• Loading stock data...
Friday, October 31, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

WNBA Finals TV Ratings Grow in Game 2 Despite NFL Competition

  • Sunday’s Game 2 drew 1.34 million viewers, the second most for a Finals game on ABC.
  • The mark was hit despite the game airing simultaneously with the NFL’s Week 6 slate.
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The WNBA continues to smash viewership records despite Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever’s elimination nearly two weeks ago.

Game 2 of the Finals between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx averaged 1.34 million viewers Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, the most-viewed WNBA Finals game in 23 years. It was also the second-most-watched WNBA game on ESPN networks, behind Game 3 of the 1998 Finals, a do-or-die elimination game between the Phoenix Mercury and Houston Comets.

The record-setting figure comes despite direct competition from the NFL’s Week 6 slate. The NFL has cannibalized some of the WNBA’s viewership throughout the 2024 playoffs, most notably in the first round when games that aired on Sundays drew fewer eyeballs than those on Tuesday and Wednesday when there were no NFL games on-air.

The first game of the 2024 Finals, an overtime thriller Thursday, averaged 1.14 million viewers on ESPN, which was the first Finals opener in history to pass one million viewers

The series is averaging 1.24 million viewers through two games, 82% more than last year’s Finals. The most-viewed game in last year’s series, which saw the Las Vegas Aces win their second consecutive title by beating the Liberty, was the series-clinching fourth game that averaged 889,000 viewers.

While WNBA viewership is up significantly compared to prior seasons, Caitlin Clark remains the league’s biggest draw. The two playoff games with Clark and the Indiana Fever averaged about 2.2 million viewers, while the league’s regular-season viewership on ESPN networks, which was filled with Fever games, averaged 1.19 million viewers, just below the current Finals average.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Aug 24, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Seattle Storm center Dominique Malonga (14) celebrates with Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins (4) during the second half against the Washington Mystics at CareFirst Arena.

Dominique Malonga Headlines Unrivaled’s Final Player Announcements

Aari McDonald and Rebecca Allen are also joining Unrivaled.
Dec 10, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) talks with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

CBS Bets Big on Chiefs-Bills Rivalry As AFC Landscape Changes

Big viewership likely awaits the revival of the NFL rivalry.
Multiple streaming services appear on a Roku TV.

Disney, YouTube Settle Suit Over Poached Exec With Deep ESPN Ties

A carriage dispute between Disney and YouTube remains ongoing.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
Sep 13, 2025; Tokyo, Japan; World Athletics president Sebastian Coe at the World Athletics Championships opening ceremonies at National Stadium.

World Athletics Finds $1.7 Million Stolen by Employees

It will use the “full force of the law” to recuperate losses.
October 28, 2025

WNBA Proposes 30-Day Extension on CBA Negotiations

The CBA expires Oct. 31; a deal is not expected by then.
Terry Rozier
October 29, 2025

NBA Union Says It Will Fight Decision to Withhold Rozier’s Pay

Rozier has one year and $26.3 million left on his contract.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

TNT Sports is going all-in on college athletics—bringing fans closer and giving brands a powerful new way to connect.
Oct 24, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) looks on against Nashville SC during the first half at Chase Stadium.
October 28, 2025

Lionel Messi: MLS Can’t Grow Without More Spending Power

The Inter Miami star recently signed a contract extension through 2028.
Napheesa Collier
October 28, 2025

WNBA, Players Remain Far Apart With CBA Deadline Days Away 

A union lawyer says a deal will not be reached by Friday.
Alexis Ohanian
October 28, 2025

Alexis Ohanian: Angel City Ownership Setup Was a ‘Terrible Idea’

He admits that the NWSL club’s governance was a disaster.
October 28, 2025

Shohei Ohtani’s Historic World Series Game 3 Sets Up High-Stakes Game 4

Ohtani will start Game 4 on the mound after another epic performance Monday.