ESPN's Double Digit Audience Increases Generate Most-Viewed WNBA Playoffs Since 2007
ESPN's coverage of the 2014 WNBA postseason generated the largest television audience for the event since 2007, posting double digit increases in ratings and viewership over 2013. Overall, ESPN, ABC, ESPN2 and ESPNEWS combined to televise 10 games, reaching 489,000 viewers and a 0.3 US household ratings for increases of 90 percent (vs. 257,000 in 2013) and 50 percent (vs. 0.2), respectively.
The WNBA Finals 2014 Presented by Boost Mobile had increases of 150 percent in US household ratings (0.5 vs. 0.2 in 2013) and a 91 percent in viewership (659,000 vs. 345,000 in 2013).
ABC was home to the WNBA Conference Final Game 2 on Sunday, Aug. 31 - a 96-78 Phoenix victory over the Minnesota Lynx - ranking as the most-viewed WNBA postseason game on ABC since 2007 (828,000 viewers, 0.6 rating). The Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 between the Detroit Shock and Indiana Fever on September 2, 2007, averaged 839,000 viewers based on a 0.7 rating.
The six WNBA Conference Semifinal games on ESPN2 posted a 100 percent ratings increase over last season (0.2 HH US rating vs. 0.1) and a 31 percent increase in viewership (262,000 viewers vs. 200,000 viewers).
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