What is the viewership for 2023 WNBA Finals? Exploring how it compares to NBA Finals
The WNBA is coming off its most-viewed season since it started organizing games in 1997. The viewership for the WNBA Finals has also increased substantially with WNBA players gaining more prominence and fame in terms of their fanbase and attendance of celebrities.
On Tuesday, October 10, ESPN reported that Game 1 of the 2023 WNBA Finals had the highest ratings ever recorded on ESPN and its networks.
The viewership of the WNBA Finals in the first two games of the finals has seen an increase of 13% since last year. The finals between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty have garnered an average of 729,000 viewers, which peaked at 885,000. Since 1998, ESPN and its networks have been involved in broadcasting 83 WNBA Finals games.
However, as compared to the NBA’s viewership, the numbers falter miserably. The regular season of the NBA attracts far more viewership than the WNBA Finals. Last season, the NBA saw a decline in its regular season viewership, recording an average of 1.59 million viewers.
In the 2022-23 season, the Finals between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets saw an increase in viewership by 6% from last year. The series between the Nuggets and the Heat averaged 11. 65 million viewers as compared to an average of 12.4 million viewers from the 2021-22 Finals.
Despite recording low numbers in viewerships as compared to the NBA, the WNBA has seen a surge, which is a positive trend. The attendance of celebrities has increased, and star players have had a significant increase in their popularity. However, one of the factors that has been an impediment in terms of viewership is the availability of the arenas and the carelessness to strategically popularize the game.
A'ja Wilson and Aces are one win away from second WNBA Finals in a row
The Las Vegas Aces are just one win away from winning a back-to-back WNBA title. They would become the first team to do it since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02. Leading the Aces, A'ja Wilson scored a game-high 26 points and 15 rebounds on Wednesday to take a 2-0 lead in the series.
Apart from Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and last finals MVP Chelsea Gray also came up big in the game. Plum scored 23 points with eight assists. Jackie Young added 24 points, while Gray had an overall great game with 14 points, 11 assists and six rebounds.
Game 3 is a must-win game for the New York Liberty to stay in the series and stop them from getting swept. Moreover, the history is already against the Liberty, as no team has ever come back from a 2-0 deficit in the WNBA Finals.