According to WNBA statistics, 75 percent of the fans in attendance at a WNBA game are female. 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). As part of the agreement, the league established a new platform, WNBA Changemakers, to attract corporate investment in the league. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images), television ratings were down 16 percent in the regular season, organize political and social movements among fans and viewers. I think the social media engagement was so it was different than last year, it was more intense, everyone was more excited. 1 Connecticut Sun and the No. So while television ratings were down 16 percent in the regular season, the league was pleased to simply be on more screens and in more minds during a blitz of sports in the late summer. Strauss adds the league's local viewership, too, has sharply declined. Womens tennis is as popular or more popular than the mens game, and womens gymnastics is much more popular than the mens sport. The premiere episode of Not Dead Yet had about 7.6 million viewers and a 1.76 rating among the 18-49 demographic in the seven days after its premiere on across linear and digital platforms. WNBA DELIVERS MOST-WATCHED REGULAR SEASON SINCE 2008 Connecticut's Diana Taurasi, left, is presented with a Phoenix Mercury jersey by WNBA President Val [+] Ackerman, right, after the Mercury chose her as the No. Atlanta Dream Team Store; . Would you be willing to send a $5 tip to our Venmo tip jar because it helps support our reporting? National Basketball Association all-time triple double leaders 1946-2022, Value of National Basketball Association franchises 2022, National Basketball Association all-time assists leaders 1946-2023. What might be better is a carryover buzz from Womens College Basketball. The league also set new marks for engagements across social media, digital and merchandise, as well as experienced subscription growth for WNBA League Pass. The Nielson-measured average total viewers for national telecasts of NBA games was up 8% from the 2016-17 season at 1.28 million. The WNBA averaged 413,000 viewers in that year. [Online]. MPG Minutes Per Game . Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, the Los Angeles Sparks reported just 18,319 attendees in 2021. [Online]. However, the shrinking interest is more than a concern. WNBA 2021 commercial guide: Every franchise, every sponsor, all the major TV deals. viewership dropped roughly 50 percent . They did that during the NBC days. . The latest figures continue a positive start to the season for the WNBA, which saw record ratings in Canada during its opening weekend, including a 325 per cent increase in average viewership. The highest average was the Phoenix Mercury with 5,849 and the lowest was the Los Angeles Sparks with 1,144. A paid subscription is required for full access. In that same span, ratings fell 20 percent on ESPN. ", Morning Consult, Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1108312/women-national-basketball-association-interest-gender/ (last visited March 05, 2023), Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender [Graph], Morning Consult, May 26, 2022. While the NBA had higher viewership numbers last summer, 68% of our fans watched the NBA versus 82% of them watching a regular-season WNBA game. to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. Liston 7 pts 2 reb 2 ast (gets back up minutes at 2/3 behind the starters and Wright 10-15 min) Hooper 7 pts 3 reb (backs up Powell, Hodges, TJJ, and GloJo at 3 and 4 for 15-20 minutes a night) Marshall 5 pts 3 reb 1 ast 1 stl (gets 10-15 minutes off bench behind Carson and Cappie at the 2 spot) Sims barely edges out Ogwumike for rookie of the . Few basketball fans were tuned in to see Peddys shot. According to Burack, who also cited Nielsen data, TNT's slate of NBA games declined by 19 percent compared to 2019 (from 1.5 million to 1.2 million viewers per game) while ESPN's offerings . For specifically the WNBA Finals in 2021, the first game of the series (Chicago Sky vs. Phoenix Mercury) peaked with 547,000 viewers, making it the most-viewed opening game of the Finals since 2017. Register in seconds and access exclusive features. The 2023 World Baseball Classic, the first since 2017, will get underway on Tuesday, March 7. Overall, the 2014 playoffs averaged a 0.3 rating and 489,000 viewers on the ESPN networks, up from 0.2 and 272,000 in 2013. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236723/wnba-regular-season-viewers/, Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022, Available to download in PNG, PDF, XLS format, Average franchise value in major U.S. sports leagues 2007-2020, Average franchise value of National Basketball Association teams 2001-2022, Total revenue of the National Basketball Association 2001-2022, Teams of the NBA ranked by revenue 2021/22, NBA league & teams sponsorship revenue 2010-2022, Average operating income of National Basketball Association teams 2001-2022, Operating income of National Basketball Association franchises in 2022, NBA Finals TV viewership in the U.S. 2000-2022, NBA Finals TV ratings in the U.S. 2002-2022, Average U.S. TV ratings of NBA Finals 2022, Average viewers of the NBA Finals in the U.S. 2022, Total attendance at National Basketball Association regular season games 2006-2022, NBA regular season home attendance by team 2021/22, Average per game attendance in the NBA from 2005-2022, NBA regular season average home attendance by team 2021/22, Construction costs of NBA stadiums/arenas built since 2000, Federal subsidy to NBA stadiums built since 2002, NBA interest level in the U.S. 2022, by ethnicity, National Basketball Association (NBA) interest levels worldwide 2021, NBA number of Facebook fans/Twitter followers 2012-2022, National Basketball Association salary cap 2012-2023, Minimum player salary per year in NBA 2017-2024, Average player expenses of National Basketball Association teams 2001-2022, Player expenses in the NBA by team in 2022, National Basketball Association highest-paid players in salaries & endorsements 