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WNBA (Source: X)
The popularity of the WNBA is rising, something it hasn't done since its first season. Record-breaking attendance and viewership, led by rookie stars Angel Reese and Cameron Clark, offer optimism for a promising future. The WNBA's first five seasons had all of the most viewed games since its 1997 launch.
The WNBA game that was first shown on television continues to be the most viewed event. New York Liberty vs Los Angeles Sparks was viewed by 5.04 million people at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. 14,284 fans came to the game to witness history. Penny Toler of the Sparks made the first basket of the season, but the Liberty won 67-57.
5. Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury - 2.89 Million
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In front of the biggest NBA crowd ever, Michael Jordan and the Bulls won their sixth championship on June 14, 1998, making it a historic day in pro basketball history. The Phoenix Mercury were led by Cheryl Miller to a 15-point victory over the Sparks earlier in the day, drawing 2.89 million viewers to the WNBA, which at the time had the third-largest audience in its short existence. This marked the beginning of the Mercury team's run to the WNBA Finals.
4. New York Liberty vs Huston Comets - 3.25 Million
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Teresa Weatherspoon stunned the WNBA with a heave from beyond half-court to steal Game 2 of the WNBA Finals. The very following day, Game 3 was a winner-take-all match between the Liberty and Comets. With a comeback, Houston won their third consecutive championship in front of an estimated 3.25 million viewers, making it the most viewed postseason game in WNBA history.
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3. Team USA vs Team WNBA - 3.44 Million
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A record 3.44 million people watched the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game, placing it third. The previous high of 1.44 million, reached at the game at Madison Square Garden in 2003, is more than doubled by that amount. The game's unusual match a non-Olympian-led Team WNBA against the U.S. national team contributed to its exceptionally high viewership.
2. Charlotte Sting vs Phoenix Mercury
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On June 22 1997 Charlotte Sting was playing against Phoenix Mercury. This match in WNBA was the second most viewed match in WNBA history. According to reports by NBC 3.59 million people viewed the game between the two WNBA teams. However, it was the first match of the WNBA season and Phoenix Mercury won the game against Charlotte Sting by a score of 79-59.
1. New York Liberty vs Los Angeles Sparks
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On the first weekend of play in 1997, NBC averaged 5.04 million for the league's premiere game, Liberty-Sparks on June 21. Later after 48 hours following that day, Charlotte Sting vs Phoenix Mercury became the second most watched game in WNBA. Meanwhile, the WNBA still hasn't been able to attract the same crowd that saw its inaugural games over 27 years ago. The league will have a fantastic chance in the upcoming years to make sure that is no longer the case, considering the great level of interest in the rookie class headlined by Caitlin Clark.