NEW YORK, NY. – The WNBA delivered its most-watched regular season in 24 years, finished with its highest attendance in 22 years and set records for digital consumption and merchandise sales in 2024.
Highlights from the league’s 28th regular season include:
VIEWERSHIP: The WNBA attracted an all-time record of more than 54 million unique viewers across ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ION and NBA TV. A record 22 regular-season game telecasts averaged at least 1 million viewers. The season was consumed for a record 136.29 million hours across all national networks. Additional viewership highlights include the following:
- This was the most-viewed regular season ever across ESPN platforms with an average of 1.19 million viewers, a 170% increase from last season. The 2024 season featured the top seven most-watched WNBA games ever on ESPN, the two most-watched WNBA games ever on ABC (2.23 million, Seattle Storm at Indiana Fever on Aug. 18; 1.71 million, Indiana at New York Liberty on May 18) and the most-watched WNBA game ever on ESPN2 (2.12 million, Indiana at Connecticut Sun on May 14).
- CBS Sports delivered its most-watched regular season ever with an average of 1.10 million viewers, up 86% from last year, as well as the most-streamed season ever on Paramount+. CBS had its five most-watched games ever, led by 2.25 million viewers for the Chicago Sky at Indiana on June 16.
- ION averaged 670,000 viewers – up 133% from last season – and had seven telecasts average at least 1 million viewers.
- NBA TV more than quadrupled its viewership from 2023 and had its 13 most-watched WNBA games ever, topped by the Las Vegas Aces at Indiana on Sept. 11 (678,000 viewers).
- In addition to the 22 regular-season games to average at least 1 million viewers, ABC’s presentation of the 2024 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game delivered a record 3.4 million viewers, an increase of +305% versus last season.
ATTENDANCE: The WNBA had its highest total attendance in 22 years (2,353,735), up 48% from last season. The league’s 154 sellouts marked a 242% increase from last season (45). Below are additional attendance highlights:
- The WNBA averaged 9,807 fans per game, up 48% from last season (6,615 fans).
- The Indiana vs. Washington Mystics matchup on Sept. 19 at Capital One Arena set a WNBA single-game attendance record of 20,711. It was one of three games to draw at least 20,000 fans this season, along with 20,366 for Indiana vs. Las Vegas on July 2 and 20,333 for Indiana vs. Washington on June 7.
- The Fever’s total home attendance of 340,715 fans was a single-season record for a WNBA team, surpassing the previous home attendance record of 250,565 set by New York in 2001 in 16 games.
- All 12 WNBA teams enjoyed at least double-digit year-over-year growth in attendance this season, led by Indiana (+319%), Los Angeles (+69%) and New York (+64%).
- The 30 games as part of the Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase averaged 9,377 fans, up 42% from last season.
Expansion Draft for the 13th WNBA Franchise, Golden State Valkyries, Scheduled for December
MERCHANDISE: WNBA merchandise sales both online at WNBAStore.com and the flagship location in New York City were up a combined 601% from 2023. In addition, merchandise sales at Dick’s Sporting Goods increased by 233% compared to last season.
SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT: The WNBA set a single-season record with nearly 2 billion video views across its social media platforms, more than quadruple last season’s total (378 million).
WNBA APP: Monthly active users on the WNBA App grew by 252% compared to last season.
WNBA LEAGUE PASS: WNBA League Pass, the league’s out-of-market live game package, experienced a 366% growth in subscriptions versus last season.
ALL-STAR VOTING: The AT&T WNBA All-Star Game 2024 had a record of nearly 10 million fan votes, a +538% increase compared to 2023.
INTERNATIONAL INTEREST: With the next generation of players from around the world playing in the WNBA, the league is making strides to improve the accessibility of games in different regions.
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- Opening-night rosters featured 34 international players from 19 countries outside of the United States.
- WNBA games aired or streamed in 207 countries and territories.
- New international distribution deals for the 2024 season included the UK (TNT Sports), Taiwan (Videoland), China (OPG), Brazil (YouTube) and the Philippines (TapDMV).
- NORTH OF THE BORDER: In May, the WNBA awarded Toronto an expansion franchise to begin play in the 2026 season.
- 2024 WNBA regular-season viewership in Canada was up 148% year over year.
- The second annual WNBA Canada Game, which was held on May 5 in Edmonton, AB during the preseason, featured a sellout crowd for the second consecutive year (WNBA Canada Game in Toronto in 2023). Viewership of the second Canada Game was up 65% year over year in Canada.
PLAYER MILESTONES: WNBA players produced historic performances in the 2024 regular season. Among the highlights:
- Aces center-forward A’ja Wilson set WNBA single-season records for scoring average (26.9 ppg), total points (1,021) and total rebounds (451). She also became the first player to lead the league in total points, rebounds and blocks (98) in a season.
- Atlanta Dream center Tina Charles became the WNBA’s career leader in total rebounds (4,014) and double-doubles (194).
- Charles (7,696 points) and Sun forward-guard DeWanna Bonner (7,482) moved into second and fourth place, respectively, on the WNBA’s career points list.
- Fever guard Caitlin Clark set WNBA records for most assists both in a season (337) and in a game (19). She also recorded the first two triple-doubles by a rookie in league history and established single-season rookie records for points (769) and three-pointers made (122).
- Sky forward Angel Reese averaged a WNBA-record 13.1 rebounds per game and set another league mark with 15 consecutive double-doubles.
- With a league-leading three triple-doubles in the regular season, Sun forward Alyssa Thomas extended her WNBA career record to 11.
- Liberty forward Breanna Stewart became the fastest player to score 5,000 career points (242 games).
- Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale tied the WNBA single-game record for three-pointers made (nine).