Thursday, October 8, 2026
  • -
    days
  • -
    hours
  • -
    minutes
  • -
    seconds

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

Sep 27, 2026; Rio De Janeiro, BRA; (Editors Notes: Caption Correction) A view of the NFL logo and the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys during the game at Maracana Stadium.

NFL Urges Supreme Court to Hear Prediction-Markets Case

“It is critical for the Court to act as soon as possible,” a league source says.

Titans Fire Three Business Execs Amid Another Ugly Start

The moves are just the latest high-level exits and shifts in recent years. 

WNBA Semifinals Open With 1.15M Viewers, Up 10%

NBC aired its first WNBA playoff game in more than two decades.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/8/26 – Rahm Rejects LIV, Trump’s Stormy Georgia-Alabama Visit, Super Bowl on Disney+

0:00

Featured Today

Oct 3, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer waits to run onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Who Is Alabama Football in Year 3 Under Kalen DeBoer?

The No. 6 Crimson Tide host No. 2 Georgia on Saturday.
Cubs behind the scenes
October 6, 2026

Hollywood and TikTok: Sports Media’s New ‘Blueprint’

Teams and leagues are pouring money into the quest for fans.
October 2, 2026

How the Baseball Cap Became a ‘Behemoth’

The hat has become essential for athletes, fans, and the sports-agnostic.
Morishita-Sato-homerun-celebration-at-Meiji-Jingu-Baseball-Staidum-2025
September 28, 2026

Japanese Baseball Is Fighting Back Against MLB Talent Drain

Nippon Professional Baseball is reimagining how to be a global juggernaut.
Aug 9, 2026; Bedminster, New Jersey, USA; President Donald Trump walks out of the clubhouse during the final round of the LIV Golf New York tournament at Trump National Bedminster.
September 25, 2026

Trump’s Year of Sports Gets Busier With CFB, Presidents Cup

The impact of Trump’s attendance varies across each sporting event.
Kenny Albert Fox Sports
First at FOS

Kenny Albert’s Last-Minute NLDS Fill-In Came Mid-Colonoscopy Prep

Albert filled in for Joe Davis, who had lost his voice.
Sep 26, 2026; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; United States President Donald Trump is shown on the video board in attendance at Neyland Stadium before the game between Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Volunteers. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
October 7, 2026

Trump Still Plans to Attend Georgia-Alabama Despite Tropical Storm

The tropical storm projects to progress to a hurricane by Friday.
Charles Barkley Shaquille O'Neal
First at FOS
October 7, 2026

Shaquille O’Neal on Charles Barkley Retiring: ‘I Don’t Believe That’

Barkley has walked back retirement plans before, most recently in 2024.
Sponsored

Beyond the Scorecard: How Dow Is Putting Purpose at the Center of Women’s Golf

Discover how Dow and the LPGA are building a partnership with lasting impact.
Oct 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs for seventy-six yards against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Taron Johnson (3) and safety Jeremy Chinn (11) during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium.
October 7, 2026

Combined Sports Assets Give Skydance Leverage With NFL

The company’s co-CEOs spent Day 1 meeting with employees and press.
Max Kellerman Ring Magazine
Exclusive
October 6, 2026

Max Kellerman, LeSean McCoy Not Returning to DAZN Boxing Show

DAZN announced Tuesday that Mario Lopez is joining the show.
Feb 24, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; A general view of the Portland Trail Blazers logo at half court before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images
October 6, 2026

Braiden Bell Seeks Blazers Reinstatement After Firing

Bell was fired over social media posts he made as a teenager.
Opinion
October 5, 2026

Tony Romo Had an Enormous Impact on NFL TV

The “Romo Effect” will be felt for years to come.