digits, thats a pretty decent story for them.. You need a Statista Account for unlimited access. ESPN added 13 games to their 2020 broadcast slate after their opening weekend broadcast was up 20% year-over-year. Just two weeks later and five games in, WNBA ratings climbed even higher to 74% year over year growth. The NBA watched the NFL capture an eleven-year deal worth more than $100 billion deal last summer. Statistics; Cookie statement . Dont let WNBA stories go untold. 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. Plum notes the difference in narratives between the two leagues. Please do not hesitate to contact me. Meanwhile, Sabrina Ionesculed the league in jersey sales. As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic. Enjoying SportsPro content? 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. 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. 2),Diana Taurasi(No. Complement's plant-based kitchen sweepstakes Weather report: Study shows bovine meat and milk factors linked to colorectal cancer, Farm Rich plant-based mozzarella sticks in Walmart and Kroger, plant-based raw tuna coming to San Francisco restaurants The Beer You Should Order, Based on Your Zodiac Sign (Best Life . 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. 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. Womens basketball has steadily increased viewership year-over-year. A bigger cut for the players means higher subsidies from their benefactor. ESPN added 13 games to their 2020 broadcast slate after their opening weekend broadcast was up. His season stats have been removed from the XFL website but are still available via the Guardians' Week 1 box score. 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. 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 [] You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature. Be an ally, be inclusive and be consistent when reporting or putting quality content out there about the WNBA. 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. WNBA viewership during the 2021 regular season was up 49 percent year over year. Visit ESPN to view 2022 WNBA stat leaders. And I think thats definitely achievable. she continued. 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 . That parts crazy to me. And Game 2 of that series averaged 1.2 million viewers on ABC. On TNT, in the measurement from 2011-12, NBA viewership is down 40%. I think the social media engagement was so it was different than last year, it was more intense, everyone was more excited. The Washington Capitals are averaging 3.02 goals per game, 2.97 goals against per game, 20.9% on the power play, and 82.4% on the penalty kill. It wasnt until 1984 that the Olympics created a marathon for women. ET, before the No. Nobody wants to acknowledge that some sports translate better than others for both men and women, for whatever reason. This statistic is not included in your account. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. 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. The NBA is 75 years old, the WNBA 25. However, the average viewership for the 2020 finals increased 15% to 440,000. 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. 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. You need a Statista Account for unlimited access. In, SportsPro. 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. That would have been a perfect thing for them to have. Revenues, of course, are not to be confused with profits. MPG Minutes Per Game . 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. The showdown between UConn and Baylor in the Elite Eight round was the most-watched NCAA Tournament game in 10 years, excluding Final Four matchups. 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. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. As a media company, I would align with the WNBAs fan culture on social, Scott said. The WNBA Playoffs will feature a maximum of 19 games, all available across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and the ESPN App. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. I want to get that to 100 million. 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. Washington Nationals vs Houston Astros was the most-watched MLB game of the 2019 season. 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. As for the WNBA post-season, it was the most viewed since 2014. Still, there were times that WNBA oversaturation bit the league. 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. Accessed March 05, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1108312/women-national-basketball-association-interest-gender/, Morning Consult. It was the most watched Finals series since 2017. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. "Average Tv Viewers of The Wnba Regular Season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s). Currently, you are using a shared account. Spurred by sales of the new Nike H.E.R. 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. For many American viewers, the WBC will serve as an introduction to the top talents of other leagues . 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. The MLB World Series averaged 13.91 million viewers nationally, down 1.3% from last year. That means they have an opportunity to keep growing, and are popular online where those fans who do not tune in live. 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. The WNBA is riding a wave of momentum former All-Star Adrienne Goodson believes the league hasn't seen since its early days. In essence Black males are the main supporters of the WNBA, yet Layshia Clarendon decided to focus her anger towards them. NBA players receive around 50% of shared revenue within their league, whereas we receive around 20%.. The 2021 WNBA regular season averaged 306,000 viewers, a 49 percent increase over the 2020 regular season and up 24 percent over 2019. The 2021 NCAA Womens Final Four pulled some of its highest viewership numbers ever. The rest, as they say, is history. Business Solutions including all features. 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As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic. The Women's National Basketball Association concluded its 25th anniversary season with another positive sign for viewership for its championship series. 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. Need Photos? In addition, DICKS Sporting Goods became the largest national retailer for WNBA merchandise. And the Las Vegas Aces, Connecticut Sun, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, New York Liberty, and Atlanta Dream all were on a decline. The 2023 World Baseball Classic, the first since 2017, will get underway on Tuesday, March 7. 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. 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. WNBA NBA NBA G League NBA 2K League. May 26, 2022. 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.. 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. WNBA; Wrestling; XFL; More Sports . Use Ask Statista Research Service. News Archive; Media Central; Game Notes; 2022-23 Dream Overseas Updates; 2023 Schedule Release; Team Store. Learn more about how Statista can support your business. Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 50 countries and over 1 million facts: Get quick analyses with our professional research service. The 2019 NBA Finals had 27% fewer viewers this year, compared to last year (17.85M to 10.4M). Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images), Ackerman, right, after the Mercury chose her as the No. WHAT a @WNBA season State of League . . 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 . 6 seeded Dallas Wings and former Rookie of the Year Allisha Gray travel to Connecticut and 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones to take on the third seeded Sun on ESPNU and NBA TV at 8 p.m. For the 2021 season, the WNBA's combined viewership averaged 306,000 viewers. Monday's Game 2 of the ALCS drew 1.88 million . Regardless, the inevitable "Steenerico" reunion to take down The Bloodline . 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. 3),Aja Wilson(No. 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. 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. As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. 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. IN HISTORIC 25TH SEASON, League Sets Records for Merchandise Sales Online and Social Media Engagement . 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. Because it's time., This is a BETA experience. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. A Division of NBCUniversal. ET, followed by the eighth seeded Phoenix Mercury and the teams leading rebounder Brianna Turner taking on the No. It fell by 35% in the key 18-48 demographic. #WNBA viewership continues to rise 2021 #WNBAFinals | Most-viewed Finals since 2017 with 548,000 average viewers Digging into just the ESPN family of networks, regular season games broadcast or streamed averaged 306,000 viewers per game in 2021. 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. Digital: A record was set for the traffic the WNBA site saw online. The WNBA Semifinals and the WNBA Finals 2021 presented by YouTube TV are a best-of-five series. The league started the 25th season by introducing its new official game ball by Wilson Sporting Goods through a new multiyear global partnership. A link has been emailed to you - check your inbox. Through 17 games (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2), the 2021 WNBA Playoffs averaged 367,000 viewers, 63 percent higher than the entire 2020 postseason (226,000 average viewers) and 42 percent higher than 2019 (258,000 average viewers). WNBA Moments on Top Shot gave fans the ability to own dynamic in-game moments from WNBA players and legends. 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. Kelsey Plum, a star player in the WNBA (ever heard of her? 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 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). New York Libertys Sabrina Ionescu became the first WNBA player to eclipse 500 points, 200 rebounds and 200 assists in a single season. Game 2 was the most watched Game 2 since 2003, peaking with 1 million viewers. 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. Lets first take a look at the last two WNBA Drafts. Register in seconds and access exclusive features. . The Phoenix Mercury selected Diana Taurasi number one overall in 2004. Measuring the post-season revenue is a bit difficult, but estimating is assisted by presented viewership numbers. 2 Las Vegas Aces earned a double bye into the WNBA Semifinals (third round). four quarters in both an NBA and WNBA game (each quarter is 12 minutes for the men and 10 minutes for the women). The WNBA also welcomed Google as its newest WNBA Changemaker, joining AT&T, Deloitte and Nike. Show publisher information The league started the 25thseason by introducing its new official game ball by Wilson Sporting Goods through a new multiyear global partnership. The WNBA Draft, held Monday on ESPN, averaged 403,000 viewers, the network announced a 20% increase from last year's draft and the most since 2004. We've been waiting for this kind of recognition for so many years. That is a 49% increase compared to 2020 and 24% increase to 2019. An average of 379,000 viewers watched WNBA games on ABC, ESPN and CBS, the league said Wednesday, a 16% increase from 2021. Amidst an unprecedented season in the NBA . How about how many people were willing to leave the comfort of their homes and hit the arena? The three-game series averaged 848,000 viewers. 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. The 2022 No. Furthermore, as part of the WNBA raising capital, they had outside advisors come with an analysis showing that their viewership is on par with the NHL, NASCAR, and MLS. 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? Print Page. Which was a drop of 16% on the previous year. According to the WNBA, this is the most watched season since 2008. Game 2 (Oct. 13, ESPN) became the most-viewed Game 2 since 2003 and the most-viewed Finals game since 2017s Game 5. 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. The WNBA fails to generate even one percent of the NBA's $8-$9 billion in revenue. Got a confidential news tip? 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. to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. Season. statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. There have been ups and downs along the way, including a worldwide pandemic the league is still navigating this season. This represented the league's. Alex Ovechkin has led the Capitals this season with 33 goals, 24 assists, and 244 shots on goal. We kept the scoring simple: 0.5 PPR, all touchdowns with six points, all turnovers worth minus-2 points, everything else typical of a decimal-point Fantasy league. 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. 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. More people. 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. In that same span, ratings fell 20 percent on ESPN. ", 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. 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. to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. The mens league casts a big shadow, which is why the WNBA plays its season from July to October. 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). The top two seeds the No. 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 2023 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament presented by TIAA marks the 30th in conference history. Interest in womens basketball is on the rise. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. 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. Womens tennis is as popular or more popular than the mens game, and womens gymnastics is much more popular than the mens sport. You can only download this statistic as a Premium user. ESPN is making it easy to watch the Draft, Bria Felicien, the creator of The Black Sportswoman, said. Official Release For a league that is still focused on growth and evening the playing field, the virtual pandemic season still produced reason for optimism.