The number of viewers for the WNBA has surpassed a previous record, while attendance has reached a 20-year high.

• During the 2024 regular season, the WNBA experienced unprecedented viewership due to the surge in popularity brought about by rookie sensations Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
• More than 54 million unique viewers tuned in across multiple networks and platforms, including ESPN, ABC, CBS, and Ion.
• The highest attendance in more than two decades was recorded at the game, accompanied by significant growth on social media and merchandise sales.

During the 2024 season, the Women's National Basketball Association experienced a surge in viewership and attendance, thanks to the rising popularity of young stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

More than 54 million unique viewers watched the league's games, breaking an all-time record, across various networks including ABC, ESPN, CBS, Ion, and NBA TV, among others, according to data released by the WNBA on Friday.

The WNBA experienced a 50% increase in attendance from the previous season, with 154 sellout games in 2023, compared to the 45 sellouts in 2023.

The WNBA's explosive metrics and popularity this season were driven by a top rookie class, including Clark of the Indiana Fever and Reese of the Chicago Sky, and the Las Vegas Aces' bid for their third straight championship. These factors, along with the league's ability to attract a lucrative new media rights deal, have positioned the WNBA for expansion, with the announcement of a 15th team in Portland for the 2026 season.

The league has seen an increase in attention, which has led more players to report experiencing online harassment or racism. During a recent interview on CNBC, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert did not explicitly condemn the hateful comments directed towards players, prompting criticism from various sources.

She later clarified that she opposes "hate or racism."

The Fever's attendance numbers showed a significant increase, with more than a four-fold jump, compared to the Los Angeles Sparks' 69% growth, which was the second-highest year-over-year increase among all WNBA teams.

During the season, the WNBA experienced significant growth in merchandise sales and social media engagement. The WNBA's social media accounts received nearly 2 billion video views, which was more than four times the amount from the previous season.

The NBA's media rights for the WNBA were negotiated earlier this year and resulted in a $2.2 billion contract for 11 seasons, with a price reevaluation after the 2028 season, according to CNBC.

The NBA sought to secure more funding for the WNBA due to its increasing popularity during the rights negotiations that resulted in a $77 billion, 11-year agreement in total.

In the 2024 WNBA season, at least 1 million viewers tuned in for an average of 22 regular season game telecasts.

ESPN recorded its highest regular season viewership ever during the 2020-21 season, with an average of 1.19 million viewers, up 170% from the previous season. This was also the most-watched regular season for ESPN in terms of individual games, with several breaking records. Additionally, the 2024 season featured the seven most-watched WNBA games on ESPN and the top two on ABC.

The Sky at Fever game in June was the most watched WNBA game ever on CBS Sports, with an average of 2.25 million viewers.

The Fever and Connecticut Sun's Sept. 22 matchup drew a record audience, with the explosive viewership continuing into the postseason. Despite this, Clark's Fever were eliminated in two games in the first round.

The semifinals of the league's playoffs feature a rematch between the Aces and the New York Liberty, who finished second last year.