ESPN's WNBA Viewership Skyrocketed During 2024 Season

Stephen Douglas | Sep 12, 2024

Caitlin Clark is a huge reason for ESPN’s women’s basketball ratings bonanza. / Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

ESPN wrapped up its regular season WNBA coverage on Sunday with the New York Liberty's win over the Las Vegas Aces. And what a season it was.

According to Nielsen's numbers it was the most-viewed regular season ever across ESPN's various platforms with games averaging 1.2 million viewers. That's a 170% increase from 2023.

Not only are more people watching the games, but they're watching people talk about the games. WNBA Countdown with LaChina Robinson, Monica McNutt and Carolyn Peck saw an increase of 113% from 2023 with more than half a million viewers watching the pregame show.

The 2024 #WNBA regular season on ESPN platforms was the most-watched EVER! 🎉

🏀 1.2M avg. viewers
🏀 WNBA Countdown: 508K avg. viewers pic.twitter.com/FrnWHOp11h

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 11, 2024

To put it in technical terms, WNBA ratings are currently bananas.

The WNBA announced record ratings after the first month and things have not slowed down. Just a few weeks ago ESPN boasted about 2.2 million viewers for ABC's broadcast of the Indiana Fever's game against the Seattle Storm. Who knows how high the playoff ratings will go with Caitlin Clark making her postseason debut.

ESPN is set to broadcast every single WNBA postseason game between its various platforms.

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