2023, National Basketball Association all-time rebounding leaders 1946-2022, National Basketball Association all-time minutes leaders 1946-2022, Regular season attendance WNBA games 2022, Average U.S. TV ratings of NBA playoffs 2018, Average U.S. TV ratings selected NBA games 2018, NCAA basketball March Madness TV viewership selected games 2013, NCAA basketball March Madness TV viewership selected games 2014, Average NCAA football TV viewership by conference, Average NCAA basketball TV viewership by conference 2011, Super Bowl viewers in the U.S. 2017-2023, by platform, Distribution of NBA television audience during 2012-2013 regular season, by income, Distribution of NBA regular season TV audience 2014, by ethnicity, Age breakdown of NBA TV audience during 2013 regular season, Average TV viewership of selected NCAA football games 2017, Gender breakdown of NBA television audience in 2013 regular season, Women's World Cup viewership in the U.S. 2015, Women's World Cup viewership habits in the U.S. 2019, Number of Adult Swim viewers in the U.S. 2014-2021, Most common online methods of finding TV shows Australia 2017, Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s), Find your information in our database containing over 20,000 reports. That game averaged 755,000 viewers on ABC. That number was up 18% year over year, according to ESPN, despite the competition. They never got a single NBA/WNBA double-header over the course of this going back to July. Her Oregon teammates Satou Sabally (second overall to Dallas Wings) and Ruthy Hebard (eighth overall to Chicago Sky) also went in the first round. The increase in WNBA viewership coincides with the most-ever league games on national television. According to The Athletic, the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game peaked at 768,000 viewers. Shouldnt the league be able to stand on its own before it offers such rewards? Candace Parker #3 of the Chicago Sky celebrates with her teammates after winning Game Four of the 2021 WNBA Finals against the Phoenix Mercury on October 17, 2021 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. . 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). statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. In addition, DICKS Sporting Goods became the largest national retailer for WNBA merchandise. 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. Complement's plant-based kitchen sweepstakes Weather report: Study shows bovine meat and milk factors linked to colorectal cancer, Farm Rich plant-based mozzarella sticks in Walmart and Kroger, plant-based raw tuna coming to San Francisco restaurants The Beer You Should Order, Based on Your Zodiac Sign (Best Life . How do you get that bias out of that valuation model? The 2023 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament presented by TIAA marks the 30th in conference history. Most Super Bowl wins by NFL team 1967-2023, Average ticket price in the NFL by team 2021, FIFA World Ranking: top male soccer teams 2022, Athletic footwear global market share by company 2015, Health & Fitness Clubs - Statistics & Facts, Sporting goods industry in the U.S. - statistics & facts, Research expert covering sports and video gaming, Profit from additional features with an Employee Account. Sky forward Candace Parker finished the game with 16 points and team-high 13 rebounds. Visit ESPN to view 2022 WNBA stat leaders. As a media company, I would align with the WNBAs fan culture on social, Scott said. Which leads us here: The average NBA salary is about $7.5 million; according to the league, the average WNBA salary in 2019 was reportedly about $116,000, but a new collective bargaining agreement which runs from 2020 to 2027 provides a 53% pay increase, plus maternity leave at full salary, $5,000 for child care, and as much as $60,000 for adoption, surrogacy, egg freezing and fertility treatments. Got a confidential news tip? The network said Game 3 was the most-watched, with an average of 524,000 viewers. 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). In, SportsPro. NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2021 - The WNBA capped off its historic 25 th regular season by delivering its most-watched season since 2008 for its television partners - ABC, CBS, ESPN and ESPN2 - with. 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. The WNBA Playoffs will feature a maximum of 19 games, all available across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and the ESPN App. Which was a drop of 16% on the previous year. 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. Create your account and get enhanced access to all the latest stories. More people. 4 Seattle Storm received a bye into the second round. ), 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. A hockey podcast that doesn't talk about last night's scores. LPGA golfers face the same challenge. ", 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. system, which features three uniform editions for each of the 12 teams, WNBA merchandise on The WNBA Store saw record growth this season with a 50% increase over last year. I cover women's sports and the intersection of sports & society. And average league-wide attendance tends to be heaviest in August each year. When fans werent tuned in, they engaged with social content in record numbers. The Washington Capitals are averaging 3.02 goals per game, 2.97 goals against per game, 20.9% on the power play, and 82.4% on the penalty kill. In addition, the league teamed up with Dapper Labs, the company behind NBA Top Shot and the Flow blockchain, to launch WNBA Moments on Top Shot, giving fans the ability to own dynamic in-game moments from WNBA players and legends. 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. How about how many people were willing to leave the comfort of their homes and hit the arena? Accessed March 05, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236723/wnba-regular-season-viewers/, SportsPro. