As part of the agreement, the league established a new platform, WNBA Changemakers, to attract corporate investment in the league. 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. The ratings also represent a 63 percent increase from those in 2020. The 2019 NBA Finals had 27% fewer viewers this year, compared to last year (17.85M to 10.4M). Add in the leagues partnership with CBS Sports Network as well as Facebook and Twitter, and nearly every game was televised for a national audience in 2020. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. Digital: A record was set for the traffic the WNBA site saw online. 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. 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. The NBA has 30 teams, the WNBA 12. Would you be willing to send a $5 tip to our Venmo tip jar because it helps support our reporting? The result was the second-best viewership of the entire season, with 579,000 fans tuning in. ", 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. 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? "Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender." The Olympics didnt allow women to run an event longer than 800 meters until the 1972 Games, when the 1,500-meter run was added to the program; meanwhile, the men were also contesting longer distances 3,000-meter steeplechase, 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters and the marathon. 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 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. 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. Several college stars embarked on their WNBA journey today as all 12 teams officially opened training camp. And the Las Vegas Aces, Connecticut Sun, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, New York Liberty, and Atlanta Dream all were on a decline. to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. ET, before the No. Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 50 countries and over 1 million facts: Get quick analyses with our professional research service. 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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 . Alex Ovechkin has led the Capitals this season with 33 goals, 24 assists, and 244 shots on goal. Viewership is up 89% from the 2020 MLB playoffs and there is a 3% spike from the playoffs in 2019. 2022 WNBA All-Stars Kelsey Plum, Sabrina Ionescu, Candace Parker, A . Print Page. Well explore average WNBA attendance, and share attendance results by team. 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. U.S. Bank joined the leagues growing lineup of WNBA Changemakers, which include AT&T, Deloitte, Nike, and Google. You can only download this statistic as a Premium user. ET. And Game 2 of that series averaged 1.2 million viewers on ABC. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, the Los Angeles Sparks reported just 18,319 attendees in 2021. Show publisher information WNBA games averaged 321,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and CBS during the regular season, up 51% from last year and the league's most-watched season in 13 years. Here is the average WNBA attendance by team for the 2021 regular season: Total WNBA attendance by team in 2021 was led by the Phoenix Mercury with 93,585 fans. Also, the viewership on ESPN and ESPN2 increased 11% from 202,000 views last season to 224,000. During opening weekend in 2021, WNBA viewership soared 25% versus the prior year. As a media company, I would align with the WNBAs fan culture on social, Scott said. The latter doesnt produce the same revenues or interest as the mens game (quick, name five of the best LPGA players). Interest in womens basketball is on the rise. Yet their media rights fees are five-to-15 times the WNBAs. The BarDown podcast will investigate, uncover and explore long-form stories at the intersection of sports . 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.. Minnesota Lynxs Sylvia Fowles, in the final game of her illustrious career, became the first player in league history to log 4,000 career rebounds and Seattle Storms Sue Bird scored her 1,000. The WNBA also welcomed Google as its newest WNBA Changemaker, joining AT&T, Deloitte and Nike and the tech company sponsored 25 games on ESPN as part of the partnership. And I think thats definitely achievable. she continued. Learn more about how Statista can support your business. According to Statista, the average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season in 2016 was 224,000 and grew to 246,000 in 2019. No, the NBA won't get axed. The three-game series averaged 848,000 viewers. 1 Connecticut Sun and the No. In that same span, ratings fell 20 percent on ESPN. Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender [Graph]. Please do not hesitate to contact me. . Viewership across its national television partners ABC, CBS, ESPN, and ESPN2 was up 16 percent over the 2021 season. However, the average viewership for the 2020 finals increased 15% to 440,000. WNBA games haven't averaged 8,000 fans per game since 2009, and the 2017 figure was down 28.9 percent from the league's all-time high attendance in 1998, which was the WNBA's second season. WNBA 2021 commercial guide: Every franchise, every sponsor, all the major TV deals. ET. Figures prior to 2022 come from earlier articles. Access to this and all other statistics on 80,000 topics from, Show sources information Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. The league started the 25th season by introducing its new official game ball by Wilson Sporting Goods through a new multiyear global partnership. They did that during the NBC days. G Games Played. 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. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. The MLB World Series averaged 13.91 million viewers nationally, down 1.3% from last year. A multi-year deal with Amazon Prime Video made the WNBA the first womens professional sports league to be streamed on Prime Video. According to Across the Timeline, average WNBA attendance per team during the regular season in 2021 was 2,388 fans. The rest, as they say, is history. Sky forward Candace Parker finished the game with 16 points and team-high 13 rebounds. The 2022 No. 