The matchup between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky hit a whopping 2.7 million views. This came after the Las Vegas Aces-New York Liberty matchup hit 1.3 million views, marking what ESPN PR called “The most-watched WNBA opening weekend EVER on ESPN platforms.” High viewing figures show that the league is in good health, which can result in more negotiating power that can translate to better deals. This is brilliant for the league, as a larger audience will result in more revenue. There are several reasons why women’s basketball is on the rise. Here at LWOS, we discuss why more people are watching the WNBA than ever.
Why More People Are Watching The WNBA Than Ever
There Is Momentum From Unrivaled
Unrivaled kept people interested in the women’s game. Unrivaled’s coverage reached more than 11.9 million viewers, and it averaged 221,000 viewers on TNT and truTV. They gained new fans along the way as people wanted to see how the tournament would work. Some people may not have watched 3×3 basketball before Unrivaled, so they won’t know the differences. One fascinating aspect of Unrivaled was the 1v1 tournament. Not many people would have watched a 1v1 tournament, as the NBA doesn’t do it during the All-Star break. Napheesa Collier won the 1v1 tournament with relative ease. It would be a shock if she didn’t win it, as she was the best player at Unrivaled. The only surprise from that tournament was that Aaliyah Edwards went to the final after defeating the likes of Breanna Stewart and Allisha Gray.
Caitlin Clark And Other Stars Coming into the WNBA
The league’s popularity skyrocketed following the arrival of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Rookies like Paige Bueckers and Kiki Iriafen are also talented players. Bueckers was seen as the Caitlin Clark before Caitlin Clark, while Iriafen can affect the game in different ways. One of Iriafen’s strengths is her smooth mid-range jumper. She has a great all-around game and is a matchup nightmare for anyone on the court. This is before we mention Rickea Jackson and Aaliyah Edwards, who haven’t got going in their second year. Jackson had a solid first year in the league, while Edwards proved her worth in Unrivaled’s 1v1 tournament. There is so much talent in the league that players such as Deja Kelly and Celeste Taylor couldn’t find a roster spot.
Exciting Offseason Moves Have Taken Place
Several star players joined a new franchise in the offseason. The Atlanta Dream acquired Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones, the Indiana Fever added Sophie Cunningham, DeWanna Bonner, and Natasha Howard, and Phoenix Mercury signed Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas. Out of all of those teams that have revamped their roster, Atlanta has had the most success. The team that has had the least success is Indiana Fever, but this is due to injuries. The Dream started the season win a 5-2 record while the Indiana Fever began 3-4 and the Phoenix Mercury started 5-3. Nonetheless, these trades are exciting as more teams can compete with the likes of the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty for a championship.
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