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. ESPN added 13 games to their 2020 broadcast slate after their opening weekend broadcast was up 20% year-over-year. WNBA Stats and History Statistics, scores, and history for the Women's National Basketball Association. The NBA opened the 2020-21 season to a strong start after enjoying the most-watched opening week since 2012, with combined viewership up 67% compared to last year. Draft coverage peaked at about 463,000 viewers. And I think thats definitely achievable. she continued. It is the most-watched comedy debut on ABC in nearly four years. "Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender." In particular, the deciding Game 3 of the Finals fit perfectly the formula that Lewis has observed tends to serve up the best ratings for the league. According to Statista, the average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season in 2016 was 224,000 and grew to 246,000 in 2019. The 2019 NBA Finals had 27% fewer viewers this year, compared to last year (17.85M to 10.4M). Digital: A record was set for the traffic the WNBA site saw online. This year the WNBA celebrated its 25th season and with that came exponential viewership growth across multiple categories on ESPN networks. As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. Also, the viewership on ESPN and ESPN2 increased 11% from 202,000 views last season to 224,000. The value of working through athletes as influencers in the WNBA is evident in the data as well. The league started the 25thseason by introducing its new official game ball by Wilson Sporting Goods through a new multiyear global partnership. What percentage of WNBA viewers are female? ET. Moreover, as pundits debate whether a severely depressed sports viewership landscape is that way in part because of increased athlete activism, the WNBA perhaps more than any other league used the platform of its games to organize political and social movements among fans and viewers, and did not suffer. The ratings also represent a 63 percent increase from those in 2020. Every WNBA Player. Which was a drop of 16% on the previous year. In addition to ESPN, this years WNBA games are being broadcast on Amazon Prime Video for the first time. Chart. That parts crazy to me. Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s) [Graph]. The 2021 NBA Playoffs overall (inclusive of Finals) averaged 4.25 million viewers across ABC, ESPN and TNT, up 35% vs. the 2020 postseason. An average of 379,000 viewers watched WNBA games on ABC, ESPN and CBS, the league said Wednesday, a 16% increase from 2021. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. 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. 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 . Kena Krutsinger | National Basketball Association | Getty Images, What it takes to become an Olympic gold medalist. Accessed March 05, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1108312/women-national-basketball-association-interest-gender/, Morning Consult. New York Libertys Sabrina Ionescu became the first WNBA player to eclipse 500 points, 200 rebounds and 200 assists in a single season. U.S. Bank joined the leagues growing lineup of WNBA Changemakers, which include AT&T, Deloitte, Nike, and Google. 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. 2), the Las Vegas Aces (No. Statista. And the 2021 WNBA Finals Game 2 was the most watched Game 2 since 2003, peaking with 1 million viewers. In essence Black males are the main supporters of the WNBA, yet Layshia Clarendon decided to focus her anger towards them. The regular season takes place in summer from May to August and the play-offs in. 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. By this date in 2019, 15 college football games averaged at least a 3.0 ratings. The BarDown podcast will investigate, uncover and explore long-form stories at the intersection of sports . . And the entire Finals series averaged 548,000 viewers, making it also the most watched since 2017. ET, before the No. Last year, Sabrina Ionescu went first to New York. SportsPro. News Archive; Media Central; Game Notes; 2022-23 Dream Overseas Updates; 2023 Schedule Release; Team Store. It has taken decades to overcome such backward thinking, and the womens games have been playing catch-up ever since. 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 WNBA is 50 years behind in building its brand and working out labor issues. 2023 Players Check out our Player Season Finder to search through the entire history of WNBA player stats using custom criteria. 3 Minnesota Lynx and the 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.. An NBA basketball is two ounces heavier and an inch larger in circumference than a WNBA basketball. 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. WNBA Viewership of 2020 WNBA Finals up 15 percent from 2019 In a time when many of America's major professional sports leagues are struggling to maintain their usual viewership, the 2020. Stats say that 66% of WNBA viewers are actually male. ESPN added 13 games to their 2020 broadcast slate after their opening weekend broadcast was up. 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. The 2014 WNBA finals averaged 659,000 viewers across the ESPN channels, up 91% from the 2013 finals between the Minnesota Lynx and the Atlanta Dream which averaged 345,000. 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). In terms of how team attendance was trending prior to the pandemic, the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, and Los Angeles Sparks had regular season attendance averages that were trending up over the previous three years (2017, 2018, 2019). Season. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. Viewership across its national television partners ABC, CBS, ESPN, and ESPN2 was up 16 percent over the 2021 season. The Christmas Day lineup netted a 10% increase in viewership, with the Dallas Mavericks and Lakers contest averaging 7.01 million viewers. The womens league now has a commissioner, Cathy Engelbert. WNBA viewership during the 2021 regular season was up 49 percent year over year. 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.