The New York Privilege free celebrate after wining the 2024 WNBA Championship against the Minnesota Lynx during Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals on October 20, 2024 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
David Sherman | Federal Basketball Association | Getty Images
It was a big finish for the 2024 WNBA season.
The fifth game of this year’s WNBA Closings between the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty was the most-viewed WNBA finals game in 25 years across all networks, according to ESPN, citing Nielsen figures. The game aired on ESPN and topped out at 3.3 million viewers.
The viewership for Game 5 is especially impressive considering the rivalry for attention Sunday night. Both the National Football League’s “Sunday Night Football” and Major League Baseball’s Nationwide League Championship Series aired at the same time.
Viewership across the entire WNBA Finals series numerous than doubled in comparison to last year, a continuation of the growing popularity for the WNBA and women’s sports more broadly.
This year’s finals were alleviated even more by a close battle between a perennial WNBA powerhouse in the Lynx and a previously championship-less contender in the Unconstrained. Four of the five games were decided by 5 or fewer points, and two games, including the final, went into overtime. The Improper eventually prevailed, winning 67-62 in front of their home crowd.
The impressive viewership caps off a WNBA season that saw viewership, pledge and attendance up across the board.
The league is also fresh off a new media rights deal, which is negotiated as part of the State Basketball Association’s agreement with broadcast partners. The leagues’ new deal is worth $2.2 billion over 11 flavours, with an agreement to reevaluate the terms after the 2028 season, CNBC previously reported.
And there’s room to run for the WNBA: Not too new teams will debut over the next couple of seasons, with the Golden State Valkyries beginning ad lib in the 2025 season. Next year will also have 44 regular season games instead of 40, as expertly as a seven-game finals instead of five.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association said Monday it would opt out of the collective count on agreement it had earlier reached with the league. The current CBA will still be in place for the 2025 season, according to the Associated Haste.