WNBA Playoffs Deliver Most-Watched First Round Ever
Game 3 between the Aces and Fever drew 2.3 million viewers.
The WNBA playoffs kicked off with a record-breaking first round that averaged 1.3 million viewers across 10 games on ESPN, Prime Video, and USA Network, according to the league's announcement on Tuesday. This marks the highest-rated opening round in WNBA history, a 37% increase compared to last year's average of 944,000 viewers over 11 games on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2.
The league's ratings surpassed the previous 2024 record of 1.1 million average viewers over eight games. Rookie star Caitlin Clark, who made her playoff debut, played a pivotal role in the first round, particularly in Game 3 between the Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever, which drew the highest viewership of 2.3 million, ranking second only to Game 2 of the 2024 Fever vs. Sun series with 2.5 million.
The 2026 WNBA Playoffs will be the first under a new media rights deal worth over $3 billion, dividing the postseason among ESPN, Amazon, NBC, and Versant. Following a successful regular season, the WNBA also experienced consistent growth in viewership across various broadcasting partners, with ESPN up 17% and CBS up 9% compared to last year.
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