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. The NBA's sponsorship revenue is about 100x the WNBA's; the NBA's cable viewership is 88x the WNBA's; and the . (September 21, 2022). 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 2003 championship featuring the Los Angeles Sparks and Detroit Shock remains the league's most-watch finals. The showdown recorded 789,000 viewers, peaking at a million for the primetime presentation. I just wanted to reiterate that data point. 2 Las Vegas Aces earned a double bye into the WNBA Semifinals (third round). However, the shrinking interest is more than a concern. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. Game 2 was the most watched Game 2 since 2003, peaking with 1 million viewers. 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. WHAT a @WNBA season State of League . This year the WNBA celebrated its 25th season and with that came exponential viewership growth across multiple categories on ESPN networks. VIEWERSHIP: Combined viewership for the WNBA across ESPN Networks (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2) and the CBS Television Network was up 16 percent over the 2021 regular season, averaging 379,000. Currently, you are using a shared account. Team Stats. The WNBA averaged 413,000 viewers in that year. Womens tennis is as popular or more popular than the mens game, and womens gymnastics is much more popular than the mens sport. 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. Most-Viewed Postseason Since 2014 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. Also viewership for the seasons opening weekend rose 325% in Canada. [12] Washington Nationals vs Houston Astros was the most-watched MLB game of the 2019 season. A WNBA roster has a maximum of 12 players, whereas an NBA roster has a maximum of 15 players and a minimum of 12. The Phoenix Mercury selected Diana Taurasi number one overall in 2004. Who is new Runnin Ute Keba Keita and how is Utahs 2022-23 roster shaping up? Here's the "Sunday Night Football" viewership so far this season: Week 1: Bears-Rams, 17.64 million Week 2: Chiefs-Ravens, 19.81 million Week 3: Packers-49ers, 19.69 million Week 4:. Measuring the post-season revenue is a bit difficult, but estimating is assisted by presented viewership numbers. All 17. Earlier this month, the Women's College World Series three-game championship series between Oklahoma and Florida State averaged 1.84 million viewers on ESPN up 15% from 2019. There have been ups and downs along the way, including a worldwide pandemic the league is still navigating this season. . (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images). 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. You may opt-out by. Shouldnt the league be able to stand on its own before it offers such rewards? The four-round WNBA postseason features the eight teams with the best regular-season records. ESPN said the 2021 WNBA Finals between the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury attracted an average of 548,000 viewers throughout four games. WNBA Draft 2022 presented by State Farm averaged 403,000 viewers on ESPN, up 20 percent over last year, making it the most watched WNBA Draft since 2004. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. 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. You cant ask for anything better than to have a 15 percent increase (for the Finals) when the NBA Finals is down 49 percent.. The network said Game 3 was the most-watched, with an average of 524,000 viewers. Still, there were times that WNBA oversaturation bit the league. ), explains: Im tired of people thinking that (we) players are asking for the same type of money as NBA players we are asking for the same percentage of revenue shared within our CBA. August 17, 2022, League Sets Social, Digital and Merchandising Records , In Their Final Seasons, Sylvia Fowles First Player to Record 4,000 Rebounds in a Career; Sue Bird Records 1,000 Three-Pointers Made , The 2022 WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google Tips Off Wednesday, Aug. 17. Dont let WNBA stories go untold. The WNBA's Covid-disrupted 2020 regular season averaged 205,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. The NBA's average attendance is 17,760, the WNBA's 6,535. 2), the Las Vegas Aces (No. Are you interested in testing our business solutions? Every WNBA Player. The WNBA is 50 years behind in building its brand and working out labor issues. The WNBA is riding a wave of momentum former All-Star Adrienne Goodson believes the league hasn't seen since its early days. Spurred by sales of the new Nike H.E.R. According to ESPN, the 2021 WNBA Finals were the most-viewed since 2017, with an average of 548,000 viewers across ESPN networks and ABC. It hasnt helped that womens sports came late to the game. Last year, Sabrina Ionescu went first to New York. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set So today, well take break down the leagues growth. As for the WNBA post-season, it was the most viewed since 2014. "Average Tv Viewers of The Wnba Regular Season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s). Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. You need a Statista Account for unlimited access. Visit ESPN to view the Las Vegas Aces team stats for the 2022 season. The ratings ultimately came around to back this up as well, as the star-laden Finals showed a 15 percent uptick in viewership over 2019 even in a fairly dominant Seattle Storm sweep over Wilsons Las Vegas Aces. Meanwhile, Sabrina Ionesculed the league in jersey sales. The NBA is 75 years old, the WNBA 25. Just two weeks later and five games in, WNBA ratings climbed even higher to 74% year over year growth. Profit from the additional features of your individual account. statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. The four-game series averaged 548,000 viewers, according to ESPN. The campaign generated 9 million impressions on the leagues owned social media accounts alone, according to data provided to me by the social media data firm Zoomph. 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 WNBA reached several milestones in its landmark season. I would imagine a majority of people who watch the WNBA are people who watch the NBA, so its going to be a very difficult thing to build an audience when, even if you like (both leagues) equally, youre stepping on a Game 7 and thats going to take precedence, Lewis added. 