Friday, November 6, 2026

WNBA Finals Draws 550K Viewers Opposite First NFL Sunday

  • Game 1 between the Las Vegas Aces and the Connecticut Sun was most-watched in five years.
  • Game 3 will also compete against the debut of Amazon’s ‘Thursday Night Football.’
Lucas Peltier/USA TODAY Sports

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Game 1 of the WNBA Finals had to go up against the first Sunday of the NFL regular season, but still drew an impressive audience. 

The Las Vegas Aces’ 67-64 victory over the Connecticut Sun broadcast on ABC averaged 550,000 viewers, the network announced ahead of Tuesday’s Game 2. 

Sunday’s opener was the most-watched Game 1 in five years and up 18% over last yet. 

The viewership estimate, however, was nearly 40% lower than the previous Sunday on ABC — when the Aces faced the Seattle Storm in the semifinals without competing with the NFL for viewers. 

The WNBA Finals typically take place in October but had to be moved up this season with the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup starting later this month in Australia. 

Game 2 of the WNBA Finals will be broadcast on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET, with Game 3 again going head-to-head against Amazon’s debut as the exclusive home of “Thursday Night Football.” 

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

Feb 7, 2022; Westlake Village, CA, USA; ESPN reporter Dianna Russini at Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl LVI Opening Night at Oaks Christian High School. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
First at FOS

Dianna Russini Set to Return to Media: What We Know

Russini’s new content is expected to be sponsored by gambling operators.

How the Risk-Averse NFL Learned to Love Trades

The NFL once was practically a no-trades league. 

Is the Lamar Jackson Era Over in Baltimore?

Jackson’s contract situation hangs over the franchise.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

11/6/26 – LIV Golf Is Over, LeBron vs. Bron AI App, Pegula’s Hot-Mic Moment

0:00

Featured Today

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?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.

College Football’s Loaded Saturday Sets Up Huge Day for ABC, ESPN

The networks will broadcast five top-25 matchups Saturday.
November 4, 2026

College Football TV Ratings Remain Down 11% Through October

Four games total have drawn an audience of 10 million or higher.
ESPN analyst Pat McAfee broadcasts live from the sidelines of Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA prior to the start of the Pittsburgh Panthers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish game on November 15, 2025.
Opinion
November 5, 2026

How Did Pat McAfee Get So Polarizing?

Some of the criticism is self-inflicted. Some of it is unfair.
Sponsored

How Jeremy Bloom Is Reinventing the X Games

Jeremy Bloom discusses transforming the X Games into a global brand.
Oct 31, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries players hold the trophy after winning the 2026 WNBA Finals against the Atlanta Dream at Chase Center
November 3, 2026

WNBA Finals Game 7 Draws 3.3M Viewers

The series averaged nearly 1.9 million viewers, the most for a Finals.
Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; The ESPN logo at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Exclusive
November 3, 2026

ESPN Hires The Athletic Editorial Director Sergio Gonzalez

The move comes three months after ESPN eliminated Roxanna Scott’s editor-in-chief role.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) talks to CW sports after the game at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, November 22, 2025.
First at FOS
November 3, 2026

The CW Eyes TNT Sports Rights and More CFP Games

TNT Sports’s portfolio includes the NHL, MLB, and French Open.
Jul 11, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; ESPN reporter Michael Wilbon prior to the Phoenix Suns against the Milwaukee Bucks in game three of the 2021 NBA Finals at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
November 2, 2026

Michael Wilbon Takes Indefinite Leave From ESPN, PTI for Health Reasons

The longtime “PTI” cohost insists he’s not retiring.