How many people watch the WNBA? Even before the arrival of Caitlin Clark, the popularity of women’s college basketball was steadily on the rise. After being drafted with the first overall pick by the Indiana Fever, Clark is going to provide a massive boost to WNBA TV ratings in 2024 and beyond.
We witnessed the effect Clark had on college basketball TV ratings, with the women’s NCAA Tournament and Final Four setting all-time records. Clark is just the first of several women’s college basketball superstars who should be bringing an even bigger audience with them to the WNBA in the years to come.
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Before we can know what the ‘Caitlin Clark’ effect has on the W, let’s check out the WNBA TV ratings before the 2024 season.
2024 NBA Draft TV ratings
The 2024 WNBA Draft drew 2.446 million viewers to ESPN on Monday night, making it the most-watched draft in WNBA history.
- 2024 WNBA Draft viewership: 2.446 million
In comparison, the 2023 WNBA Draft averaged 572,000 viewers on ESPN, which was a 42 percent increase and previously the most-watched WNBA Draft since 2006. The “Clark effect” has already benefitted the WNBA before the Fever’s newest star even takes the court. It also highlights why the Fever will have 36 of their 40 games on national television in 2024.
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WNBA Finals 2023 drew highest ratings in decades
The WNBA’s popularity was already on the rise before Clark’s arrival. The power of two superteams – Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty – brought a new wave of fans to women’s pro basketball. When the highly-anticipated WNBA Finals matchup between the Liberty vs Aces arrived, fans tuned in.
Breaking it down game-by-game, Game 1 of the 2023 WNBA Finals saw an 18 percent increase year-over-year and Game 3 was the most-watched Game 3 in 18 years, per the Sports Business Journal. Through the first three games of the series, the WNBA Finals had experienced a 20-year high. Game 4 was the most-watched in WNBA Finals history, closing off the season in historic fashion.
WNBA Finals ratings 2023
- Game 1: 729,000 avg. viewers – ABC – 18% increase from 2022
- Game 2: 680,00 avg. viewers – ESPN –
- Game 3: 659,000 avg. viewers – ABC – 14% increase from 2022
- Game 4: 889,000 avg. viewers
- 2023 WNBA Finals: 36 percent increase from 2022
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WNBA TV ratings in 2023
TV networks have increasingly shown more interest in the WNBA in recent years, finally providing the women’s game an opportunity to get some of the spotlight. With more WNBA games being nationally televised more frequently, Disney and CBS saw rewards for it in 2023.
- WNBA television rating 2023: 505,000 avg. viewers on ESPN, CBS
ESPN reported its highest WNBA ratings in decades, with viewership increasing 21 percent in comparison to the previous season. In addition, the WNBA experienced record highs in performance on digital platforms, record-setting social media engagement and more sports betting on WNBA games. In total, ESPN and CBS reported a collected 8 percent increase in viewership year-to-year.
WNBA ratings by year
- 2023: 505,000 avg. viewers – (ESPN, ABC, ESPN2)
- 2022: 372,000 avg. viewers – (ESPN, ABC, ESPN2)
- 2021: 306,000 avg. viewers – (ESPN, ABC, CBS)
- 2020: 205,000 avg. viewers – (ESPN, ABC, ESPN)
After agreeing in 2021 to pay $27 million annually for the rights to WNBA games, ESPN’s deal with the league expires in 2025. With Clark’s arrival and the eventual addition of women’s college basketball stars like Paige Bueckers (UConn Huskies) and JuJu Watkins (USC Trojans), a new deal should be on the horizon and it will provide the WNBA with significant revenue moving forward.
Are WNBA TV ratings good?
WNBA television ratings have been steadily on the rise since the 2021 season, with the WNBA averaging over 500,000 viewers per nationally broadcasted game in 2023. In addition, the 2023 WNBA Finals was the most-watched in 20 years.
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