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. The WNBA reported a 51% increase in viewership over the regular season in 2020. The league reported 387,000 average viewers last year, up 123 percent from 2019. Official Release For example, according to 2019 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unionized female employees earn 29% more than non-unionized female employees and unionized black employees earn 27% more than non-unionized black employees. The BarDown Podcast. You only have access to basic statistics. New York Liberty (No. The Sky won their first WNBA championship after beating the Mercury 80-74. 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. 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. The first round then continues Thursday, Aug. 18, when the No. The 2023 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament presented by TIAA marks the 30th in conference history. 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. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Revenues, of course, are not to be confused with profits. The workplace benefits historically marginalized groups enjoy from unionization are well-documented. That game averaged 755,000 viewers on ABC. 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. All Rights Reserved, Pay disparity between NBA, WNBA is a numbers game, Draymond Green, one of those highly paid male players, poured a little gas on the fire, the WNBA has lost an average of $10 million every year it has existed. The Christmas Day lineup netted a 10% increase in viewership, with the Dallas Mavericks and Lakers contest averaging 7.01 million viewers. Sue Bird(No. 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.. And the 2021 WNBA Finals winners, the Chicago Sky, sold more merchandise on Fanatics since their WNBA title win over just two days than any other prior WNBA champ has sold in the first 30 days following a title victory. That means they have an opportunity to keep growing, and are popular online where those fans who do not tune in live. 3 Minnesota Lynx and the No. How do you get that bias out of that valuation model? Strauss adds the league's local viewership, too, has sharply declined. These decreases are what sitcoms experience before cancellation. Atlanta Dream Team Store; . Ultimately, its a missed opportunity for the WNBA. Please do not hesitate to contact me. You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature. Currently, you are using a shared account. 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). Four other ABC telecasts this season became most-viewed regular season games since 2012: ESPN has been a WNBA rights-holder since the leagues inception 25 years ago and has a multi-platform rights agreement through 2025. The 2022 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) regular season games were watched by an average of 379 thousand viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC. "Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s)." The league headed into the 26th season by announcing its $75 million capital raise to fuel investment in the long-term transformation of the league. Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s) [Graph]. 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). In 2021, viewership numbers dropped 12% to 331,000 average viewers but still yielded the second-largest viewership since the 2004 Draft (601,000 views). July's All-Star Game averaged 734,000 viewers, a 53% increase.. There was just more interest because everything has been more available, starting with the college games. The regular season takes place in summer from May to August and the play-offs in. NBA players receive around 50% of shared revenue within their league, whereas we receive around 20%.. The first round will be the best-of-three, while the semifinals and Finals will be best-of-five series. For instance, there may have been no more exciting moment in the WNBA postseason than Phoenix Mercury guard Shey Peddys buzzer-beater against her former team, the Washington Mystics, in the first-round single-elimination game on Sept. 16. 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). Lets first take a look at the last two WNBA Drafts. You need a Statista Account for unlimited access. Thats where the WNBA finds itself in its search for an identity (and higher pay) on the American sports scene. The 2021 Finals are the most viewed since the 2017 Finals between the LA Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx, which registered 563,000 viewers. The NBAs annual revenues are $7.92 billion, the WNBAs $60 million which would not even cover the combined salaries of NBA players Kevin Love and Damian Lillard. News Archive; Media Central; Game Notes; 2022-23 Dream Overseas Updates; 2023 Schedule Release; Team Store. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. The late 90s and early 2000s had some of the highest regular season game best attendance averages to date. 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. Numbers were significantly impacted by the pandemic this year, as many teams only allowed severely limited attendance until after the Olympic break. The 2022 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google tips off on Wednesday, Aug. 17, when the No. 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. Monday's Game 2 of the ALCS drew 1.88 million . Will the recent increase in viewership and engagement provide the necessary proof of concept needed to propel the WNBA to the next level? 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. Be an ally, be inclusive and be consistent when reporting or putting quality content out there about the WNBA. Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 50 countries and over 1 million facts: Get quick analyses with our professional research service. The WNBA noted its viewership is up 51% when compared to the 2020 regular season. The WNBAs Covid-disrupted 2020 regular season averaged 205,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, a drop of 16 per cent on the previous year. 2023 CNBC LLC. Click the logo and sign up for access to the ESPN Images Library. 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