Wednesday, November 11, 2026

Through Three Games, WNBA Finals Sets 20-Year Viewership High

  • The Liberty-Aces series is averaging 673,000 viewers across ABC and ESPN, the most-watched Finals in 20 years.
  • Sunday’s 87-73 win for New York over Las Vegas averaged 659,000 viewers — the most-watched Game 3 in 18 years.
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) waves to the crowd against the Las Vegas Aces during game three of the 2023 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center.
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

The New York Liberty and WNBA Finals viewership both rebounded in Game 3.

Sunday’s 87-73 win for New York over the Las Vegas Aces averaged 659,000 viewers — making it the most-watched Finals Game 3 in 18 years and a 14% increase over 2022’s comparable contest. The contest peaked with 945,000 viewers at 5 p.m. ET.

Interestingly, the WNBA Finals have performed better on Sundays while competing against the NFL rather than on a weeknight: Game 1 of the series garnered 729,000 average viewers, while Game 2 last Wednesday averaged just 626,000.

Overall, though, the WNBA Finals are doing quite well viewership-wise: Through three games, the series is averaging 673,000 viewers across ABC and ESPN — the most-watched Finals through Game 3 in 20 years and a 13% increase from 2022.

The WNBA and the Liberty experienced another win on Sunday as well. With 17,143 attending the game at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, New York reported a league record for gate receipt (specific revenue numbers were not reported). 

Ahead of the series, ticket prices on the secondary market were some of the highest in WNBA history, with Game 3 in particular being one of the best-selling games on record at ticket marketplace StubHub.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Sep 14, 2025; College Park, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Dream vice president Renee Montgomery watches a game against the Indiana Fever in the first quarter during game one of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Center Arena at College Park

Renee Montgomery Cautions Friends Running for WNBA Commissioner

She says “it’s not a job that gives you love back.”

Syracuse AD Wants Basketball Powerhouse to Prioritize Football

Syracuse hosts Clemson this weekend with ACC Network’s pregame show in town.

Pro Sports Owners Back GOP in Senate Battleground Races

Nine key races Tuesday will decide control of the Senate.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

11/11/26 – 24-Team CFP Fallout, Brees Eyes ‘MNF,’ Sportsbooks Get Crushed

0:00

Featured Today

West Wind Mahjong

Mahjong Mania Has Come for College Sports

Bespoke retailers are cashing in with officially licensed mahjong sets.
November 6, 2026

Can MLS Capitalize on Son-Mania?

Korea and Tottenham fans alike have flocked to LAFC’s away matches.
Pickering High School North
November 4, 2026

High School Athletic Directors Say They’re Running ‘Mini Colleges’

ADs are managing a growing list of demands from athletes and parents.
October 30, 2026

How Injuries Hit Pro Marathoners in the Wallet

Staying healthy can get expensive—quickly.
Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match
October 21, 2026

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
Nov 8, 2026; Madrid, ESP; A general overall view of the 2026 NFL Madrid Game at an empty Bernabeu Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFL Network’s Europe Games Average a Record 6.9M in First ESPN Season

NFL Network games this season also stream on the ESPN app.
Feb 10, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Dianna Russini appears on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors awards presentation at YouTube Theater. Mandatory Credit:
November 10, 2026

10 Burning Questions About Dianna Russini’s Sports-Media Comeback

Plenty of questions remain ahead of Russini’s upcoming return.
Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees on the field prior to the start of a week 6 NFL football game between New York Giants and New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
Exclusive
November 11, 2026

Drew Brees Wants to Succeed Troy Aikman on Monday Night Football

Greg Olsen and Tony Romo are other potential candidates.
Sponsored

How Jeremy Bloom Is Reinventing the X Games

Jeremy Bloom discusses transforming the X Games into a global brand.
November 9, 2026

‘We Believe in Sports’: Skydance Combining HBO Max, Paramount+

Those services have rights to the NFL, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, and more.
November 9, 2026

Dianna Russini Announces New Show With Offshore Sportsbook

BetUS announced ‘The Russini Report’ on Monday.
November 8, 2026

Mike Tirico Out for ‘Sunday Night Football’ With ‘Health Issue’

The game was set to be Tirico’s 300th NFL broadcast.
The ESPN logo is seen on an electronic display in Times Square in New York City, U.S., August 23, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Segar
Exclusive
November 6, 2026

ESPN Warns Talent About Insider Betting on Prediction Markets

The guidelines were sent to on-camera talent at the end of October.