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[09/25/26 - 10:35 AM]
ESPN Delivered Its Most-Watched WNBA Regular Season Ever!
Across 29 games, the WNBA on ESPN networks averaged 1.37M viewers, up 17% year-over-year and ranking as ESPN networks' most-viewed WNBA regular season on record.
[via press release from ESPN]

ESPN delivered its most-watched WNBA regular season ever!

· Five games averaged more than 2M viewers across ESPN and ABC

· Younger audiences grew significantly, with P2-17 up 29% and P18-24 up 27% year-over-year

ESPN delivered its most-watched WNBA regular season ever in 2026, as the league celebrates its 30th season. It also marks the third straight year ESPN has delivered its most-viewed WNBA regular season on record.

Across 29 games, the WNBA on ESPN networks averaged 1.37M viewers, up 17% year-over-year and ranking as ESPN networks' most-viewed WNBA regular season on record. ESPN presented 17 games this season, averaging 1.24M viewers, up 32% year-over-year, while 12 games on ABC averaged 1.56M viewers, up 9% year-over-year.

The record-setting season was highlighted by five games averaging more than 2M viewers.

Five games top 2M viewers

· Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream - Aug. 16, ESPN: 2.58M viewers

· Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky - Aug. 8, ABC: 2.56M viewers

· Indiana Fever at Minnesota Lynx - Aug. 2, ABC: 2.52M viewers

· Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever - May 9, ABC: 2.49M viewers

· New York Liberty at Indiana Fever - Aug. 11, ESPN: 2.01M viewers

Indiana Fever-Atlanta Dream on Aug. 16 led all WNBA games across ESPN networks this season and became the most-watched WNBA regular-season or postseason game ever on cable.

Non-Indiana games averaged 984K viewers, up 24% year-over-year. WNBA Countdown averaged 595K viewers, up 27% year-over-year.

The historic season also delivered significant growth among younger audiences. Viewership among Persons 2-17 increased 29% year-over-year, while Persons 18-24 grew 27%.

ESPN's WNBA coverage continues Sunday on ABC

ESPN's WNBA coverage continues Sunday, Sept. 27, with a WNBA Playoffs doubleheader on ABC. WNBA Countdown tips off coverage at 1:30 p.m. ET, followed by New York at Minnesota at 2 p.m. ET and Indiana at Las Vegas at 4 p.m. ET.

Coverage continues Wednesday, Sept. 30, on ESPN, beginning with WNBA Countdown at 6:30 p.m. ET. Atlanta at Washington follows at 7 p.m. ET, with Golden State at Dallas at 9 p.m. ET.

Additional WNBA Playoffs coverage details will be announced soon.

Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel

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