The New York Liberty celebrate winning the 2024 WNBA Championship against the Minnesota Lynx during Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center on October 20, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York.
David Sherman | National Basketball Association | Getty Images
It’s a great ending to the 2024 WNBA season.
Game 5 of this year’s WNBA Finals, between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty, was the most-watched WNBA Finals game on the entire network in 25 years. According to ESPNciting Nielsen data. The game was broadcast on ESPN and had 3.3 million viewers.
The ratings for Game 5 were especially impressive considering the competition for attention on Sunday night. The NFL’s Sunday Night Football airs simultaneously with Major League Baseball’s National League Championship Series.
Ratings for the entire WNBA Finals series more than doubled compared to last year, continuing a trend of increasing popularity for the WNBA and the broader women’s game.
This year’s finals featured a tight contest between the WNBA’s perennial powerhouse Bobcats and the previously titleless contender Liberty. Four of the five games were decided by five points or less, and two of those games, including the final, went into overtime. Liberty ultimately won 67-62 in front of their home fans.
The impressive ratings capped off the WNBA season, with ratings, engagement and attendance improving across the board.
The league also just struck a new media rights deal as part of the National Basketball Association’s deal with broadcast partners. According to a previous report by CNBC, the league’s new contract is worth $2.2 billion for 11 seasons, with the league agreeing to reevaluate the terms after the 2028 season.
There’s still room for competition in the WNBA: Several new teams will debut over the next few seasons, including the Golden State Valkyrie starting in the 2025 season. Next year the regular season will also increase from 40 to 44 games, and the finals will increase from 5 to 7 games.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association said Monday it would opt out of team competition bargain It had earlier struck a deal with the league. According to the Associated Press, the current CBA will remain in effect through the 2025 season.
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