WNBA Finals drew league’s best ratings in 30 years
The WNBA Finals were a huge success as the league’s audience continues to grow. According to Sports Business Journal an average of 1.9 million viewers tuned in across a variety of television stations (NBC, USA, CNBC, Syfy and E!) to…
The WNBA Finals delivered impressive ratings, marking the league's best in 30 years. An average of 1.9 million viewers watched the seven-game championship series between the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream. The Valkyries emerged victorious, clinching the title on Halloween with 3.3 million people tuning in for Game 7. Despite initial uncertainties regarding game timings and venues, the league's ratings remained strong.
The 2026 WNBA Finals averaged nearly two million viewers per game, a 30% increase from the 2025 Aces' four-game sweep of the Mercury. This represents the league's highest ratings since 1999, when the Finals were held in just three games. The WNBA's growth in popularity can be attributed, in part, to the success of star players like Caitlin Clark.
However, the ratings may have experienced a slight dip due to scheduling conflicts with the FIBA World Cup and MLB playoffs preceding the playoffs. It remains to be seen if the WNBA can sustain and surpass these impressive ratings in the future.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
