The 2025 WNBA Finals tipped off with record-breaking momentum, as Game 1 between the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury became the league’s most-watched Finals opener since its inaugural 1997 season. The Aces’ narrow three-point win in Las Vegas drew an average of 1.9 million viewers on ESPN, a 62% increase from last year, and peaked at 2.5 million — marking a milestone moment for women’s basketball viewership.
A Record Audience for the Modern WNBA
According to ESPN and league data, WNBA Countdown, the pre-game broadcast, averaged 626,000 viewers, up 78% year-over-year. Meanwhile, the WNBA Playoffs as a whole have averaged 1.2 million viewers, representing a 16% rise from 2024, underscoring the league’s steady climb in fan engagement and broadcast reach.
While the 1997 championship — then a single-game final on NBC — remains the all-time leader with 2.8 million viewers, Friday night’s opener ranks as one of the largest WNBA Finals audiences in over two decades, surpassed only by last year’s Game 5, which averaged 2.2 million during its dramatic overtime finish.
Context Behind the Surge
The impressive viewership figures come at a particularly competitive moment in the sports calendar — positioned between college football, the NFL regular season, MLB playoffs, and the start of the NBA and NHL seasons. Despite that crowded window, the WNBA has managed to carve out a strong national footprint.
It’s worth noting that Nielsen’s updated audience measurement system, introduced last month, now includes smart TVs and set-top boxes, leading to higher reported ratings across sports. Even so, the league’s viewership surge reflects genuine momentum, driven by compelling on-court narratives and the growing cultural relevance of the women’s game.
What makes this rise even more impressive is that it comes without the presence of breakout star Caitlin Clark, who barely played this season, and without last year’s Finals contenders, who were eliminated early. The Aces and Mercury have stepped into that void, delivering a fresh yet competitive Finals matchup.
Beyond the Court: Labor Tensions Brewing
Off the court, the WNBA faces a pivotal moment. The league’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is up for renewal at the end of this month, with tensions rising between players and leadership.
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, who also co-founded the players’ movement Unrivaled, sparked headlines by criticizing Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, calling her “the worst leadership in the world.” Engelbert has denied several claims attributed to her, leading Collier to cancel a planned meeting ahead of Game 1. The outcome of these negotiations could significantly shape the WNBA’s next phase of growth, especially as media, sponsorship, and player salaries continue to scale upward.
365247 Insight
The WNBA’s record-breaking Finals opener represents more than just a spike in ratings — it signals the league’s transformation from niche property to mainstream entertainment asset. With broadcast visibility expanding, new stars emerging, and digital engagement at an all-time high, the WNBA is proving that women’s sports can consistently command major audiences in prime-time slots.
As the league enters a defining period of labor talks and global media negotiations, its surging viewership demonstrates that the business case for women’s basketball is stronger than ever — both on the scoreboard and in the boardroom.
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